Category Manager

Pontoon; Maidstone; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading procurement consultancy is seeking a Category Manager to optimize supply chain strategies and drive procurement activities in a hybrid capacity. This role involves developing category strategies and coordinating with business units to achieve sustainability objectives and manage supplier relationships effectively. Candidates should have significant procurement experience and a strong track record of delivering strategic change.

Qualifications

• Previous procurement experience, delivering category excellence, commercial insight, and leverage.
• Track record of driving strategic change through category intelligence.
• Ability to communicate dynamically and manage people effectively.

Responsibilities

• Support Business Partners with procurement and supply chain needs.
• Develop comprehensive category strategies for maximum value.
• Maintain relationships with suppliers for continuous improvement.
• Implement procurement strategies and execute procurement priorities.
• Identify and mitigate risks associated with the category.

Skills

Procurement experience

Strategic sourcing

Commercial insight

Communication

Team management

Influencing and negotiation

Supply chain management

Job description

Job title: Category Manager

Location: Isle of Grain/Hybrid

Duration: 12 months initially

Adecco is an employment consultancy. We put expertise, energy, and enthusiasm into improving everyone's chance of being part of the workplace. We respect and appreciate people of all ethnicities, generations, religious beliefs, sexual orientations, gender identities, and more.

The role:

Reporting into the Head of Program Procurement for the Grain area, the Category Manager is accountable for developing and implementing strategic category strategies and driving and managing supply chain strategies that optimise cost and ensure quality & reliability of supply and leading all procurement activities.

This is combined with their role acting as an operational business partner for Grain where they will support the Strategic Business Partner and co-ordinate across the relevant Procurement teams to ensure they can provide Business Unit updates, insight and recommendations as required.

Responsibilities:

• Support the Business Partners to engage with the Business Unit, and where appropriate directly support the strategic relationship with them to ensure their procurement and supply chain needs are delivered in line with business requirements.
• Support the development and delivery of a comprehensive suite of category strategies for the Business Unit providing market capability and capacity intelligence, ensuring that maximum value is realised from the significant procurement spend, whilst securing supply, managing supply chain risks, and achieving sustainability objectives.
• Aligned to your category ownership, develop, and maintain strong relationships with key suppliers to ensure continuous improvement, security of supply and value delivery.
• Responsible for the development and implementation of procurement strategies and execution of the procurement priorities for the business unit. Providing strategic and commercial insight, supply chain sustainability insight, and supply chain risk and mitigation recommendations.
• Work across teams and sub-functions within Procurement to support overall category management effort (e.g., Sustainability, Supply Chain Risk & Transparency, Market Supplier Development, Supplier Engagement).
• Identify, assess, and mitigate risks associated with the category, including supply chain disruptions, price volatility, and quality issues.

Requirements:

• Previous procurement experience, delivering category excellence, commercial insight, and leverage.
• Track record of driving strategic change through category intelligence.
• Expertise across a range of strategic sourcing activities.
• Experience of broad, supply chain management.
• Ability to communicate dynamically as a manager of people and to senior leaders and supplier organisations.
• Experience in managing high performing teams.
• Good understanding of broader business objectives and the implications of strategic planning and actions within the category.
• Expert influencing and negotiation skills to drive optimum value through the award of commercially sound contracts.

Candidates will ideally show evidence of the above in their CV in order to be considered. Adecco is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.