Category Manager - Professional Services

Public Sector Resourcing, managed by AMS; Reading; Hybrid; GBP 96,000 - 133,000; Full time

Job summary

AWE is seeking a Category Manager - Professional Services for a 6-month hybrid contract based in Green Park, Reading. The role requires delivering category management and strategic sourcing across professional services, with emphasis on supplier management and regulatory compliance.

Active SC clearance is essential, with potential preference for candidates meeting clearance criteria. Role situated within the UK and supports national security objectives.

Qualifications

• Experience in managing professional services and consultancy procurement.
• End-to-end procurement and tendering experience.
• Knowledge of public procurement regulations and frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Deliver category management and strategic sourcing across indirect spend.
• Lead tendering, RFx processes, supplier evaluation and contract award.
• Build relationships with internal stakeholders and manage supplier performance.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Procurement leadership

Public sector procurement

End-to-end procurement

Negotiation

Tools

Oracle

Jaggaer

Job description

On behalf of AWE, we are looking for a Category Manager - Professional Services (InsideIR35) for a 6 month contract based hybrid in Green Park, Reading. Office attendance is 2 days a week.

What if you could work on something that you can't test… but cannot afford to fail? Something that could have spent years on a submarine, is launched into outer space (where the temperature is below -250c), comes hurtling through the atmosphere, being heated up and shaken and then must work? Some challenge. That's exactly what the team of over 6,500 people at AWE do every day delivering important work, in support of the most important mission - keeping the nation safe.

AWE plays a crucial role in national nuclear security. Their role in nuclear deterrence and their specialist technical assistance to nuclear threat reduction is vital in the defence against the most serious threats faced by the UK. Working to support the defence of our country, AWE has a clear mission to keep everyone, the environment, their products and information, sites, and everything around them, safe and secure.

Role profile:

This role will focus on the procurement of Professional Services and Consultancy spend categories, supporting strategic sourcing activities, supplier management, procurement delivery, and stakeholder engagement across a diverse range of business projects.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced procurement professional who enjoys managing multiple procurement initiatives, engaging with senior stakeholders, and driving value through effective sourcing and supplier relationship management.

As a Category Manager - Professional Services, your main responsibilities will be to:

PLEASE NOTE: Active SC Clearance is an essential requirement for this role, as a minimum you must be willing & eligible to undergo checks. Please note, due to the exceptional requirements of this position (short-term nature of this role and speed at which we require a postholder in situ) preference may be given to candidates who meet all of the essential criteria and hold active security clearance.

• Deliver category management and strategic sourcing activities across assigned indirect spend categories.
• Support and execute category strategies to achieve business objectives, cost efficiencies, and risk mitigation.
• Lead end-to-end procurement and tendering activities, including RFx processes, supplier evaluation, negotiations, contract award, and implementation.
• Manage procurement activity through established frameworks and call-off agreements, including CCS and other public sector frameworks.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with internal stakeholders to understand business requirements and provide procurement guidance.
• Manage supplier performance, ensuring compliance with contractual obligations, KPIs, and SLAs.
• Support supplier relationship management activities, including supplier segmentation, performance reviews, risk assessment, and mitigation planning.
• Identify opportunities for cost savings and operational improvements across the supply chain.
• Conduct market analysis, supplier benchmarking, and commercial assessments to support procurement decisions.
• Ensure all procurement activities comply with relevant procurement regulations, internal policies, governance requirements, and ethical standards.
• Manage multiple procurement projects simultaneously, prioritising workload effectively to meet business demands.

Essential:

• Strong experience managing professional services and consultancy procurement activities.
• Proven experience delivering end-to-end procurement and tendering processes.
• Public sector or regulated industry experience.
• Strongknowledge of public procurement regulations, including:
  • Public Contracts Regulations (PCR 2015)
  • Utilities Contracts Regulations (UCR)
  • Procurement Act 2023 (PA23)
• Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence and guide business stakeholders.
• Experience managing multiple projects and procurement activities simultaneously.

Desirable:

• Professional services, consultancy, IT, engineering, or indirect procurement category experience.
• Experience using Oracle, Jaggaer, or other e-procurement systems.

Active SC Clearance

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas.

AWE's ambition is to create workplaces that recognise and celebrate differences, encourage diverse contributions and where people feel able to be themselves at work. They strive to create a genuine culture of openness and inclusion and encourage diverse applicants.

Disability Confident

As a member of the Disability Confident Scheme, AWE guarantees to interview all candidates who have a disability and who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases that we have a high volume of candidates who have a disability who meet all the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group. This scheme encourages candidates with a disability and/or neurodivergence to apply. In exceptional circumstances, we may also need to apply the desirable criteria in our shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

Armed Forces Covenant

AWE guarantees to interviewveterans or spouses / partners of military personnel who meet all the essential criteria. In cases where we have a high volume of ex-military candidates / military spouses or partners, who meet all the essential criteria, wewill interview the best candidates from within that group. In exceptional circumstances, we may also need to apply the desirable criteria in our shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

In applying for this role, you acknowledge the following "this role falls in scope of the Off Payroll Working in the Public Sector legislation. Any rates of payment quoted will reflect the gross rate per day for the assignment and will be subject to appropriate taxes and statutory costs. As such the payment to the intermediary and your income resulting from this contract will be different".