Category Manager - Indirect

Arriva Group; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 54,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

CrossCountry is seeking a Category Manager – Indirect in Birmingham, offering a hybrid working model. You will lead a small team and own end-to-end procurement, from market engagement to contract award, ensuring value, governance and compliant operations.

You'll shape strategies for IT, indirect goods and services, drive supplier performance, and collaborate with stakeholders to deliver cost savings and robust tender documentation.

Qualifications

• Proven experience compiling robust tender and commercial documentation.
• Experience running tenders and leading complex procurement activities.
• Strong negotiation skills with a track record of delivering successful commercial outcomes.
• Experience procuring direct and indirect goods and services—ideally IT, rail or transport environments.
• Strong understanding of technical services supply markets.
• Excellent stakeholder relationship skills, with the ability to influence and support decision-making.
• Strong analytical and spend analysis skills, including advanced Excel capability.

Responsibilities

• Lead and motivate a small team while reporting directly into the Head of Procurement & Property.
• Implement and continuously improve procurement processes to ensure smooth, compliant operations across the business.
• Shape procurement strategies that deliver value for money, including opportunities such as supplier consolidation and innovation.
• Build and maintain an aligned, forward-looking procurement pipeline to meet business needs.
• Manage major procurement projects—both regulated and non-regulated—producing high-quality tender documents, evaluation frameworks and reports.
• Collaborate with business stakeholders to understand their needs and help identify best-fit solutions.
• Foster strong relationships with existing and potential suppliers through structured supplier relationship management.
• Partner with legal and procurement colleagues to ensure adherence to contractual terms and protect CrossCountry’s commercial interests.
• Drive supplier performance, resolve service issues, and ensure non-conformances are addressed promptly.
• Support process improvements that strengthen resilience and efficiency across the supply chain.
• Identify, deliver and track cost savings, commercial opportunities and added value.
• Benchmark supplier performance and negotiate contract changes to ensure continuous value delivery.
• Present strategies, pricing recommendations and insights to senior leadership.
• Leverage data analysis, demand profiling and market insights to inform pricing and supplier strategies.
• Be an expert user of Purchase-to-Pay systems and help promote best practice across the organisation.
• Maintain deep knowledge of supply markets, trends and key suppliers.
• Work collaboratively with Group Procurement and AUKT Central Procurement on cross-group initiatives.
• Utilise Crown Commercial Service (CCS) frameworks where appropriate.
• Carry out any additional duties as required by the Head of Procurement & Property.

Skills

Tender documentation

Tender management

Negotiation

Procurement experience

Stakeholder management

Excel analysis

CIPS membership

Tools

Purchase-to-Pay systems

Job description

Category Manager – Indirect

Closing date: 4th October 2025

Location: Birmingham / Hybrid

Salary: Circa £58K

Are you ready to make a real impact in a business that connects communities across the country? We’re looking for a forward-thinking and commercially savvy Category Manager – Indirect to lead a small team and play a pivotal role in shaping the future of procurement at CrossCountry.

This is an exciting opportunity to take ownership of the full end-to-end procurement journey—from market engagement and tender management to contract award and supplier relationship development. You’ll help drive value, quality and governance across our organisation, delivering regulated procurements under the Procurement Act 2023 as well as non-regulated activity.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Lead and motivate a small team while reporting directly into the Head of Procurement & Property.
• Implement and continuously improve procurement processes to ensure smooth, compliant operations across the business.
• Shape procurement strategies that deliver value for money, including opportunities such as supplier consolidation and innovation.
• Build and maintain an aligned, forward-looking procurement pipeline to meet business needs.
• Manage major procurement projects—both regulated and non-regulated—producing high-quality tender documents, evaluation frameworks and reports.
• Collaborate with business stakeholders to understand their needs and help identify best-fit solutions.
• Foster strong relationships with existing and potential suppliers through structured supplier relationship management.
• Partner with legal and procurement colleagues to ensure adherence to contractual terms and protect CrossCountry’s commercial interests.
• Drive supplier performance, resolve service issues, and ensure non-conformances are addressed promptly.
• Support process improvements that strengthen resilience and efficiency across the supply chain.
• Identify, deliver and track cost savings, commercial opportunities and added value.
• Benchmark supplier performance and negotiate contract changes to ensure continuous value delivery.
• Present strategies, pricing recommendations and insights to senior leadership.
• Leverage data analysis, demand profiling and market insights to inform pricing and supplier strategies.
• Be an expert user of Purchase-to-Pay systems and help promote best practice across the organisation.
• Maintain deep knowledge of supply markets, trends and key suppliers.
• Work collaboratively with Group Procurement and AUKT Central Procurement on cross-group initiatives.
• Utilise Crown Commercial Service (CCS) frameworks where appropriate.
• Carry out any additional duties as required by the Head of Procurement & Property.

Sustainable Procurement

Help drive a more responsible, ethical and sustainable supply chain by:

• Supporting the development and communication of a Sustainable Procurement Policy that improves value, conserves resources and reduces environmental impact.
• Championing local procurement and opportunities for SMEs wherever possible.
• Ensuring fair pricing, contract terms and full adherence to ethical, human rights and labour standards, aligned with Arriva’s Responsible Procurement Policy and Code of Conduct.

About You

We’re looking for someone who brings:

• Proven experience compiling robust tender and commercial documentation.
• Experience running tenders and leading complex procurement activities.
• Strong negotiation skills with a track record of delivering successful commercial outcomes.
• Experience procuring direct and indirect goods and services—ideally within IT, rail or transport environments.
• Strong understanding of technical services supply markets.
• Excellent stakeholder relationship skills, with the ability to influence and support decision-making.
• Strong analytical and spend analysis skills, including advanced Excel capability.
• Membership of CIPS (or working towards it).

We Value Diversity

We recognise the importance of the diverse experiences, talents and cultures our people bring. Inclusion is at the heart of our talent strategy, and a diverse workforce is essential to unlocking potential and driving our success.