Group Strategic Sourcing Category Manager

Oxford Instruments Plc; England; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading technology company in the United Kingdom is seeking a skilled procurement professional to develop and implement sourcing strategies. This role involves managing supplier relationships and driving cost improvement initiatives while collaborating with Engineering and Operations teams. Candidates should possess extensive procurement experience in technical categories and strong negotiation skills. The company is dedicated to addressing key industrial challenges with its innovative technologies and has received numerous awards for its contributions.

Qualifications

• Extensive procurement experience in technical categories, ideally Metals & Plastics.
• Strong understanding of market dynamics and supplier strategy development.
• Proven success in NPI, cost improvement, and supplier development projects.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement category sourcing strategies aligned with Group objectives.
• Own supplier relationships, performance management, and long-term agreements.
• Lead cost improvement projects and value engineering activities.
• Collaborate with Engineering on early supplier involvement for NPI.
• Monitor supplier KPIs and maintain the Approved Vendor List.

Skills

Procurement experience in technical categories

Negotiation skills

Stakeholder management

Understanding of market dynamics

Education

Degree in relevant field

MCIPS certification (preferred)

Job description

Reporting to the Group Strategic Sourcing Director, you'll shape and deliver category strategies that reduce cost and risk while enhancing quality, service, and sustainability. You'll manage key supplier relationships, negotiate commercial agreements, and lead cross-functional projects with stakeholders in Operations, Engineering, Finance, and Supply Chain. This role is pivotal in driving value through initiatives such as NPI engagement, design-to-cost activities, and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement category sourcing strategies aligned with Group objectives.
• Own supplier relationships, performance management, and long-term agreements.
• Lead cost improvement projects and value engineering activities.
• Collaborate with Engineering on early supplier involvement for NPI.
• Monitor supplier KPIs and maintain the Approved Vendor List.
• Ensure compliance with sourcing policies and governance processes.

Qualifications

• Extensive procurement experience in technical categories, ideally Metals & Plastics.
• Strong understanding of market dynamics and supplier strategy development.
• Proven success in NPI, cost improvement, and supplier development projects.
• Excellent negotiation, influencing, and stakeholder management skills.
• Degree educated; MCIPS preferred but not essential.

About Oxford Instruments

At Oxford Instruments, we enable the world's leading industrial companies and scientific research communities to image, analyse and manipulate materials down to the atomic and molecular level. With a sixty-year history, and fourteen Queen's Awards for Enterprise, our world-class products and technologies are helping our customers to address the greatest challenges of the 21st century.