Category Manager

Allscreens Nationwide Ltd; West Midlands; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Allscreens Nationwide Ltd in Birmingham, West Midlands, seeks an experienced Category Manager to lead a diverse procurement category for a global packaging manufacturer with Europe and Asia operations. You will own category strategy, manage suppliers, and drive profitability.

Reporting to the Head of Purchasing, you will develop category plans, run tenders, source new suppliers worldwide, and collaborate with internal teams to innovate and optimize costs.

Qualifications

• Experience managing a category within a purchasing function.
• Results-focused with a track record in cost reduction.
• Demonstrated negotiation skills with strong commercial awareness.
• Experience driving category strategy with profitability improvements.
• Able to work autonomously and as part of a team.

Responsibilities

• Create and execute category strategy to grow sales and profitability.
• Develop category plans in line with purchasing and commercial strategy.
• Develop an annual calendar of supplier tenders; support cost-first initiatives.
• Manage the supplier base to ensure alignment with objectives.
• Source new suppliers globally to support organisational needs.
• Provide commercial insight into manufacturing costs, distribution and end use.
• Collaborate with internal departments to innovate and future proof the business.
• Manage category and product lifecycle across the range.
• Provide category and product expertise to internal stakeholders and customers.
• Escalate issues within the purchasing department.

Skills

Category management

Negotiation

Cost reduction

Autonomous working

Team collaboration

Job description

An excellent opportunity for an experienced procurement and purchasing professional to join an award-winning, global packaging manufacturer with production facilities across Europe and South East Asia, managing a diverse category and product range while working with existing suppliers and sourcing new suppliers on a global basis.

If you’ve also worked in the following roles, we’d also like to hear from you: Procurement Manager, Purchasing Manager, Category Buyer, Senior Buyer, Sourcing Manager, Procurement Specialist, Commercial Buyer, Buyer, Supplier Relationship Manager, Category Lead

LOCATION: Birmingham, West Midlands

JOB TYPE: Full-Time, Permanent

JOB OVERVIEW

This is an exciting opportunity for a Category Manager to join an award-winning, global packaging manufacturer with production facilities across Europe and South East Asia, supplying food packaging products to major customers including McDonalds, Amazon, Marks & Spencer and Greggs.

As the Category Manager, you will join a dynamic purchasing team and autonomously manage a diverse category and product range, working with existing suppliers and sourcing new suppliers on a global basis to support the needs of the organisation and its customers.

The Category Manager will report to the Head of Purchasing and be supported by a team of Category Assistants, helping to develop and drive category strategy, grow sales and improve profitability across the organisation.

DUTIES

Your duties as the Category Manager include:

• Category Strategy: Create and execute category strategy to grow the category in terms of both sales and profitability
• Category Planning: Develop category plans in line with the wider purchasing and commercial strategy
• Supplier Tenders: Develop an annual calendar of supplier tenders and support best cost first time initiatives
• Supplier Management: Manage the supplier base to ensure the organisation is working with appropriate suppliers to deliver its objectives
• Global Sourcing: Work with existing suppliers and source new suppliers on a global basis to support the needs of the organisation and its customers
• Commercial Insight: Understand the processes and costs involved with manufacturing, raw materials, distribution and end use
• Innovation: Work with internal departments to develop new ideas and help future proof the business
• Product Lifecycle: Manage category and product lifecycle activity across the product range
• Stakeholder Support: Provide category and product expertise internally and to customers
• Issue Escalation: Act as the final point of escalation for internal stakeholder issues within the purchasing department

CANDIDATE REQUIREMENTS

ESSENTIAL

• Experience managing a category within a purchasing function
• Results-focused approach with a successful track record in cost reduction activities
• Experienced negotiator with strong commercial awareness
• Demonstrated experience driving category strategy with clear achievements in profitability, reduced spend or increased margins
• Able to work autonomously and as part of a team

DESIRABLE

• Experience in retail, packaging or FMCG would be a distinct advantage