Category Manager - Food

Talent Drive | B Corp; Woking; Hybrid; GBP 46,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading UK Food Service Brand is looking for a Category Manager to join their procurement function. The role involves leading a team, developing procurement strategies, and ensuring compliance. Ideal candidates should have excellent negotiation and analytical skills, and be capable of building strong stakeholder relationships. This hybrid position offers a competitive salary of £50,000 plus a bonus and requires occasional UK travel.

Benefits

Laptop provided

Mobile phone provided

Hybrid working model

Qualifications

• Strong negotiator able to identify opportunities for category development.
• Comfortable drawing insights from complex datasets.
• Experience providing strategic direction and operational support.
• Strong change-management skills and capable of navigating challenges.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of Buyers and a Junior Buyer.
• Own and deliver procurement and supplier management strategies.
• Collaborate with various teams to achieve KPIs.
• Build strong relationships with stakeholders to drive continuous improvement.
• Ensure compliance with procurement regulations.

Skills

Negotiation skills

Analytical skills

Time management

Communication skills

MS Office skills

Job description

Category Manager – Food Procurement

Hybrid – 2 days a week in Surrey, Cheshire or Yorkshire

£50,000 + 10-15% bonus

We’re supporting a leading UK Food Service Brand, currently looking for a Category Manager to join their established procurement function. This is a fantastic opportunity to lead a small team, shape category strategy, and drive improvements across two high‑profile transacted frameworks.

You’ll report into the Head of Procurement and work closely with cross‑functional teams to deliver value, develop supplier strategies, and support nationwide stakeholders. This role plays a key part in building long‑term capability and enhancing the service delivered to end customers.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of Buyers and a Junior Buyer, supporting them to deliver savings, retention and category growth.
• Own and deliver procurement and supplier management strategies across two transacted frameworks.
• Work collaboratively with category leads, operations, finance, governance, data and account management teams to achieve KPIs.
• Build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders to understand requirements and drive continuous improvement.
• Ensure compliance with relevant procurement regulations and deliver best‑in‑class supplier management.
• Promote the value of the procurement function and support the wider organisational objectives.
• Inspire, energise and develop your team to work with pace, passion and resilience.

Candidate Profile

Commercial & Results Driven

• Strong negotiator with the ability to identify opportunities for category development.
• Analytical and comfortable drawing insights from complex datasets.
• Takes accountability for team outputs and strives for high commercial performance.

Relationship Building & Influence

• Operates with honesty, transparency and professionalism.
• Builds rapport easily across diverse stakeholder groups.
• Able to influence at all levels and collaborate across functions.
• Ensures full compliance with procurement regulations.

Leadership & Coaching

• Experience providing both strategic direction and hands‑on operational support.
• Able to build, motivate and develop effective teams.
• Strong change‑management skills and the ability to navigate challenges positively.

Essential Skills

• Excellent time management and organisational ability.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Confident engaging with multi‑level stakeholders.
• Intermediate–advanced MS Office skills (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
• Team‑focused, proactive, and adaptable.
• Able to work cross‑functionally and manage multiple workloads.

Key Stakeholder Groups

• Procurement & Category Management
• External suppliers
• Internal stakeholders across finance, operations, account management, project teams, marketing and nutrition experts

Additional Information

• Hybrid working: 2 days per week on site in either Surrey, Cheshire, or Leeds, depending on home location.
• Occasional UK travel.
• Laptop and mobile provided.

If of interest please contact : [e-mail]