Category Manager - Marketing and Insights

TalkTalk; Salford; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A telecommunications provider is seeking an experienced procurement professional to manage spend and drive changes to business strategy. The role requires building relationships, strategic sourcing, and influencing stakeholders. This position offers flexible working, a competitive benefits package, and an opportunity to impact a well-known brand.

Benefits

Flexible hybrid working

Generous holiday package

Private healthcare

Performance-related bonus opportunities

Free broadband for all employees

Life event gifts

Paid volunteering days

Qualifications

• Able to influence challenging stakeholders and work closely with them.
• Knowledge and experience of delivering value through strategic procurement activity.
• Competent and skilled negotiator.

Responsibilities

• Proactively manage TalkTalk spend in your category using comprehensive category strategies.
• Identifying and prioritising opportunities where procurement can deliver value.
• Represent procurement as part of relevant business area leadership teams.

Skills

Influencing challenging stakeholders

Relationship building

Delivering value through strategic procurement

Negotiation skills

Data literacy with Excel

Understanding financial accounting

Attention to detail

Knowledge of commercial contracts

Understanding SRM principles

Enthusiasm for sourcing and negotiation

Knowledge of Supply Chain best practices

Job description

Procurement at TalkTalk is changing. We have a vision of procurement as a function that delivers TalkTalk's business strategy through its suppliers. Delivering that vision will require a small team of skilled, experienced, and credible category managers to work alongside their business stakeholders.

We're looking for people who share this vision and have the energy and hunger to drive the change we need. We're looking for people that think innovatively on how to best deliver for the business, are not constrained by a traditional procurement role, can influence in a complex and changing stakeholder landscape, and that won't take no for an answer.

This is a rare and exciting opportunity to join a new team, influence the evolution of procurement in a household brand, and make a real impact on the performance of the wider business.

Your responsibilities:

• Understand and proactively manage TalkTalk spend in your category using comprehensive category strategies to make sure that every penny is delivering TalkTalk's business objectives. Success is defined by our impact on company KPI's including both financial and non-financial measures.
• Identifying and prioritising opportunities where procurement can deliver value, delivering those opportunities through strategic sourcing or negotiation, putting in place appropriate contracts, and then managing performance against the resulting contracts through life
• To represent procurement as part of relevant business area leadership teams, including Executive Committee and their direct reports
• Building business cases and supporting them through the relevant governance
• Being a positive and proactive member of the TalkTalk procurement team

Core skills required:

• Able to influence challenging stakeholders and work closely with them
• Ability to build strong relationships built on mutual trust and respect
• Knowledge and experience of delivering value through strategic procurement activity
• Experience running RFx processes, planning and running sourcing projects efficiently
• Competent and skilled negotiator
• Highly data literate with good working knowledge of Excel and the ability to derive actionable insights from complex and incomplete data sets
• Working knowledge of financial accounting basics including P&Ls, balance sheets, and cashflow statements and the practical differences between them
• Attention to detail while able to think strategically and long-term
• Knowledge of commercial contracts, including drafting
• Understanding of SRM principles, including performance and contractual management
• Enthusiasm to grow and develop with training and attending industry events
• Experience of working in the Telecom industry is not required

Category specific skills required:

• Enthusiasm for sourcing, negotiation, and delivering savings to the business
• Knowledge of Supply Chain best practices

Be Yourself. Make an Impact. Join Us.

As a recognised Top 50 Inclusive Employer in the UK, we believe that diversity fuels innovation and success. We’re committed to building a workplace that reflects the communities and customers we serve. At TalkTalk, inclusion is part of our DNA – we’re all 100% human, and we’ve created a culture where you can truly be yourself.

We’re not your traditional 9-5. We’re a dynamic, flexible workplace, and we’re excited to hear how you like to work. Whether you thrive in collaboration, focus better at home, or prefer a bit of both – let’s make it work.

What We Offer

• Flexible hybrid working – with a minimum of 50% office presence to support teamwork and connection

• Collaborative office spaces designed for creative thinking and innovation

• Free on-site parking at our offices

• Generous holiday package – 25 days annual leave, 3 wellbeing days, and your birthday off (plus the option to buy up to 10 more days!)

• Private healthcare for all employees

• Competitive pension scheme and performance-related bonus opportunities

• Free broadband for all employees

• Life event gifts – celebrating milestones like marriages and births

• Inclusive employee networks – open to all, supporting peer connection and thought-provoking conversations

• Salary sacrifice scheme – save on dental, gym, and more

• Big retail and leisure discounts

• 3 paid volunteering days a year – because making a difference matters to us too