Food Category Manager

Sodexo; Manchester; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Sodexo is seeking an experienced Category Manager to lead category strategies across the UK & Ireland. You will drive savings, supplier performance, and sustainable value while managing supplier relationships and delivering sourcing strategies aligned with regional and global objectives.

Working with stakeholders in Supply Management, Finance, and global procurement, you will negotiate contracts, oversee a pipeline of initiatives, and ensure compliance with policies and food safety standards

Qualifications

• 3-5 years' experience in Category Management, Procurement, or Strategic Buying.
• Proven experience negotiating contracts and managing supplier relationships.
• Strong commercial awareness and financial acumen.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement, influencing, and communication skills.
• Experience working within a matrix or multinational organisation.
• Degree educated and working towards CIPS, ISM, or equivalent qualification.
• Food & Beverage procurement and category management experience.
• Knowledge of food supply chains, supplier markets, product specifications, and food safety standards.
• Experience across categories including grocery, dairy, fresh and frozen food, meat and poultry, bakery, soft drinks, and hot beverages.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement category sourcing strategies for UK & Ireland.
• Deliver cost savings and improved supplier performance.
• Negotiate regional agreements and terms.
• Manage supplier relationships and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Lead a pipeline of category projects with timely delivery.
• Collaborate with global procurement to align local strategies.
• Drive responsible sourcing and sustainability across categories.
• Ensure compliance with procurement policies and due diligence.
• Balance business and market requirements across the UK and ROI.
• Build relationships with stakeholders to influence decisions and maximise value.

Skills

Category Management

Procurement

Strategic Buying

Commercial awareness

Financial acumen

Stakeholder engagement

Influencing

Communication skills

Matrix organisation

Multinational experience

Food & Beverage procurement

Food supply chains

Food safety standards

Grocery

Dairy

Fresh & frozen food

Meat & poultry

Bakery

Soft drinks

Hot beverages

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

We're looking for an experienced Category Manager to lead the development and delivery of category strategies across the UK & Ireland. You'll be responsible for driving commercial performance, delivering sustainable value, managing supplier relationships, and implementing sourcing strategies that support both regional and global business objectives.

Working closely with stakeholders across Supply Management, Finance, Supplier Relationship Management, and global procurement teams, you'll identify opportunities to drive savings, improve profitability, mitigate risk, and enhance supplier performance.

What You'll Do

• Develop and implement category sourcing strategies across the UK & Ireland.
• Deliver cost savings, commercial value, and improved supplier performance.
• Negotiate regional agreements and secure the best commercial terms.
• Manage supplier relationships and identify opportunities for innovation and continuous improvement.
• Lead a pipeline of category projects and initiatives, ensuring delivery against agreed objectives and timelines.
• Collaborate with global procurement teams to align local and global category strategies.
• Drive responsible sourcing and sustainability initiatives across your categories.
• Ensure compliance with procurement policies, governance requirements, and due diligence processes.
• Balance the differing business and market requirements across the UK and Republic of Ireland.
• Build strong relationships with key stakeholders to influence decision-making and maximise value.

What We're Looking For

• 3-5 years' experience in Category Management, Procurement, or Strategic Buying.
• Proven experience negotiating contracts and managing supplier relationships.
• Strong commercial awareness and financial acumen.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement, influencing, and communication skills.
• Experience working within a matrix or multinational organisation.
• Degree educated and working towards CIPS, ISM, or equivalent qualification.
• Food & Beverage procurement and category management experience.
• Knowledge of food supply chains, supplier markets, product specifications, and food safety standards.
• Experience across categories including grocery, dairy, fresh and frozen food, meat and poultry, bakery, soft drinks, and hot beverages.