IT Category Manager: Strategic Sourcing in Regulated Environments

Matchtech; Farnborough; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Matchtech Group is seeking an experienced Category Manager - IT/Technology to join the procurement function in Farnborough, with three days on-site per week. The role focuses on IT and Professional Services sourcing, supplier performance, risk management, and stakeholder engagement in a regulated defence environment.

You will lead end-to-end sourcing activities, develop category strategies, negotiate complex contracts, and drive value while ensuring compliance and governance across the supply

Qualifications

• Extensive IT procurement experience.
• Strong professional services procurement/category management experience.
• Proven track record leading significant procurement and sourcing exercises in IT and/or professional services.
• Excellent strategic sourcing and category management capability.
• Commercial contract negotiation experience.
• Stakeholder management at senior levels.
• Supplier relationship and performance management experience.
• Ability to identify and mitigate commercial, contractual, legal, regulatory and supply chain risks.
• CIPS/MCIPS or equivalent procurement experience advantageous.
• Defence experience beneficial if security requirements can be met.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic sourcing activity across IT Services and Professional Services spend.
• Take procurement activity through the complete lifecycle: strategy, tendering, evaluation, negotiation and contract execution.
• Develop category strategies based on business requirements, market intelligence and supplier insight.
• Lead complex commercial and contractual negotiations with suppliers.
• Build relationships with senior internal stakeholders and influence procurement decisions.
• Develop strategic supplier relationships and drive improvements in supplier performance.
• Identify opportunities to utilise existing frameworks and supplier relationships to leverage organisational scale.
• Manage commercial, contractual, regulatory and supply chain risks associated with sourcing decisions.
• Develop continuous improvement plans across relevant spend categories.
• Ensure procurement activity complies with the requirements of operating within a regulated defence environment.

Skills

IT procurement

Professional services procurement

Contract negotiation

Stakeholder management

Supplier relationship management

Risk management

CIPS/MCIPS

Defence experience

Job description

Matchtech Group is seeking an experienced Category Manager - IT/Technology to join the procurement function in Farnborough, with three days on-site per week. The role focuses on IT and Professional Services sourcing, supplier performance, risk management, and stakeholder engagement in a regulated defence environment.

You will lead end-to-end sourcing activities, develop category strategies, negotiate complex contracts, and drive value while ensuring compliance and governance across the supply