Category Manager

Müller UK & Ireland Group; Market Drayton; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus scheme up to 10%

Contributory pension up to 8% matched

Life Assurance x4 salary

Employee Assistance Programme

25 days annual leave plus bank hols

Holiday buy/sell

Job summary

Müller Group in Market Drayton is seeking an experienced Category Manager – Professional Services to own an important indirect spend area.

You will manage end-to-end sourcing, negotiate complex contracts, and partner with HR, Finance and Legal to drive measurable business value. The role requires strong category strategy, stakeholder influence and hands-on execution, with familiarity of SAP or Ariba.

Qualifications

• Strong experience developing and executing category strategies.
• Commercial mindset with understanding of supplier markets and cost drivers.
• Experience leading complex sourcing and negotiations.
• Contract structuring and commercial management capability.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders using data and market insight.
• Experience across end-to-end procurement: Source-to-Contract and Procure-to-Pay.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement end-to-end category and sourcing strategies.
• Lead complex sourcing activity and commercial negotiations.
• Build relationships with senior stakeholders as a trusted procurement partner.
• Use market insight, data and pricing models to identify opportunities and inform decisions.
• Structure and optimise commercial agreements with Legal and other stakeholders.
• Manage supplier relationships, performance and outcomes.
• Identify opportunities to improve processes and ways of working.
• Support procurement transformation including digital tools and automation.
• Ensure strategies translate into measurable business outcomes.

Skills

Category strategy

Stakeholder management

Sourcing

Contract management

Data-driven decisions

End-to-end procurement

Procurement technology

Tools

SAP

Ariba

Job description

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Category Manager – Professional Services

Market Drayton

Are you an experienced Category Manager who enjoys getting under the skin of a business, challenging established thinking and turning procurement strategy into measurable results?

We're looking for a Category Manager – Professional Services to join our Indirect Procurement team and take ownership of an important area of spend.

This isn't a role where you'll simply develop a category strategy and hand it over. You'll work across the full procurement lifecycle, combining strategic category management with hands-on delivery, from identifying opportunities and shaping sourcing strategies through to negotiation, contracting, implementation and ongoing supplier performance.

What you'll be doing

You'll take ownership of your category, developing and delivering strategies that create value beyond traditional cost savings.

Working closely with senior stakeholders across areas including HR, Finance and Legal, you'll build a strong understanding of business requirements and use market insight, commercial expertise and data to influence decisions and identify opportunities.

You'll also:

• Develop and implement end-to-end category and sourcing strategies
• Lead complex sourcing activity and commercial negotiations
• Build strong relationships with senior stakeholders, operating as a trusted procurement partner
• Use supplier-market insight, data, pricing models and cost drivers to identify opportunities and support commercial decisions
• Structure and optimise commercial agreements, working closely with Legal and other stakeholders
• Manage supplier relationships, performance and commercial outcomes
• Identify opportunities to improve processes and ways of working
• Support procurement transformation, including increased use of digital procurement tools and automation
• Remain involved through implementation and delivery, ensuring strategies translate into measurable business outcomes.

What we're looking for

We're looking for an established Category Manager with strong experience across Indirect Procurement.

Experience within Professional Services or HR Services would be particularly relevant, including areas such as staffing, MSP, consulting or wider HR-related services. However, we're also interested in strong

Category Managers from other complex indirect categories who can demonstrate transferable commercial expertise.

You’ll bring:

• Strong experience developing and executing category strategies
• A commercial mindset and good understanding of supplier markets, pricing models and cost drivers
• Experience leading complex sourcing activities and negotiations
• Strong contract structuring and commercial management capability
• The credibility to influence, challenge and partner with senior stakeholders
• The ability to use data and market insight to support decisions and turn analysis into action
• Experience across end-to-end procurement processes, including Source-to-Contract and Procure-to-Pay
• A track record of delivering measurable value and business impact, not simply cost savings
• The ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution
• Experience of procurement technology such as SAP and/or Ariba, alongside an interest in process improvement and procurement transformation.

Experience within FMCG, pharmaceuticals or procurement consulting would be beneficial, but isn't essential. Marketing category experience could also be useful.

What will make you successful

You'll be comfortable taking ownership rather than waiting for direction. You'll be able to move between strategy and operational delivery, challenge constructively and bring new thinking into the business.

Just as importantly, you'll understand that great procurement isn't only about achieving a saving. It's about making commercially sound decisions, managing risk, improving supplier performance and creating sustainable value for the wider business.

In return for your commitment, drive and enthusiasm, we offer our employees numerous benefits as part of your employment, including:

• Bonus scheme of up to 10%
• Contributory pension plan - up to 8% matched
• Life Assurance x4 salary
• Employee Assistance Programme
• 25 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, increasing with service.
• Holiday buy/sell programme
• In addition, our employees have access to a Rewards Benefits Programme, giving you a range of discounts across 800 retailers online and in store