Category Manager

L&Q; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 57,000 - 63,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension plan (up to 6% double contrib)

Annual leave 28–31 days + BHs

Health cash plan

Life assurance (non-contributory)

Volunteer days (21 hours)

Employee assistance programme

Job summary

L&Q is seeking a Category Manager for Building/Construction Materials within the Property & Investment team. You will lead procurement strategies, manage tenders and drive value for money across multiple stakeholders. This hybrid role supports offices in London and Manchester.

You will partner with legal, residents and operations to deliver compliant contracts, oversee risk, and improve supplier performance while contributing to strategic objectives for housing and services.

Qualifications

• Significant end-to-end procurement experience within a public or regulated procurement environment.
• Strong knowledge of the Procurement Act 2023 and Public Contracts Regulations.
• Experience leading tenders and category led procurement projects.
• Extensive experience & knowledge of construction/development sector.
• Extensive knowledge of general buildings materials & specialised packages in relation to procurement such as Windows, Bricks, Kitchen etc.
• Excellent project management, analytical, communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Must be a team player & also to work in silo and meet deadlines / procurement milestones set out.
• MCIPS qualified, working towards MCIPS or willingness to study to a minimum of Level 4 - Diploma.
• Advanced Practitioner status for the Procurement Act 2023.
• Experience with e-tendering systems and the Central Digital Platform.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end procurement projects, developing sourcing strategies, conducting market analysis and delivering compliant, value-for-money contracts.
• Work with operational teams, suppliers, legal advisors and resident representatives, drive commercial value and manage procurement risks.

Skills

Procurement leadership

Public procurement

Tender management

Construction knowledge

Building materials knowledge

Project management

Microsoft Office

Team player

MCIPS (progressing)

Procurement Act 2023 expertise

e-tendering systems

Education

MCIPS (in progress)

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Title: Category Manager (Building / Construction Materials) – Property & Investment

Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract/Secondment until December 2027, Full Time, 35 hours

Salary: £57,094 per annum to £63,032 per annum (London weighted salary) or £49,502 per annum to £55,106 per annum (Regional salary), dependant on experience

Gre: 10

Reporting Office: London, Stratford or Manchester, Trafford

Persona: Agile Worker: 20% - 40% of contractual hours to be worked from reporting office/working location (hybrid working)

Closing Date: 29th October 2026 at 11pm

Interview Dates: 6th November 2026 via MS Teams

Please click here for the role profile - Category Manager Role Profile.docx

Benefits include: Excellent pension plan (up to 6% double contribution), 28 days Annual Leave rising to 31 days with length of service + Bank Holidays, Westfield Health Cash Plan, non-contributory life assurance, up to 21 hours volunteering paid days, lifestyle benefits, Employee Assistance Programme and many more…

Early applications are encouraged as we reserve the right to close the advertisement and interview earlier than stated.

L&Q reserve the right not to progress applications from candidates with 3 or more unsuccessful applications/interview processes with L&Q in the previous 12 months.

Join our Commercial Procurement Team at L&Q:

We have an exciting opportunity for a Category Managerto join our Property & Investment team who will play a key role in delivering procurement strategies that directly influence homes, services and communities. This is an opportunity to lead high profile procurement projects, shape sourcing strategies, deliver value for money and build strong partnerships across the organisation. You will report to the Senior Procurement and Supply Manager and be part of the Property & Investment Commercial Spoke.

This is an chance to play a key role in shaping the supply chain that supports the maintenance and improvement of thousands of homes. You'll lead procurement projects from strategy through to contract award, working with a wide range of stakeholders to deliver compliant, commercially robust solutions that support our Property & Investment and Customer Services teams. Your work will directly contribute to service excellence, operational efficiency and value for money for our residents

Your impact in the role:

In this role, you'll lead end-to-end procurement projects, developing sourcing strategies, conducting market analysis and delivering compliant, value-for-money contracts. Working closely with operational teams, suppliers, legal advisors and resident representatives, you'll drive commercial value, manage procurement risks, improve supplier performance and support the delivery of L&Q's strategic objectives.

You will join a high performing, supportive team of experienced professionals who are passionate about delivering results. Collaboration, teamwork, and mutual support are at the heart of how we work and we step up for one another, share expertise, and work together to overcome challenges and see projects through to successful outcomes.

What you'll bring:

• Significant end-to-end procurement experience within a public or regulated procurement environment
• Strong knowledge of the Procurement Act 2023 and Public Contracts Regulations
• Experience leading tenders and category led procurement projects
• Extensive experience & knowledge of construction/development sector
• Extensive knowledge of general buildings materials & specialised packages in relation to procurement such as Windows, Bricks, Kitchen etc
• Excellent project management, analytical, communication and stakeholder management skills
• Strong Mictosfot Office Skills
• Must be a team player & also to work in silo and meet deadlines / procurement milestones set out
• MCIPS qualified, working towards MCIPS or willingness to study to a minimum of Level 4 - Diploma
• Advanced Practitioner status for the Procurement Act 2023
• Experience with e-tendering systems and the Central Digital Platform

If you require any reasonable adjustments at any stage during this process, including application stage, please email [e-mail]

About L&Q:

We’re one of the UK’s leading housing associations and developers. We were founded on a simple belief: high quality housing is vital for people’s health, happiness and security. Our purpose is simple – to provide social homes and landlord services that everyone can be proud of.

250,000 people call our properties ‘home’, and we’re proud to serve diverse communities across London, the South East and North West of England.

People are at the heart of our business and our success depends on employing the best people and getting the best from them. The foundation of everything that we are is built on our corporate values, which outline our core expectations and should be demonstrated at all times, and all levels, when representing L&Q – click here to read more.

At L&Q, we know that diversity and inclusion make us stronger – and they’re at the heart of everything we do.

When we recruit, we look at what really matters: your skills, experience, and potential. We’re proud to be recognised for creating an inclusive workplace. We’re a Disability Confident Leader (Level 3) and we’ve introduced our own Recruitment Advocate scheme to make sure every step of our hiring process is fair, transparent, and consistent. It’s all part of our commitment to ending discrimination and making L&Q a place where everyone feels welcome. Find out more here.

Sustainability is also at the heart of what we do. We recognise the responsibility we hold as one of the UK’s largest housing associations.

Click here to find out more about L&Q and why you should join us