Category Manager

SevernTrentLife; Coventry; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A company in the utilities sector seeks a Category Manager for Energy & Renewables to lead procurement strategies, manage supplier relationships, and enhance sustainability in procurement practices. This role requires strong negotiation skills and experience in regulated environments. The organization offers career growth, generous benefits including a leading pension scheme and an annual bonus scheme. Ideal candidates should have CIPS Level 5 or be willing to work towards it.

Benefits

28 days holiday + bank holidays

Annual bonus scheme

Leading pension scheme

Sharesave program

Support for CIPS Studies

Dedicated training and development

Electric vehicle scheme

Family friendly policies

Two paid volunteering days per year

Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of the procurement lifecycle.
• Experience in regulated procurement environments is desirable.
• Ability to deliver successful commercial outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Managing tenders and contracts within the regulated Procurement framework.
• Building strong supplier relationships and driving performance improvements.
• Proactively engaging stakeholders to understand future demand.

Skills

Negotiation skills

Stakeholder engagement

Analytical skills

Problem-solving skills

E-procurement systems experience

Education

CIPS Level 5 (or equivalent)

Job description

Hello. We’re Severn Trent and we think water is wonderful. And we’re pretty keen on people, too.

We have an opportunity within our Procurement and Contract Management team for a Category Manager to lead the Energy & Renewables category strategy in a critical business area.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

The Energy & Renewables category at Severn Trent is a fast‑paced and dynamic environment that has a significant impact on our operational performance and delivery. This role sits at the heart of shaping future demand, delivering sourcing events that drive value, embed sustainability, and mitigate supply risks in one of our most important areas of spend.

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone ambitious and driven, looking to build a career in a FTSE100 company that prides itself on growth and talent development. You will be creating, delivering, and managing complex agreements that reflect our core values while ensuring value for money and resilience in our supply chain.

As a Category Manager for Energy & Renewables, you will be responsible for sourcing and implementing optimum deals with suppliers to deliver our business requirements. You will research supply markets, assess trends, opportunities, and risks, and develop category strategies that recommend strategic sourcing options, tactics, and implementation plans. You’ll act as the subject matter expert for best‑in‑class procurement, partnering with stakeholders to lead tender preparation, supplier selection, and contract implementation. You will ensure suppliers are effectively managed, continuously improving their performance, and developing their capabilities to meet our requirements in the short, medium, and long term.

Key Responsibilities

• Managing tenders and contracts within the regulated Procurement framework, while developing and implementing short‑and‑long‑term category strategies that contribute to departmental savings and wider business objectives.
• Monitoring spend within the category, engaging stakeholders to increase spend under management, and ensuring contracts have renewal plans in place ahead of expiry.
• Building strong supplier relationships, understanding capabilities, and driving performance improvements aligned with Severn Trent’s strategic objectives.
• Proactively engaging stakeholders to understand future demand and influence early commercial involvement in operational planning.
• Monitoring external markets to identify risks and opportunities, developing mitigation and contingency plans.
• Embedding Severn Trent’s sustainability commitments into category and sourcing strategies, and working closely with suppliers to enhance their sustainability performance.
• Ensuring compliance with Severn Trent operating procedures and ethical procurement practices.
• Contributing to departmental initiatives and continuous improvement activities.
• Championing health, safety, and wellbeing across supplier interactions.

WHAT YOU’LL BRING TO THE ROLE

The skills and experience required to be successful include:

• CIPS Level 5 (or equivalent, or willingness to work towards).
• Strong knowledge of the procurement lifecycle, with ability to deliver successful commercial outcomes.
• Excellent negotiation and influencing skills.
• Confident communicator with stakeholder engagement experience.
• Strong analytical skills, able to turn data into actionable insights.
• Technically confident, with experience of e‑procurement systems.
• Self‑starter with initiative, problem‑solving skills, and the ability to deliver outcomes on time and budget.
• Experience in regulated procurement environments is desirable.
• A passion for driving change, continuous improvement, and delivering value.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU

Working here isn’t just a job. You can build a career at Severn Trent. We’ll reward you for it, too. We have a range of benefits that recognise great work, and award-winning training to help you reach your potential. And we’ll also help you play your part in looking after the environment and the communities where we live.

With that in mind, here are just some of our favourite's perks that you’ll get being part of the Seven Trent family:

• 28 days holiday + bank holidays (and the ability to buy/ sell up to 5 days per year)
• Annual bonus scheme (of up to £2,250, which is subject to eligibility)
• Leading pension scheme – we will double your contribution (up to 15% when you contribute 7.5%)
• Sharesave – the chance to buy Severn Trent Plc shares at a discounted rate
• Support for your CIPS Studies
• Dedicated training and development with our Academy
• Electric vehicle scheme and retail offers
• Family friendly policies
• Two paid volunteering days per year

WHATS NEXT?

We can’t wait to hear from you.

Have an updated CV ready and spare five minutes to apply. We'll let you know the outcome after the closing date, so keep an eye on your phone and emails.