Procurement Category Manager - Professional Services

Hilti (Canada) Corporation; Manchester; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A global construction tools company is seeking a Category Manager in Manchester to oversee indirect procurement activities across multiple categories like Marketing and IT. The role includes leading sourcing strategies, managing supplier relationships, and fostering a collaborative environment. Ideal candidates will possess prior procurement experience, strong negotiation skills, and a bachelor's degree. Benefits include flexible working options, career advancement opportunities, and comprehensive health insurance.

Benefits

6% employer pension contributions

Private Health Insurance

33 days holiday plus ability to purchase more

Flexible work options

Employee resource groups

Qualifications

• Previous procurement experience, ideally with indirect categories and services.
• Ability to develop and implement category strategies to drive value creation.
• Desire for an international career with international mobility.

Responsibilities

• Lead sourcing strategies for indirect categories.
• Manage end-to-end sourcing from RFPs to supplier negotiation.
• Track spend and identify cost optimization opportunities.

Skills

Strong negotiation skills

Contract management

Supplier performance management

Detail-oriented problem-solving skills

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in any field

Tools

SAP

Coupa

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

What' s the role?

As Category Manager, you will be responsible for managing all indirect procurement activities, with a specific focus on Marketing, HR Services, IT, Consulting and Operating Supplies categories.

You will play a pivotal role in driving cost efficiencies, ensuring supplier performance, and delivering best-in-class service to internal stakeholders. In addition, you will be leading projects, fostering a high-performing and collaborative environment.

What does the role involve?

• Lead sourcing strategies for indirect categories (e.g., HR, Marketing, IT)
• Deliver value through cost savings, innovation, and risk mitigation
• Manage end-to-end sourcing (RFPs, supplier selection, negotiation)
• Maintain and improve supplier relationships and performance
• Track spend and identify cost optimisation opportunities
• Monitor procurement KPIs and drive continuous improvement
• Partner with internal stakeholders to align procurement with business needs
• Support regional/global procurement initiatives in local markets
• Ensure compliance and support process/digital improvements

In addition to the above, you'll act as a trusted advisor to internal stakeholders, ensuring procurement initiatives align with business needs, collaborating with internal departments. You’ll proactively inform management and the wider organisation of their spend, influencing and promoting strategic sourcing and optimizing spend, giving stakeholders appropriate assistance to ensure that supplier are effective in their daily operational procurement services.

You'll also be responsible for reviewing and ensuring compliance, continuously seeing operational improvements and efficiencies, including the development and implementation of digital sourcing models to streamline process. Collaborating closely with the Procurement Operations team, you'll ensure seamless execution, alignment, and continuous improvement of sourcing strategies.

You'll also have the opportunity to engage with Global or Regional teams & effectively implement projects in designated markets.

What you need is:

• Bachelor’s degree in any field
• Previous procurement experience, ideally with indirect categories and services
• Strong negotiation, contract management and supplier performance management skills
• Ability to develop and implement category strategies that drive value creation for the organization
• Proficiency in procurement tools (e.g., SAP, Coupa) and Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint) is essential
• Detail-oriented problem-solving skills
• Communication skills with a proven ability to explain complex topics clearly to a wide variety of audiences
• Proven interpersonal skills to work effectively and collaboratively within a team, cross functionally, and with various stakeholder groups
• Desire for an international career with international mobility

Who should apply?

We-re looking for someone who can analyse data, influence stakeholders, and ensure accuracy in everything from contracts, policies and reports. With your results-driven mindset and attention to detail, you’ll help drive continuous improvement. Apply now and take your career to the next level.

What do we offer?

We really value our people and we\'ve worked hard to develop a reward package that reflects this. Some of our benefits include:

• Genuine career advancement (more than 80% of all leadership roles are filled internally)
• 6% employer pension contributions
• Private Health Insurance and Employee Assistance Programme
• 33 days' holiday (inc. Bank Holidays) plus the ability to purchase 5 days more annually
• Paid leave to work on charitable projects
• Hilti Benefits Box, a reward platform offering a cycle to work scheme and shopping and lifestyle discounts/cashback
• Different ways to work flexibly, including working from home and compressed hours
• Employee resource groups focused on gender, mental health, race, disability, LGBTQ+ and sustainability topics
• Trips to locations such as Milan, New York and global HQ for high performers across all teams

Our Regional Head Office is based at Circle Square in Central Manchester, where we are located a short walk from Oxford Rd train station and St Peter's Square tram stop. We offer a hybrid working pattern between the office and home and different ways to work flexibly so please feel free to talk about what flexibility means to you at your interview.