Category Manager - Global Procurement - Direct

TN United Kingdom; England; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A pioneering pharmaceutical company is seeking a strategic Category Manager to join their Global Procurement team in Cheshire. This role offers a unique opportunity to drive procurement excellence and contribute to a transformative journey within a FTSE100 firm. You will be responsible for developing category strategies for direct materials, managing critical supplier relationships, and leading complex projects that align with business needs. If you have a strong background in strategic procurement and are ready to make a significant impact, this is the perfect opportunity for you.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in strategic procurement or sourcing.
• Strong understanding of regulated industries like pharma and automotive.

Responsibilities

• Develop integrated category strategies for direct materials.
• Lead complex projects and manage supplier relationships.
• Oversee the Source to Contract process.

Skills

Strategic Procurement

Supplier Relationship Management

Stakeholder Management

Category Management

Sourcing Strategy

Job description

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Category Manager - Global Procurement - Direct, Cheshire

Client: Pod Talent

Location: Cheshire, United Kingdom

Job Category: Other

EU work permit required: Yes

Job Reference:

59661623a2fe

Job Views:

12

Posted:

26.04.2025

Expiry Date:

10.06.2025

Job Description:

Pod Talent has partnered with a pioneering and trusted pharmaceutical company to recruit several category managers for the direct procurement function. The company is a FTSE100 global pharma & technology firm, focused on solutions for managing chronic conditions. Operating across 100+ countries, this is a truly global role for a strategic category manager to make a significant impact.

This is an exciting time to join, as they are undergoing a transformation that includes a newly created ESG & procurement excellence team. The successful candidate will be at the forefront of this transformation!

Category Manager - Direct role profile:

This key role within the Global Procurement function aims to drive a high-performance culture and set standards for Procurement Excellence. They seek a Category Manager who will bring a strategic and innovative approach to support the transformation journey.

• Develop fully integrated, customer/business-aligned category strategies for a range of direct materials, including raw materials, packaging, and tubes, with spends between £50-100m.
• Lead long-term, complex projects across these categories using both single-source and dual-sourcing approaches.
• Manage critical stakeholder and supplier relationships to ensure category strategies align with current and future business needs and that the supply base can support these strategies.
• Oversee the Source to Contract (S2C) process, including opportunity identification, sourcing strategy (e.g., RFP or E-Auction), evaluation, recommendation, and award.
• Manage Supplier Relationship Management to ensure the supplier base supports your categories and is continually assessed and developed to meet evolving demands. This includes driving continuous improvement and innovation initiatives to enhance supplier performance and capabilities.

The Ideal Candidate:

• 5+ years of experience in strategic procurement or sourcing, employing formal category management processes.
• Strong understanding of regulated industries such as medical, pharma, aviation/aerospace, automotive, and oil & gas.

If you are interested or would like to learn more, please send your CV to shiva@pod-

Keywords:

procurement, sourcing, category manager, direct, raw materials, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, strategic sourcing, supplier relationship management, SRM, stakeholder management, direct procurement, London, Liverpool, Chester

Pod Talent specializes in recruiting for roles in Supply Chain, Procurement, Logistics, Manufacturing, and R&D across various levels internationally. We cover roles such as Supply Chain, Demand Planning, Inventory Management, Direct and Indirect Procurement, Category Management, Logistics, Distribution, Warehousing, Production, Packaging, NPD, and Quality Assurance. Visit our website for more opportunities.