Category Manager

Service Care; Ealing; Hybrid; GBP 59,000 - 63,000; Full time

Job summary

Service Care Solutions is seeking an experienced Category Manager to join the Strategic Procurement team in Ealing. You will develop and deliver category plans, own allocated subcategories and lead end-to-end procurement exercises across corporate and professional services.

You will support procurement transformation, contract management and supplier performance, ensuring compliant handling of SLAs and KPIs while engaging stakeholders and suppliers for continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Proven experience developing and delivering category plans in public procurement.
• Experience leading a range of public-sector procurement procedures.
• Strong knowledge of public procurement legislation including Procurement Act 2023.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement and regularly review category plans.
• Translate category plans into effective sourcing and procurement activity.
• Lead end-to-end public procurement and tendering exercises.
• Take ownership of corporate and professional services subcategories.
• Manage framework agreements and other procurement projects.
• Support procurement transformation and improvements to systems and processes.
• Ensure a consistent and compliant approach to procurement and contract management.
• Oversee contract implementation and review supplier performance.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Communication

Influencing skills

Project management

Public procurement knowledge

Education

MCIPS qualified

Graduate calibre (willing to complete CIPS)

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Job title: Category Manager Location: Ealing, London W5 – Hybrid working, with one to two days per week in the office depending on business needs Salary: £59,000–£63,000 per annum Contract Type: Permanent Weekly Hours: 35 hours per week

Job Purpose

We are recruiting for an experienced Category Manager to join the Strategic Procurement team of a leading housing organisation based in Ealing. The role will involve developing and delivering category plans, taking ownership of allocated subcategories and leading end-to-end procurement exercises. You will also support procurement transformation, contract management and supplier performance across corporate and professional services.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, implement and regularly review category plans.
• Translate category plans into effective sourcing and procurement activity.
• Lead end-to-end public procurement and tendering exercises.
• Take ownership of corporate and professional services subcategories.
• Manage framework agreements and other procurement projects.
• Support procurement transformation and improvements to systems and processes.
• Ensure a consistent and compliant approach to procurement and contract management.
• Oversee contract implementation and attend supplier review meetings.
• Monitor supplier performance against agreed SLAs and KPIs.
• Work with stakeholders and suppliers to resolve contractual and performance issues.
• Support the commercial and risk management of the supplier portfolio.
• Develop effective relationships with stakeholders, suppliers, partners and framework operators.
• Identify continuous-improvement and efficiency opportunities.
• Monitor procurement activity through D365, P2P and tendering platforms.

Candidate Profile

• Proven experience developing and delivering category plans.
• Experience leading a range of public-sector procurement procedures.
• Strong knowledge of public procurement legislation, including the Procurement Act 2023 and relevant legacy regulations.
• Experience delivering corporate or professional services procurements.
• Previous involvement in procurement transformation.
• Strong contract-management and supplier-performance experience.
• Experience monitoring contracts against SLAs, KPIs and commercial requirements.
• Sound understanding of commercial contracts, terms and conditions.
• Experience with pre- and post-contract commercial administration.
• Strong stakeholder-management, communication and influencing skills.
• Good working knowledge of procurement systems, tendering portals and Microsoft Office.
• MCIPS qualified, or of graduate calibre with a willingness to complete the professional CIPS qualification.
• Project-management experience.

For further information, contact Lewis at Service Care Solutions on 01772 208 966 or email [e-mail].