Category Manager

Equans; England; Remote; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading energy services provider is seeking a Category Manager based in the UK. This full-time role focuses on managing key procurement categories and developing strategies to optimize supplier engagements. The ideal candidate has experience in procurement, strong stakeholder engagement skills, and is CIPS Level 5 qualified or working towards it. Attractive salary, benefits, and learning opportunities are offered.

Benefits

25 days annual leave

Life cover equivalent to 2 times annual salary

Gym membership discounts

Employee referral rewards scheme

Access to employee assistance program

Qualifications

• Previous experience in a senior procurement or similar role.
• Experience in procurement with a proven track record of delivery of savings.
• Experience in change management and implementation.

Responsibilities

• Strategic management of allocated Hard Services and supplier market analysis.
• Leading the development of procurement strategies in cooperation with business units.
• Defining and implementing an action plan for effective spend reduction.

Skills

Category Management

Procurement Strategies

Stakeholder Engagement

Supplier Relationships

Commercial Awareness

Education

CIPS Level 5 or working towards

Job description

Equans is looking for a Category Manager to join our team in London on a permanent basis. This is a full‑time role working 37.5 hours per week. On offer is a competitive salary, company vehicle or allowance, bonus, and benefits package.

The post holder can be based anywhere in the UK.

Our Category Managers play a pivotal role in maximising the value of Procurement at Equans UK&I by executing a structured, collaborative approach to category projects that optimises the procurement of similar products and services. This specific role within the UK BU Central Procurement Team will focus on the Direct HUB, encompassing a wide range of categories including:

Hard Services: Electrical material supply, Lighting, Building Fabric & material supply, Building Services, Lifts (Maintenance and Install), Plant & Equipment Hire, Plumbing & mechanical, HVAC & refrigeration (Goods & services), etc

Soft Services: Catering, PPE, Cleaning, Waste Management, Water treatment, Manned Guarding, etc

Renewables: EV Charges (Lease, install, maintain), Solar goods & services (PV Panels, inverters, Operation & maintenance, etc)

This Category Manager role within the Central Procurement team is responsible for managing key procurement Hard service categories across our facilities management, regeneration/refurb, energy & digital services businesses. The categories in scope for the role are currently Plant hire (machinery & equipment), Building materials and fabric, Plumbing & Heating equipment rental, Engineering consultants. The role involves creating and implementing a long‑term sourcing plan for the development of the categories to achieve the best value for Equans. The role also involves identifying opportunities and leveraging the combined category spend in negotiating strategic frameworks with key suppliers in ensuring Equans achieves the best outcome for its external spend.

The post holder will own the category structure that allows the company to segment its supplier base. Using the segmentation, the Category Manager will create a category strategy in coordination with a network of internal stakeholders belonging to operations, sustainability and health & safety teams, identifying key focus areas for the year by leveraging company‑wide spend.

What will you deliver?

• Strategic management of the allocated Hard Services: analysis of spend & business needs, anticipation of future needs, supplier market analysis and market dynamics - Management of the related supply chain, contract extension/renewal, launch and drive end to end RFP/RFQ processes, etc
• Leading the development of procurement strategies in close cooperation with business operations and procurement stakeholders activating all spend reduction levers
• Defining and implementing an action plan to deploy strategies for BUs/entities to effectively reduce their external spend on the category and/or mitigate market increases
• Steering economic performance (external spend reduction), supplier performance on category
• Adapting strategy in response to changes (market, internal budgets, technologies)
• Supporting operational entities in the implementation and monitoring of supplier policy defined for the category
• Assist the Delivery and Commercial teams in efficient subcontract procurement
• Work to and support supply chain deals, working with the divisional procurement teams to ensure the BU achieves the best potential in terms of supplier arrangements
• Understand and protect the companies commercial and legal position in relation to its contractual engagement with supply chain arrangements clearly setting out the terms and proposals
• Oversee and manage the recovery of retrospective rebates
• Setting annual rebate collection targets
• Promoting rebate arrangements across group to maximise utilisation
• Provide pre‑tender specialist commercial input as required to ensure accurate net cost pricing
• Support subcontractor procurement by benchmarking and interrogating costs to ensure additional contribution opportunities are realised (re‑invigoration of cost benchmarking database and e‑procurement)
• Attend and participate in Design Team Meetings to influence and steer specifications towards most commercially advantageous products/solutions
• Maintain and publish regular and accurate reports demonstrating the effectiveness of strategic sourcing arrangements and contribution to the group profit improvement / efficiency plan
• Monitor supplier / category expenditures and trends
• Build and maintain excellent supplier relations
• Creating an internal stakeholder network around key categories with representation from all business lines

What can we offer you?

On offer is a competitive salary, company vehicle or allowance, bonus, and benefits package, which includes:

• 25 days annual leave (+ public holidays)
• Life Cover equivalent to 2 times annual salary
• Employee discount shopping schemes on major brands and retailers
• Gym membership discounts
• Cycle to work scheme
• Holiday purchase
• 2 corporate social responsibility days per year
• Broad range of learning opportunities, such as professional qualifications, collective/individual training, and personalised support programmes
• Attractive Employee Referral Rewards Scheme
• Access to our growing employee networks including AccessAbility (representing those with physical and mental disabilities), Encompass (representing the LGBTQ+ community), RISE (representing people from ethnic backgrounds), WOMEN TOGETHER (representing women in Equans), Working Parents, and Young Professionals.
• 24/7 Employee Assistance Program and access to mental wellbeing app

Who are we looking for?

• CIPS Level 5, or working towards
• Previous experience in a senior procurement and/or similar role
• Experience in procurement with a proven track record of delivery of savings
• Experience in change management and implementation
• Experience in Category Management
• Experience in developing work‑winning solutions with operational and business development stakeholders to drive better technical solutions and outcomes
• Understanding and practical application of base UK law applicable to Commercial contracts
• Demonstrate high levels of personal and business probity in both self and team
• Demonstrable ability to create collaborative working relationships and effective partnerships
• Ability to provide creative solutions to issues/ problems

This role includes a DBS Basic check therefore ability to pass is essential.

Who are we?

Equans is a world leader in energy services with nearly 100,000 employees working in more than 50 countries, with an annual turnover of over 17 billion euros.

In the UK & Ireland, Equans is a provider of technical, FM, regeneration and energy services – with specialist capabilities in smart buildings, green mobility, district & embedded energy and decentralised renewables.

Equans' 13,500 UK & Ireland employees combine these activities to help businesses, public sector organisations and government to embrace the energy transition towards net zero, and also the digital & industrial transitions that are redesigning the way we move, work and live.

Equans is a Bouygues group company.

What's next?

If this role is of interest to you, please click below to register, apply, and track your progress! A member of our Resourcing Team will review your application and be in touch.

As part of our commitment to better reflect the markets within which we operate, we encourage applications from women, ethnically diverse individuals and people with disabilities, along with all candidates who identify with protected characteristic groups under the Equality Act 2010.

At Equans we're committed to delivering a culture where everyone's voice is heard and supported. We know the value a diverse workforce creates, delivering better results for our people, customers, and stakeholders. Diversity and inclusion is at the core of what we do, should you join Equans you'll find a welcoming and open workplace where you're supported and encouraged to be your true self at work.

You will also have access to our growing employee networks including AccessAbility, Encompass, RISE, WOMEN TOGETHER, Working Parents, and Young Professionals.

For this role, you must have evidence of the right to work in the UK. Unfortunately, we are not able to offer a relocation package with this job role. Certain roles may require applicants to undergo a Disclosure check, as noted in the role requirements.