Interim Procurement & Category Strategy Lead

1st Executive Ltd; Oxford; Hybrid; GBP 111,000 - 148,000; Full time

Job summary

1st Executive Ltd. is seeking an Interim Procurement & Category Management Lead to drive procurement excellence in a hybrid role (Oxford) on a 3-month contract with potential extension. The position requires hands-on leadership, tender excellence, and the ability to influence stakeholders across functions.

The candidate will lead end-to-end sourcing, build category strategies, coach teams, and ensure governance and compliant processes are followed while delivering value and timely outcomes.

Qualifications

• Seasoned procurement leader with strong category management expertise.
• Proven ability to drive value through strategic sourcing and supplier engagement.
• Experience coaching teams and improving procurement governance.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end procurement and sourcing activities across spend categories.
• Develop and implement category management strategies delivering value for money.
• Review and improve procurement and tendering processes for policy compliance.
• Coach and mentor procurement colleagues to raise capability and maturity.
• Provide expert advice on sourcing strategies, market engagement, evaluations, and contract awards.
• Build relationships with stakeholders and run governance meetings.
• Support procurement transformation and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Manage supplier engagement and contract management best practices.
• Deliver projects within tight timelines with high-quality commercial outcomes.

Skills

Category management

Strategic sourcing

Stakeholder engagement

Negotiation

Leadership

Procurement processes

Job description

1st Executive Ltd. is seeking an Interim Procurement & Category Management Lead to drive procurement excellence in a hybrid role (Oxford) on a 3-month contract with potential extension. The position requires hands-on leadership, tender excellence, and the ability to influence stakeholders across functions.

The candidate will lead end-to-end sourcing, build category strategies, coach teams, and ensure governance and compliant processes are followed while delivering value and timely outcomes.