Category Specialist

Csod; Burton upon Trent; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave

Private medical (if applicable)

Job summary

Sciensus is seeking a Category Specialist to own supplier relationships, develop category strategies, and optimise procurement spend. You will manage end-to-end procurement activities, from PO creation to lifecycle management, while ensuring regulatory compliance and CSR alignment.

You will drive supplier performance, analyse data, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to meet service delivery goals and maintain product availability.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in purchasing and supplier relationship management.
• Strong negotiation skills, commercial acumen, and an eye for cost efficiency.
• Excellent communication with the ability to build trust across suppliers and stakeholders.
• Knowledge of the purchasing lifecycle and cross-functional collaboration.
• A data-driven mindset, able to analyse and present insights clearly.
• Experience with an ERP system (ideally Microsoft Dynamics 365).
• Strong Excel capabilities; Power BI knowledge is a bonus.
• CIPS Level 4 Diploma and education to at least A-level in a business-related subject.

Responsibilities

• Lead and deliver category strategies that optimise spend and performance.
• Conduct market and supplier research to support operational and service delivery goals.
• Manage the full range of procurement activities including PO creation, demand planning, supplier relationship management, and lifecycle activities.
• Negotiate contracts, secure savings, and implement procurement best practices.
• Drive improvements in supplier performance and contribute to our CSR objectives.
• Maintain product availability, track risks, and implement Get to Green (G2G) plans.
• Support operational teams through proactive backorder and stock-out recovery.
• Ensure accurate supplier documentation, regulatory checks, and data management.
• Support access to NHS Framework agreements and customer contract implementation.
• Collaborate with supply and demand planning to monitor forecast adherence.
• Resolve invoice discrepancies and liaise with Accounts.
• Maintain departmental SOPs and uphold all relevant regulatory standards (CQC, GDP, GPHC, ICO etc.)

Skills

Purchasing

Supplier relationship management

Negotiation skills

Commercial acumen

Excellent communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Data-driven mindset

Excel capabilities

Power BI knowledge

ERP systems experience

Education

CIPS Level 4 Diploma

A-level in business-related subject

Tools

Microsoft Dynamics 365

Excel

Power BI

Job description

Role Information

At Sciensus, our mission is simple yet powerful: to give patients control of their health through knowledge, choice, convenience, and connection. If you’re driven by making a real impact and thrive in a fast‑paced, purpose‑led environment, this is your opportunity to shine.

We’re looking for a Category Specialist to take ownership of key supplier relationships, ensure continuity of supply across direct and indirect categories, and play a vital role in driving value throughout our procurement operation.

You’ll act as the critical link between suppliers and internal teams, managing everything from sourcing strategy to issue resolution — and ensuring our patients receive the products and services they rely on.

In this role, you will:

• Lead and deliver category strategies that optimise spend and performance
• Conduct market and supplier research to support operational and service delivery goals
• Manage the full range of procurement activities including PO creation, demand planning, supplier relationship management, and lifecycle activities
• Negotiate contracts, secure savings, and implement procurement best practices
• Drive improvements in supplier performance and contribute to our CSR objectives
• Maintain product availability, track risks, and implement Get to Green (G2G) plans
• Support operational teams through proactive backorder and stock‑out recovery
• Ensure accurate supplier documentation, regulatory checks, and data management
• Support access to NHS Framework agreements and customer contract implementation
• Collaborate with supply and demand planning to monitor forecast adherence
• Resolve invoice discrepancies and liaise with Accounts
• Maintain departmental SOPs and uphold all relevant regulatory standards (CQC, GDP, GPHC, ICO etc.)

What You Bring

• Proven experience in purchasing and supplier relationship management
• Strong negotiation skills, commercial acumen, and an eye for cost efficiency
• Excellent communication with the ability to build trust across suppliers and stakeholders
• Knowledge of the purchasing lifecycle and cross‑functional collaboration
• A data‑driven mindset, able to analyse and present insights clearly
• Experience with an ERP system (ideally Microsoft Dynamics 365)
• Strong Excel capabilities; Power BI knowledge is a bonus
• A commitment to continuous learning and staying ahead of procurement trends
• CIPS Level 4 Diploma and education to at least A‑level in a business‑related subject

Who we are?

Sciensus is a proven life sciences solutions partner with more than 30 years' experience navigating and unlocking the complex European healthcare ecosystem. We maximise patient access to medicines, accelerate product launches and drive long-term commercial success for our partners. Through a skilled team of over 500 licensed clinical staff and 1,650 colleagues globally, we work at the intersection of clinical excellence, patient experience and healthcare innovation. We support patients living with cancer, chronic conditions and rare diseases ‒ helping them access the life‑changing treatments they need, wherever they are.

What do we offer our people?

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Yearly pay reviews
• Contribution based pension scheme
• Life assurance
• Employee benefits platform (retailer discounts and much more)
• Private medical (after qualifying period)
• Ongoing learning and development opportunities
• Annual company event
• In the Burton Upon Trent office we have an onsite gym, canteen, prayer room, and quiet room

Our Values

We are a Disability Confident Committed Employer and we have also successfully gained the National Equality Standard (NES is the UK’s leading Equity, Diversity and Inclusion standard which was developed by the UK Government and the CBI). We are committed to the fair treatment of all candidates, regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age or disability. We welcome applications from all and we select candidates based on skills, qualifications, and experience. Please talk to us during the application process to discuss any reasonable adjustments you may require. We are committed to achieving Net Zero and reducing our ecological footprint. We are constantly working on new initiatives, some of our more recent ones include working towards Level 2 in the Greener Pharmacy Toolkit and replacing many of our vans with lower CO2 emission models. For information on other projects and our wider approach to sustainability please visit our corporate website.