Category Manager - Electronics & EMS

Enterprise Recruitment; Cambridgeshire and Peterborough; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Enterprise Recruitment Limited is sourcing a Category Manager, Electronics & EMS for a fast-scaling engineering start-up in the UK. The role owns the category strategy and drives strategic sourcing initiatives to build a global supplier network with the goal of scalable, quality-focused supply chains.

You will work closely with Engineering, Manufacturing and Quality to ensure supplier capability, delivery and cost targets are met, while leading a small procurement team and navigating NMIs,

Qualifications

• Significant experience in electronics procurement, category management or strategic sourcing within an engineering or manufacturing environment.
• Strong technical and commercial understanding of electronic components, semiconductors, PCBAs and EMS providers.
• Experience developing category strategies and managing global suppliers.

Responsibilities

• Develop and own category strategy across electronics components, semiconductors, PCBAs and EMS providers.
• Lead strategic sourcing initiatives and supplier negotiations, contracts and management.
• Develop and strengthen global supplier partnerships and a resilient supply chain.
• Lead and develop a small team within the procurement function.
• Engage confidently with engineering teams and navigate component availability challenges.

Skills

Electronics procurement

Category management

Strategic sourcing

Supplier relationship management

Stakeholder management

Team leadership

NPI / prototype development

Job description

This key role will drive the development and execution of category strategy across electronic components, semiconductors, PCBAs and Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS).We're looking for an experienced Category Manager, Electronics & EMS, to take full ownership of category strategy, drive strategic sourcing initiatives, develop and strengthen global supplier partnerships, and build a resilient, competitive supply chain capable of supporting the company's ambitious growth plans.

You'll be joining one of Europe's fastest-growing engineering start-ups, offering an agile, entrepreneurial environment with minimal bureaucracy and the freedom to shape and implement new strategies around cutting-edge technologies. Based at a state-of-the-art facility, you'll have access to multi-million-pound resources, world-class engineering capabilities and the infrastructure needed to turn innovative ideas into reality.

This key role offers significant autonomy and the opportunity to shape the supply chain as the business transitions innovative products from prototype and development through production and commercial scale-up.

Working closely with Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality and wider business stakeholders, you'll develop a robust and competitive global supplier network, ensuring the business has access to the technical capability, capacity and commercial support required to deliver its ambitious growth plans.

You'll take ownership of category strategy, strategic sourcing, supplier selection, commercial negotiations, contract management, supply chain risk and supplier development. You'll also lead and develop a small team, while playing an instrumental role in shaping the future procurement function.

The successful candidate will bring a strong background in electronics procurement and manufacturing supply chains, combining commercial acumen with the technical understanding needed to engage confidently with engineering teams, challenge supplier capability and navigate complex component availability and sourcing challenges.

You will be site-based with occasional travel to suppliers once or twice per month.

• Significant experience in electronics procurement, category management or strategic sourcing within an engineering or manufacturing environment.
• Strong technical and commercial understanding of electronic components, semiconductors, PCBAs and EMS providers.
• Demonstrable experience developing category strategies, managing global suppliers and negotiating complex commercial agreements.
• Exposure to NPI, prototype development, and the transition to volume manufacturing, ideally in a quality-critical or highly regulated environment.
• Previous people management or team leadership experience, with strong stakeholder management and the ability to influence at both technical and senior management level.