Category Manager

Woods Air Movement Limited; Colchester; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the industrial machinery manufacturing sector seeks a Category Manager to oversee procurement activities, manage supplier relationships, and develop sourcing strategies. This role involves close collaboration with various teams and supports new product introductions. The ideal candidate will demonstrate experience in category management and possess strong negotiation skills, alongside the ability to provide commercial insights.

Benefits

25 days holiday plus bank holidays

Hybrid working options

4% pension scheme

Life assurance scheme

Employee discount scheme

Free tea and coffee

Qualifications

• Must have demonstrable experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Proficient in supplier performance management.
• Able to work independently while aligning with business objectives.

Responsibilities

• Manage procurement strategies and sourcing plans.
• Drive supplier selection, negotiations, and contract execution.
• Ensure compliance with internal procurement policies.

Skills

Commercial acumen

Negotiation skills

Analytical mindset

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Experience in procurement or category management

Understanding of Total Cost of Ownership principles

Tools

Microsoft Office, particularly Excel

ERP/MRP systems

Job description

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Main Purpose Of Role

Reporting directly to the Purchasing Leader, the Category Manager will take full ownership of key direct and indirect spend categories and be responsible for end-to-end sourcing activity, supplier performance, and delivering cost, quality, and service improvements. This interim role is critical in supporting continuity within the sourcing function, working in close collaboration with Engineering, Quality, Operational Purchasing and wider Supply Chain teams. The role will also support Product Management with New Product Introduction (NPI) projects by ensuring suppliers are commercially and operationally aligned to programme needs.

Title: Category Manager FTC 9 Months

Reporting to: Purchasing Leader

Location: Colchester

Main Purpose Of Role

Reporting directly to the Purchasing Leader, the Category Manager will take full ownership of key direct and indirect spend categories and be responsible for end-to-end sourcing activity, supplier performance, and delivering cost, quality, and service improvements. This interim role is critical in supporting continuity within the sourcing function, working in close collaboration with Engineering, Quality, Operational Purchasing and wider Supply Chain teams. The role will also support Product Management with New Product Introduction (NPI) projects by ensuring suppliers are commercially and operationally aligned to programme needs.

Main Duties & Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic management of allocated spend categories, developing sourcing strategies and executing procurement plans aligned to business objectives.
• Apply total cost of ownership (TCO) principles to all sourcing decisions, balancing cost, quality, lead time, and lifecycle support to ensure long-term value.
• Drive supplier selection, negotiations, and contract execution to support quality, cost, and delivery goals.
• Maintain supplier performance metrics and lead regular business reviews with strategic vendors.
• Work closely with engineering and quality teams to ensure new supplier introduction, onboarding, and qualification is completed effectively.
• Provide commercial support to Product Management in the successful launch of new products, ensuring alignment of supply capability and commercial terms with project timelines.
• Support the Purchasing Leader and wider team by providing market intelligence and supplier insights to inform tactical and operational decisions.
• Identify and deliver cost-saving initiatives and risk mitigation actions across assigned categories.
• Proactively manage category spend visibility, reporting regularly on progress, risks, and opportunities.
• Ensure compliance with internal procurement policies and ERP processes.
• Support Operational Buyers with escalated supplier performance or commercial issues where relevant.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records in the ERP system, including contracts, pricing, and supplier terms.
  
  
  

Key Deliverables

• On-time execution of category strategies and sourcing actions
• Realisation of agreed cost savings and total cost optimisation
• Supplier compliance with quality, cost, and delivery KPIs
• Effective sourcing support for NPI activities led by Product Management
• Clear reporting of sourcing risks, mitigations, and contract status
  
  
  

Requirements

Competitive salary-

• Demonstrable experience in procurement or category management within a manufacturing environment.
• Experience managing categories such as sheet metal, aluminium castings, fixings and/or indirect procurement (e.g., MRO, VMI, tooling, facilities).
• Strong commercial acumen and negotiation skills with a history of delivering cost savings.
• Proficiency in supplier selection, performance management, and contract negotiation.
• Understanding and practical application of Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) principles.
• Excellent interpersonal and stakeholder engagement skills, including the ability to support cross-functional projects such as NPI.
• Analytical mindset with the ability to interpret data and make sound commercial decisions.
• Proficient in the use of ERP/MRP systems and Microsoft Office, particularly Excel.
• Able to work independently while maintaining alignment with wider supply chain and business objectives.
• Professional, resilient, and able to work to tight deadlines under pressure.
• In return we offer the following package:
  

25 days Holiday (+ bank holidays)-

Hybrid Working-

Christmas Shutdown-

4% Pension Scheme-

Life Assurance Scheme-

Company Sick Pay Scheme-

Enhanced Family Friendly Benefits-

Employee Discount Scheme-

Holiday Purchase Scheme-

Free Tea & Coffee-

Early finish on Fridays-

Cycle to Work scheme-

Woods Sports & Social Club (voluntary option to take part in events/activities for an additional small charge)-

Long Service Awards-

Free Car Parking-

Employee Assistance Programme & Access to Mental Health Support-

Learning and Development Opportunities

Equal Opportunities: We are an equal opportunities employer, recruiting individuals on their suitability for the role, qualifications and experience. We welcome applications from all communities and backgrounds.

Due to limits on sponsorship allocations, we are not currently able to offer sponsorship for this position. Therefore, applicants who do not have the right to work in the UK, and/or require visa sponsorship to continue working in the UK, cannot be considered for this role.

No recruitment agencies please

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Marketing and Sales

• Industries

  Industrial Machinery Manufacturing

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