Category Manager - HR and Corporate Services

Acu-IT.net; Hampton Lovett; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading dairy company in the UK is seeking a Category Manager for HR and Corporate Services. This role involves managing complex spend areas, developing procurement strategies, and enhancing supplier relationships. Ideal candidates will have over 5 years of experience in a similar role, strong negotiation skills, and a university degree. A competitive salary and comprehensive benefits are offered, along with flexible working options.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Bonus scheme

Contributory pension plan

Life assurance

Generous annual leave

Flexible benefits programme

Employee assistance programme

Qualifications

• 5+ years experience in a substantive Category Buyer/Category Manager role.
• Specialist knowledge & experience in procurement categories.
• Ability to turn strategies and decisions into action.

Responsibilities

• Manage a complex spend area and create robust spend-category strategies.
• Drive stakeholder engagement and compliance.
• Implement a supplier relationship strategy to achieve KPIs.
• Carry out continuous improvement and efficiency reviews.

Skills

Commercial acumen

Negotiation skills

Influencing skills

Data interpretation

Project management

Fluent English

Education

University degree or equivalent experience

Tools

SAP knowledge

Job description

Mller UK & Ireland is wholly owned by Unternehmensgruppe Theo Mller, employing over 31,000 people across Europe. In the UK, Mller develops, manufactures and markets a wide range of branded and private‑label dairy products made with milk from 1,300 farmers. Mller is ranked within the top 20 of the Grocer's Top 100 list of Britain's biggest brands and is picked from shelves millions of times each year. Mller UK & Ireland includes Mller Milk & Ingredients—aimed at becoming Britain’s private‑label dairy leader—and Mller Yogurt & Desserts, the UK’s leading yogurt manufacturer.

Category Manager – HR and Corporate Services

Reports to: Head of Indirect Services Group / Group Procurement / Indirect

Location: Base can be Market Drayton, Telford or Droitwich

Working pattern: Office 3 days / 2 days remote

Role purpose: To manage a complex spend area, create robust spend‑category strategies and actively partner with key stakeholders and Business Unit Engineering functions. The role drives specifier engagement, compliance and provides team management for day‑to‑day activities.

Key Responsibilities

• Managing spend area
  • Create and implement category strategies for key spend areas aligned with the Business Units and Group service functions
  • Ensure procurement policy, processes and spend‑compliance rules are in place
  • Support new product launches within the Business Units (involvement in strategic projects)
• Stakeholder management
  • Create and present recommendations to the business units
  • Present key insight/updates to stakeholders covering data analysis & market insight to ensure effective planning and decision‑making
• Supplier management
  • Implement a supplier relationship strategy to achieve the agreed KPIs and develop sustainable added value potential (subject‑matter expertise)
  • Significant experience in HR procurement (temp. labour, consultants, professional services) – clear understanding of requirements and cost drivers, ability to challenge specifications and operational methods to drive value from a procurement perspective
  • Capable category manager, able to drive action from a project team and deliver sourcing events to a defined and sometimes challenging timescale
• Continuous improvement
  • Carry out continuous improvement and efficiency reviews within the function and business units, producing defined action plans with accountabilities and timelines

Key Skills & Requirements

• Specialist knowledge & experience in the defined categories
• Commercial acumen with profound negotiation skills
• Ability to turn strategies and decisions into action
• Strong influencing, negotiation and communication skills at all levels within a business
• Excellent data interpretation & analysis skills
• Moderation / presentation skills
• Competent project‑management skills
• Fluent command of English

Desirable

• Experience in food, FMCG or similar operational procurement
• German language skills
• CIPS certificate
• SAP knowledge

Background

• University degree and corresponding business experience or equivalent
• Ideally 5+ years experience in a substantive Category Buyer/Category Manager role

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Bonus scheme
• Contributory pension plan
• Life assurance
• Employee assistance programme
• Generous annual leave increasing with service
• Flexible benefits programme
• Access to a rewards benefits programme with discounts across 800 retailers online and in store

The Process

If you are interested in applying for the role of Category Manager – HR and Corporate Services and have the necessary skills and experience, please apply via www.mullercareers.co.uk.

Contact Details

F.A.O. UK Recruitment, Mller UK & Ireland, Shrewsbury Road, Market Drayton, Shropshire, TF9 3SQ

Job Segment

Sustainable Agriculture, Agriculture