Category Lead - Indirect

Butler-Rose; Plymouth; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Butler Rose is partnering with a leading manufacturing organisation in Plymouth to recruit a Category Lead – Indirect Procurement. The role focuses on strategic sourcing, contract negotiations and supplier performance across a broad indirect spend portfolio.

You will develop category strategies, manage supplier relationships and deliver measurable cost savings while ensuring compliance and supply chain resilience. The position offers a high-impact, commercially oriented career path.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in indirect procurement and category management within manufacturing or industrial environments.
• Proven track record of delivering procurement savings and value improvement programs.
• Strong negotiation and supplier relationship management experience.
• Excellent commercial acumen and analytical capability.
• Ability to influence stakeholders at all levels and lead complex projects.

Responsibilities

• Develop long-term category plans across indirect goods and services.
• Lead sourcing projects, tenders and supplier negotiations.
• Manage key supplier relationships and drive performance improvements.
• Deliver cost reduction, value creation and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Support business planning for operational and capital expenditure.
• Mitigate supply chain risks and ensure supplier compliance.
• Manage contract lifecycles and resolve commercial disputes.
• Act as procurement SME for stakeholders across the organisation.

Skills

Indirect procurement

Category management

Stakeholder engagement

Contract negotiation

Supplier relationship management

Commercial acumen

Data-driven decision making

Education

Business or engineering degree

Procurement qualification (e.g., CIPS)

Job description

Category Lead - Indirect (263511381) Plymouth, England

Salary: GBP55000 - GBP60000 per annum

Category Lead – Indirect Procurement

Salary: £55,000 - £60,000 + Benefits

Location: Plymouth

Permanent | Full Time

Butler Rose is partnering with a leading manufacturing organisation to recruit an experienced Category Lead – Indirect Procurement. This is a high-impact strategic role offering the opportunity to shape procurement direction, influence senior stakeholders and drive tangible commercial value across a diverse indirect spend portfolio.

Managing annual spend in excess of £20m, you'll be responsible for developing and implementing category strategies that support business objectives, improve supplier performance, reduce risk and deliver sustainable cost savings. You'll operate as a trusted business partner, working across a broad range of departments and leading procurement initiatives that have a direct impact on operational and financial performance.

The Opportunity

This is far more than a traditional buying role. You'll take ownership of strategic sourcing activities, contract negotiations, supplier performance management and category development across a wide variety of indirect spend areas.

Working closely with senior budget holders and operational teams, you'll identify opportunities for improvement, challenge existing approaches and implement procurement strategies that deliver measurable value whilst ensuring compliance and supply chain resilience.

Key areas of responsibility include:

• Developing and delivering long-term category plans across indirect goods and services.
• Leading sourcing projects, tenders and supplier negotiations.
• Managing key supplier relationships and driving performance improvements.
• Delivering cost reduction, value creation and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Supporting business planning activities for both operational and capital expenditure.
• Mitigating supply chain risks and ensuring supplier compliance.
• Managing contract lifecycles and resolving commercial disputes where required.
• Acting as a procurement subject matter expert for stakeholders across the organisation.

About You

We're looking for a commercially minded procurement professional who combines strategic thinking with strong stakeholder engagement skills.

You’ll likely have:

• Significant experience in indirect procurement and category management, ideally gained within a manufacturing, engineering or industrial environment.
• A proven track record of delivering procurement savings, value improvement programmes and successful sourcing projects.
• Strong contract negotiation and supplier relationship management experience.
• Excellent commercial acumen and analytical capability.
• The ability to influence and challenge stakeholders at all levels of the business.
• Experience managing complex procurement projects from strategy through to implementation.
• A relevant business, engineering or procurement qualification, with CIPS highly advantageous.
• A continuous improvement mindset and a data-driven approach to decision making.

Why Apply?

This is an excellent opportunity to join a well-established and highly regarded manufacturer in a role where you'll have genuine influence over procurement strategy and supplier performance.

You’ll work with a broad stakeholder base, lead meaningful change initiatives and play a key role in delivering long-term business value within a collaborative and forward-thinking environment.