IT Procurement Category Manager

Lightsource bp; Greater London; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Retention bonus

Health insurance

Pension

Job summary

Lightsource bp is seeking a proactive IT Procurement Category Manager to lead sourcing, category management, and contract governance for IT. This role will drive cost optimization, risk mitigation, and supplier innovation to support Lightsource bp’s global growth and digital transformation objectives.

You will own the full IT contract lifecycle, develop category strategies, lead sourcing activities, build strong supplier relationships, and work with Finance on spend and budgeting.

Qualifications

• Expertise in IT procurement best practices across hardware, software, cloud and outsourcing.
• Understanding of commercial objectives, procurement processes and budgeting cycles.
• Proven track record negotiating complex IT contracts and managing vendor relationships.
• Experience delivering cost savings and improving procurement processes.
• Knowledge of software licensing models and related terms.
• Ability to develop category strategies and procurement policies.

Responsibilities

• Own the full IT contract lifecycle, ensuring governance and delivering commercial value.
• Develop and implement comprehensive IT category strategies aligned with priorities.
• Lead sourcing activities: requirements gathering, RFx, vendor selection, negotiation and onboarding.
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with IT suppliers and internal stakeholders.
• Draft, review and negotiate contract terms for software, hardware, IT services and outsourcing.
• Maintain centralized contract registers for accuracy and accessibility.
• Ensure compliance with supplier obligations and procurement policies.
• Collaborate with Finance to produce spend reports and assist budgeting and forecasting.
• Lead cost control initiatives across IT procurement categories.
• Provide commercial risk management and escalate disputes as needed.
• Monitor supplier performance via KPIs, governance meetings and spend analytics.

Skills

Negotiation & influencing

Stakeholder management

Data-driven decision making

Change management

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Procurement/IT or related

MCIPS/CIPS certification preferred

Tools

Procurement software (e.g., SAP Ariba)

Job description

We are Lightsource bp– and we’re on a mission to become a global leader in onshore renewables, anchored by our proven track record in solar development.

For over a decade we’ve been actively working to diversify the way our world is powered with sustainable and responsible renewable power. We work to safely deliver affordable, reliable, large-scale onshore renewable and energy storage solutions to help the world decarbonise.

Our growing business is constantly innovating and investing to help drive the energy transition. Our people and projects are focused on supporting long-term sustainable growth and energy security.

Lightsource bp operates with five core values:Safety,Integrity,Respect,Sustainability, andDrive. We seek to attract and hire individuals who share our commitment to creating a safe workplace, uphold the highest standards of integrity, and demonstrate respect for colleagues, communities, and the environment. Our recruitment process promotes sustainability by valuing long-term growth and responsible practices, while seeking candidates with the drive to innovate and lead in the global energy transition. Together, these values shape how we engage, assess, and welcome talent to join us in delivering transformational solar power solutions worldwide.

Lightsource bp was fully acquired by bp in 2024.

What you’ll do (the role)

Summary

We are seeking a proactive IT Procurement Category Manager to lead sourcing, category management, and contract governance for IT. This role will drive cost optimization, risk mitigation, and supplier innovation to support Lightsource bp’s global growth and digital transformation objectives.

Responsibilities of the Role

• Own the full IT contract lifecycle, ensuring governance and delivering commercial value
• Develop and implement comprehensive category strategies aligned with business priorities
• Lead all sourcing activities: requirements gathering, RFx management, vendor selection, negotiation, and onboarding
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with IT suppliers and internal stakeholders as a trusted advisor
• Draft, review, and negotiate contract terms for software, hardware, IT services, and outsourcing
• Maintain centralized contract registers to ensure accuracy and accessibility
• Ensure compliance with supplier contractual obligations and procurement policies
• Collaborate with Finance to produce spend reports and assist with budgeting and forecasting
• Lead cost control initiatives across IT procurement categories
• Provide commercial risk management, escalating and resolving disputes as needed
• Monitor supplier performance via KPIs, contract reviews, and governance meetings, leveraging spend analytics for continual improvement

Why you’ll make a great member of the team

Experience & Knowledge Required

• Strong expertise in IT procurement best practices, covering hardware, software, cloud, and outsourcing
• Solid understanding of commercial objectives, procurement processes, and budgeting cycles
• Proven track record negotiating complex IT contracts and managing vendor relationships
• Experience delivering cost savings and enhancing procurement processes
• Practical knowledge of software licensing models and associated commercial terms
• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement category strategies and procurement policies
• Experienced in working towards cost-saving targets, compliance, and supplier performance KPIs

Skills Required

• Excellent negotiation and influencing abilities to engage effectively with senior stakeholders
• Strong commercial acumen and exceptional attention to detail
• Collaborative approach with capability to lead cross-functional procurement projects
• Skilled at influencing IT, Finance, and other teams to achieve aligned outcomes
• Proficient in data-driven decision‑making and category analytics
• Experienced in driving change management within procurement functions
• Effective communicator, confident in both verbal and written formats
• Proactive, adaptable, solution-oriented mindset with strong organization and prioritization skills
• Leadership qualities including mentoring and coaching team members
• Strategic thinker with proven change management experience

Education Required

• Relevant degree or equivalent experience in procurement, IT, or related disciplines
• MCIPS or CIPS certification preferred

Why you’ll want to work for us

Our company is a place where you can be yourself and grow, a place where your ideas and opinions matter.

Be you:We pride ourselves on being an inclusive community, where every individual is valued and treated with respect.

Be responsible:Our culture is driven by our core values – from operating safely to ensuring our projects are responsible.

Be recognized:Alongside a competitive salary, we offer a variety of benefits including annual bonus, retention bank, health insurance, pension and other local benefits.

Be inspired:Beyond your day-to-day working life at Lightsource bp, there’s a variety of initiatives that will contribute to your own personal development. These include our charitable causes, supporting our solar honey project, or volunteering on our VIBES committee to name a few.

Our core values:Lightsource bp truly cares about creating a sustainable future through safe, responsible and meaningful low carbon energy projects. Our core values of Safety, Integrity, Respect, Sustainability and Drive are the guiding principles for everything we do.