Head of Categories - IT Services

TN United Kingdom; London; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Head of Categories to lead the transformation of its IT services. This pivotal role involves designing innovative strategies for Application Development and Maintenance, driving collaboration with IT leaders, and managing supplier relationships to enhance service delivery. With a competitive salary and generous benefits, this position offers the chance to make a significant impact on the digital future of a national institution. If you have a strategic mindset and a passion for innovation, this is your opportunity to shine.

Benefits

Car allowance

Private healthcare

18% annual bonus potential

Generous annual leave

Enhanced maternity/paternity leave

Discounts and offers

Supportive sick pay

24/7 Wellbeing services

Qualifications

• 5+ years in strategic sourcing or category management in IT services.
• Deep expertise in ADM services, including agile and DevOps.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and execution of innovative category strategies.
• Manage end-to-end sourcing initiatives and supplier relationships.

Skills

Strategic Sourcing

Category Management

Contract Negotiation

Financial Acumen

Stakeholder Engagement

Analytical Skills

Education

Degree in Business

MBA

Professional Qualifications – MCIPS

Job description

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Head of Categories - IT Services, London

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Client:

Royal mail

Location:

London, United Kingdom

Job Category:

Other

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EU work permit required:

Yes

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Job Reference:

4eb55c93074f

Job Views:

3

Posted:

08.05.2025

Expiry Date:

22.06.2025

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Job Description:

Job reference 324611

Head of Categories - IT Technology
Competitive salary, plus £5,500 car allowance or £5,000 cash equivalent, private healthcare, 18% annual bonus potential, company pension scheme with highly competitive contribution rates and generous annual leave offering of 27.5 days, plus bank holidays, increasing to 30 days after 10 years’ service.
Permanent, Full time
Location: This is a Hybrid Working role with a requirement to attend our Royal Mail, 185 Farringdon Road, London, EC1A 1AA or Royal Mail, Future Walk, Chesterfield, S49 1PF office three days per week, with flexibility required in line with business needs.

Are you ready to lead the transformation of a national institution’s digital backbone?

Royal Mail is on the lookout for a Head of Categories - IT Services with a bold vision and strategic mindset to revolutionize how we source, manage, and evolve our Application Development & Maintenance (ADM) ecosystem.

This is more than a procurement role — it’s a leadership opportunity to architect the next generation of IT services partnerships that will power our digital future.

At Royal Mail, you’ll be at the heart of a digital transformation journey that touches millions of lives. Apply now and help us build the future of digital delivery.

About the role

Reporting to the Category Director you will:

• Lead the Strategy: Design and execute innovative category strategies for ADM services, aligned with our IT roadmap and enterprise goals.
• Drive Innovation: Collaborate with IT and digital leaders to co-create sourcing models that accelerate delivery, enhance customer experience, and fuel growth.
• Deliver Value: Reimagine cost structures through outcome-based models, advanced analytics, and total cost of ownership optimization.
• Own Supplier Relationships: Manage end-to-end sourcing initiatives, from RFPs to contract negotiations and performance management.
• Be a Trusted Advisor: Partner with senior stakeholders across IT, finance, legal, and business units to deliver sourcing solutions that drive innovation and efficiency.
• Stay Ahead: Monitor market trends, emerging tech, and pricing benchmarks to inform strategy and mitigate risk.

About You

What You Need

• A strategic thinker and change agent who sees procurement as a lever for transformation.
• Deep expertise in ADM services, including agile, DevOps, legacy modernisation, and system integration.
• You’ll have 5 or more years in strategic sourcing or category management, with at least 5 years in IT services procurement.
• Proven success in complex contract negotiations and managing multi-million-pound ADM spend.
• Strong financial acumen, analytical skills, and stakeholder engagement capabilities.
• A degree in Business, IT, Supply Chain, or related field (MBA preferred).
• Professional Qualifications – MCIPS (desirable).
  

•Family friendly support - enhanced maternity pay, paternity leave, adoption leave and shared parental leave
•Discounts and offers - there are more than 800 offers to help you save on things like groceries, days out, holidays and your household bills*.
•Supportive and generous company sick pay
•Your Wellbeing -you and your family have 24/7 access to services and tools to help you get the most out of life. From your physical and mental health to financial and social support and advice. It’s free, and it’s for everyone.
*Available only to perm employees

Next Steps

Closing Date: Wednesday 14th May 2025. Please note, this advert may close early if the appropriate number of applications has been reached.

Trust forms the foundation of everything we do in Royal Mail. We want to be transparent about what kind of qualities we are looking for and build trust from the very beginning of your journey with us. The first step is your interview, and we mean ‘your’ interview. We want to give you the opportunity to shine. To enable you to do this, we will provide you with your interview questions ahead of the interview taking place. This will allow you time to prepare, and ensure you have your best examples in mind. Royal Mail Group values both trust, and our people.

Royal Mail are proud of our diverse employee network groups and the active role they play to support belonging and encourage a positive work environment. We are firmly committed to inclusion and passionate about our people representing the communities we serve.

We are happy to support your need for any adjustments during the application and hiring process. Please share the details within your application if required.

We are Forces family friendly and a Gold signatory to the Armed Forces Covenant. We welcome applications from ex-Armed Forces personnel, reservists, veterans, cadet instructors and military spouses/partners.

For more information on Royal Mail Group and our values please click here: https://www.internationaldistributionsservices.com/en/about-us/