European Category Director

Greystar; Greater London; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Greystar is seeking an European Category Director to craft category strategies and lead EU-wide sourcing initiatives. You will direct Procurement Managers across markets, align with senior stakeholders, and advance ESG and compliance across Europe.

The role requires 10+ years in procurement and MCIPS certification is preferred, with strong English and IT skills. Based in Europe, the role focuses on delivering value through strategic sourcing, ESG alignment, and cross-market collaboration within

Qualifications

• University degree preferred; MCIPS certification beneficial.
• Procurement experience 10 years minimum.
• Excellent written, numerical and communication skills.
• Fluent in English; second European language advantageous.
• IT literacy with Excel, PowerPoint, Word and Outlook (advanced).

Responsibilities

• Own the category strategy and sourcing activity for major spend categories.
• Negotiate group-wide / strategic supplier deals and frameworks.
• Manage and develop the Procurement Managers embedded in each market.
• Oversee and approve the procurement activity executed by the Procurement Managers.
• Track and report benefits delivery and project status (personal and team).
• Drive adoption of procurement best practice across markets.
• Identify and drive ESG initiatives.
• Support the onboarding of new assets and third party business.

Skills

Procurement leadership

Negotiation

Sourcing strategy

Communication

English fluency

Education

MCIPS certified

University Degree

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

Word

Outlook

Job description

ABOUT GREYSTAR

Greystar is a leading, fully integrated global real estate platform offering expertise in property management, investment management, development, and construction services in institutional-quality rental housing. Headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina, Greystar manages and operates over $350 billion of real estate in more than 260 markets globally with offices throughout North America, Europe, South America, and the Asia-Pacific region. Greystar is the largest operator of apartments in the United States, managing over one million units/beds globally. Across its platforms, Greystar has nearly $79 billion of assets under management, including over $34 billion of development assets and over $36.5 billion of regulatory assets under management. Greystar was founded by Bob Faith in 1993 to become a provider of world-class service in the rental residential real estate business. To learn more, visit www.greystar.com.

JOB DESCRIPTION SUMMARY

The European Category Director will create the strategy for each category assigned to them. They will lead on benefits identification – utilizing business and market knowledge to build a pipeline of procurement activity that will deliver commercial value and service benefits across Europe. The European Category Director will determine a set of sourcing priorities each year – personally executing EU-wide / strategic tenders and directing the Procurement Managers in the delivery of market-specific procurement activity. The European Category Director will be responsible for the management and performance of up to 3 direct reports located in the UK. The Category Director must also ensure the effective co-ordination of EU-wide sourcing initiatives by working closely with the procurement managers located outside of the UK. The European Category Manager will act as a business partner to senior stakeholders. The role will work closely alongside the Senior Director of European Procurement – helping to shape the future of procurement, demonstrating the value of best-in-class procurement, driving supply chain ESG initiatives and ensuring organization-wide compliance with the procurement policy.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the category strategy and sourcing activity for major spend categories


• Negotiate group-wide / strategic supplier deals and frameworks


• Manage and develop the Procurement Managers embedded in each market


• Oversee and approve the procurement activity executed by the Procurement Managers


• Track and report benefits delivery and project status (personal and team activity)


• Drive adoption of procurement best practice across markets


• Identify and drive ESG initiatives


• Support the implementation of procurement policies, processes, systems and tools across all markets


• Proactive engagement of senior stakeholders – demonstrate the value of procurement, build confidence and trust


• Shape an SRM program and manage the performance of strategic and preferred suppliers


• Support the onboarding of new assets and third party business


• Assist with the development of the procurement value proposition


• Perform other duties as assigned or as necessary for the effective performance of the role

Knowledge & Qualifications

• University Degree in a relevant field is preferred, but not essential


• MCIPS certified


• Procurement experience (10 years minimum)


• Excellent written, numerical and communication skills


• Fluent in English, a second European language would be beneficial


• IT literate and proficient in Excel, PowerPoint, Word and Outlook (advanced level)

Experience & Skills

• Experience of working in Real Estate / Facilities Management / Hospitality or related industry


• At least 3 years operating at Director level - European or Global remit


• Broad category experience with deep and narrow expertise in at least one relevant category e.g. IT / indirects, FM or Capital Projects


• European sourcing experience – demonstrable knowledge of Greystar’s European markets and associated supply chains


• Proven track record delivering EBITDA-impacting procurement savings at scale


• The ability to balance commercial rigour with service outcomes


• Capable of building and developing procurement capability in an operations-led organization


• Comfortable operating through influence across a complex, multi-market business


• The ability to lead in a fast-paced environment where priorities and demand is subject to change


• Identification and delivery of ESG initiatives – reducing environmental impact, responsible procurement practices and delivering social value via the supply chain

Important Notice: Greystar will never request your banking details or other sensitive personal information during the interview process. Greystar does not conduct any interviews via text or messaging, and all communication will come from official Greystar email addresses (@greystar.com). If you receive suspicious requests, please report them immediately to [e-mail].

Our continued success depends on our people.

If you are looking for a career that values dedication, collaboration, and integrity, we are looking for you!

Greystar is a vertically integrated real estate company offering expertise in property management, investment management, and development & construction globally. Today, we are the largest rental housing operator and developer in the US and one of the largest global investment management companies delivering industry-leading services to investors, clients, and residents.