Procurement & Supplier Manager

Allianz UK; Guildford; Hybrid; GBP 68,000 - 92,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible holidays

Hybrid working

Annual bonus

Pension scheme

Development days

Insurance discounts

Retail discounts

Volunteering days

Job summary

Allianz UK is seeking a Senior Category Manager to lead category strategies across People & Culture, Professional services, Travel, Fleet and Allianz Engineering. You will partner with internal stakeholders and manage a team of Sourcing Managers to deliver value, innovation and risk‑managed performance across the supply chain.

The role is hybrid with multi-site expectations; salary circa £80,000, plus bonus potential and a broad benefits package.

Qualifications

• In-depth knowledge of sourcing and procurement principles and best practices.
• Leadership and supply management experience.
• Experience with modern sourcing and procurement systems.
• Solid operational management and general business acumen.
• Accomplished negotiation, communication, and analytical skills.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills: influence at all levels and with Exco.
• Excellent time management in a fast-paced environment.
• Proven ability to drive innovation and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design of the categories’ strategy for areas under management.
• Develop and maintain relationships with key suppliers to foster innovation and value.
• Lead procurement activities and work with SRM to achieve outcomes in performance and risk management.
• Maximise relationships to create innovation and value across group categories.
• Ensure key KPIs, savings targets, and metrics are tracked and improved.
• Ensure compliance with AGSP and best-practice procurement standards.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate supply chain risks to ensure continuity.
• Coordinate due diligence and governance for core Procurement teams as needed.
• Lead thought leadership in category management and market conditions.
• Champion sustainability and ethical sourcing within procurement activities.
• Mentor and develop a high-performing Sourcing team.

Skills

Sourcing principles

Procurement leadership

Modern procurement systems

Operational management

Negotiation skills

Stakeholder management

Time management

Innovation & improvement

Job description

Description

We have an excellent opportunity to join the Procurement team as a Senior Category Manager. The purpose of this role is to consistently drive corporate strategy by means of effective and efficient procurement practices through strong and credible business partnering and the creation and execution of category plans which maximise value, innovation, risk management and ensure exceptional customer outcomes through our supply chain.

The remit of this role will include owning the category strategies for People & Culture, Professional services, Travel, Fleet and Allianz Engineering. As part of the Procurement leadership team, this role will lead a team of Sourcing Managers and Specialists across the categories under management and be responsible for efficiently and effectively executing the category strategy through tendering and contract review processes.

This is a Hybrid role - multi site working is required, specific location for this role can be discussed at interview

Salary Information

Pay is based on relevant experience, skills for the role, and location. Salary is only one part of our total reward package.

Circa - £80,000

About You

• Lead the design of the categories’ strategy for areas under management. Collaborate with internal stakeholders through effective business partnering to ensure alignment with corporate objectives and value creation.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with key suppliers to foster innovation, maximise value, and enhance performance.
• Lead key procurement activities and collaborate with the Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) team to achieve outcomes related to relationship building, performance enhancement, risk management, and innovation with supply chain partners.
• Maximise working relationships and opportunities to create innovation and value add through working with relevant Group category counterparts.
• Responsible for ensuring key measures of success, savings targets and other KPIs are tracked, met and improved upon year on year.
• Ensure compliance with Allianz Group Sourcing Policy (AGSP) and related processes. Promote adherence to best practice procurement standards within the team and categories under management.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate risks within the supply chain to ensure continuity and compliance with Allianz Group standards. Implement strategies to proactively address potential disruptions.
• Coordinates Procurement due diligence and governance activity of core Procurement team and Procurement Development & Analytics team as necessary to ensure adherence, visibility and reporting.
• Take a leading role in thought leadership in category (ies) under management through keeping up and improving upon Best Practice whilst being aware of evolving market conditions so as to inform Category Plans and Contract terms.
• Champion sustainability and ethical sourcing practices within procurement activities to align with Allianz's Global Sustainability strategy.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Sourcing Managers and Specialists. Foster a high-performing culture by providing guidance, support, and opportunities for professional growth.

Essential Skills

• In-depth knowledge of sourcing and procurement principles and best practices.
• Leadership and supply management experience.
• Experience with modern sourcing and procurement systems.
• Solid operational management and general business acumen.
• Accomplished negotiation, communication, and analytical skills, including data analysis and interpretation.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills: clear, confident communication style, ability to influence at all organizational levels and build strong stakeholder/supplier relationships up to Exco level.
• Excellent time management skills, with a flexible and proactive mindset suited for a fast-paced, rapidly changing environment.
• Proven ability to drive innovation and continuous improvement in procurement processes and strategies.

Desirable Skills

• Responsible Artificial Intelligence usage

What We Will Offer You

Recognised and rewarded for a job well done, we have a range of flexible benefits for you to choose from- so you can pick a package that’s perfect for you. We also offer flexible working options, global career opportunities across the wider Allianz Group, and fantastic career development and training. That’s on top of enjoying all the benefits you’d expect from the world’s number one insurance brand, including:

• Flexible buy/sell holiday options
• Hybrid working
• Annual performance related bonus
• Contributory pension scheme
• Development days
• A discount up to 50% on a range of insurance products including car, home and pet
• Retail discounts
• Volunteering days

Our Ways of Working

Do you need flexibility with the hours you work? Let us know as part of your application and if it’s right for our customers, our business and for you, then we’ll do everything we can to make it happen. Here at Allianz, we are signatories of the ABIs flexible working charter. We believe in supporting hybrid work patterns, which balance the needs of our customers, with your personal circumstances and our business requirements. Our aim with this is to help innovation, creativity, and you to thrive - Your work life balance is important to us.

Inclusive Support & Accessibility

At Allianz, we are committed to fostering building an inclusive, accessible workplace where everyone can thrive. As a Disability Confident employer, we welcome applications from disabled and neurodivergent candidates and offer tailored adjustments throughout the recruitment process and in the workplace, whether that’s assistive technology, ergonomic equipment, flexible working arrangements, mentoring or coaching. We want to encourage candidates to speak with us about any adjustments they may need. We’re here to support you.

If you have a disability or long‑term health condition and meet the essential criteria, you can choose to be considered through our Offer an Interview Scheme.

Contact our Resourcing team to opt into this scheme or for any assistance with during the recruitment process including larger text, hard copies, or spoken applications. [e-mail]

For any inquiries or to submit your application, please contact: Conor McCourt

Closing date: 7th September 2026

We reserve the right to close the advert early if we reach enough applications

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