Category Manager - Food / Nutrition

VanRath; Belfast; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A recruitment agency is seeking a Category Manager in Belfast to oversee procurement strategies and supplier relationships. This is a permanent position offering hybrid working. The ideal candidate has a degree in a relevant field and at least 4 years of procurement experience. This role includes excellent additional benefits and progression opportunities.

Benefits

Negotiable salary

Holiday package (25 days leave + Stats)

Progression opportunities

Qualifications

• Minimum 4 years of experience in procurement and negotiation.
• Demonstrated success in supplier negotiation and cost savings.
• Strong understanding of procurement best practices.

Responsibilities

• Oversee and manage multiple categories in procurement.
• Lead sourcing, tendering, and procurement strategies.
• Build and manage supplier relationships.

Skills

Procurement experience

Negotiation skills

Supplier relationship management

Cost-saving initiatives

Project management skills

Education

Degree in Business, Procurement, or Supply Chain

Tools

Nav

Qliksense

Excel

Job description

VANRATH are delighted to be partnering with a major company in Northern Ireland with the recruitment of a Category Manager to join a growing and dynamic company based in Belfast.

This position is based in the company\'s Belfast office. Monday - Friday position. Hybrid working is available (80% in the office / 20% at home).

This is a Permanent position. This company has an excellent reputation.

Salary

Negotiable + other Additional Benefits (Top Company) + Fantastic work benefits and Environment + Holiday Package (25 days leave + Stats) & Progression Opportunities

Overview

As a Category Manager, you will oversee and manage multiple categories, driving cost-effective procurement of goods and services while upholding high standards of quality, compliance, and supplier performance.

Responsibilities

• Partner with stakeholders to understand category needs and ensure effective service delivery.
• Lead sourcing, tendering, and procurement strategies aligned with business goals and sustainability standards.
• Build strong supplier relationships, managing performance, contracts, and disputes.
• Drive cost savings, efficiency, and innovation through strategic sourcing and improvement projects.
• Monitor markets, assess risks, and implement contingency and sustainability initiatives.
• Use procurement tools (e.g., Nav, Qliksense) to enable data-driven decisions.
• Ensure compliance with Health & Safety regulations and promote a safe workplace.
• Support and mentor team members, pursue continuous development, and maintain flexibility for travel and changing business needs.

Requirements

• Degree-level education in Business, Procurement, Supply Chain, or related discipline, or equivalent work experience.
• Minimum 4 years of proven procurement and negotiation experience in a similar role.
• Demonstrable success in sourcing, supplier negotiation, and cost-saving initiatives.
• Experience in managing supplier relationships and contract performance.
• Track record of working cross-functionally with internal stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of procurement best practices and supply chain management.

Desired criteria

• CIPS qualification (MCIPS) or actively working towards it.
• Experience managing a small team or mentoring junior staff.
• Familiarity with sustainability reporting standards or carbon reduction frameworks.
• Project management skills (e.g. Prince2 or Agile methodologies).
• Advanced Excel or data analysis skills for reporting and insight generation.

For more information on this role please reach out to Jack Groves @ VANRATH for more information.

Fabulous service. VANRATH were excellent - Can\'t recommend highly enough.

My experience with VANRATH was very positive and stress free. VANRATH were very professional and supportive. I would definitely use VANRATH again.

VANRATH were brilliant to work with and kept in contact throughout the process I would recommend to a friend.

Really fantastic recruitment process supportive throughout and made the process as seamless as possible. Thanks so much for all the support, very happy in my new role!

Vanrath have been great to work with and have provided a really professional service. A special mention has to go to Ross (Senior Recruitment Consultant) who helped me so much in securing a contract. Would highly recommend.

I wanted to express my sincere appreciation for the outstanding support provided by Ross Stevenson from Vanrath. Thanks to his expertise and dedication, I recently secured a great job opportunity. Ross demonstrated exceptional professionalism throughout the process and his transparent communication and constant updates made it a seamless experience. Thanks a lot Ross for your invaluable assistance.

Everything was dealt with extremely quickly and Joseph maintain really good communication throughout the process. Highly recommend for those looking to make a change or find a new job.