Senior Category Manager

Severn Trent Water; Coventry; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Pension scheme

Sharesave

CIPS studies support

Training & development

EV scheme

Volunteer days

Job summary

Severn Trent Water is seeking a Senior Category Manager – Energy to lead the commercial, risk management and contract strategy across its energy portfolio. The role focuses on delivering best value, managing risk and supplier performance, with strong governance and ESG emphasis across energy supply, generation, trading and flexibility services.

As a senior Procurement teammate, you will work with Energy, Finance, Legal and Operations to shape contracting models and supplier relationships,

Qualifications

• Requires strong commercial acumen and ability to manage complex energy contracts.
• Experience in regulated environments or utilities is preferred.
• Ability to lead strategic sourcing and tender processes across the Energy category.

Responsibilities

• Strategic management of the Energy purchasing category, driving value and reducing risk.
• Lead strategic sourcing and regulated tender processes for Energy contracts.
• Identify cost savings, risk reduction and performance improvements for ESG-aligned sourcing.
• Coach and develop Buyers and Category Managers within the team.
• Embed ESG requirements into sourcing, tenders and contracts to support net zero goals.

Skills

Commercial acumen

Stakeholder management

Contract management

Energy market knowledge

ESG compliance

Education

CIPS qualification

Tools

Tendering software

Job description

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Within our Procurement team, we have an exciting opportunity for a Senior Category Manager – Energy to lead the commercial, risk management and contract management strategy across Severn Trent’s growing energy portfolio.

Energy is Severn Trent’s second largest area of external spend, making this a high‑profile role with significant accountability and impact. You’ll play a key role in effective management of energy cost, risk and supplier performance and supporting our renewables portfolio, alongside participation in demand management and flexibility markets.

You’ll be accountable for delivering a commercially robust and compliant supply chain, ensuring external energy expenditure delivers best value, security of supply and long‑term resilience. Your portfolio will include energy supply, generation, trading and flexibility services, with a strong focus on contracting strategy, supplier governance and risk management in volatile markets.

Working closely with senior stakeholders across Energy, Finance, Legal and Operations, you’ll provide clear commercial insight, shape contracting models and manage supplier relationships to support Severn Trent’s net zero and regulatory ambitions.

If you’re a commercially driven procurement professional with experience in complex, market‑facing categories, this role offers the chance to make a real impact.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

Your key accountabilities in helping us will be:

• Accountable for the strategic management of the Energy purchasing category, driving improvement in commercial and contract performance while actively managing market, regulatory and supply chain risk.
• This role will include leading strategic sourcing activities and regulated tender processes across the Energy category, working to establish a sustainable, competitive and compliant supply chain that ensures Severn Trent’s external energy expenditure is effectively managed, delivering best value, cost efficiency and high standards of performance over the full contract lifecycle.
• Identify and deliver category value opportunities, including cost savings, risk reduction and performance improvements, supporting Severn Trent’s net zero, operational resilience and affordability ambitions.
• You’ll be working closely with senior stakeholders across the business, making strong communication and influencing skills essential. As a senior member of the Procurement team, you’ll also play an active role in coaching and supporting Buyers and Category Managers, helping to develop their commercial capability.
• ESG will be central to this role, with a strong emphasis on working collaboratively with suppliers to meet Severn Trent’s environmental, social and governance standards. You’ll embed ESG requirements into sourcing strategies, tenders and contracts, driving improvements in carbon reduction, ethical compliance, responsible sourcing and resilience. Through effective supplier engagement and performance management, you’ll ensure the energy supply chain supports Severn Trent’s net zero ambitions and delivers long‑term, sustainable value.

WHAT YOU’LL BRING TO THE ROLE

The right skills and experience are important. But if you have the right character, positivity and a caring attitude we want to talk to you, too.

You’ll join our team with a strong commercial background, gained ideally within a regulated environment, Utilities sector or large, complex organisation.

From a technical standpoint, you’ll have experience and knowledge of modern purchasing processes (e.g. managing tenders & contracts), alongside a good understanding of end‑to‑end category and contract management, with a proven ability to develop and articulate category strategies. Additionally, it would be advantageous if you hold an appropriate professional qualification (e.g.CIPS).

We welcome people from all walks of life and celebrate individuality as we know diverse minds, experiences and backgrounds help us to learn and better serve our communities. We want people who show up and get involve. Those who are ready to be part of something bigger and who want to make a difference because they care.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU

Working at Severn Trent isn’t just a job you can build a career. We’ll reward you for it, too. We have a range of benefits that recognise great work, and award‑winning training to help you reach your potential. And we’ll also help you play your part in looking after the environment and the communities where we live.

With that in mind, here are just some of our favourite's perks that you’ll get being part of the Seven Trent family:

• 28 days holiday + bank holidays (and the ability to buy/ sell up to 5 days per year)
• Annual bonus scheme (of up to £2,250, which is subject to eligibility)
• Leading pension scheme – we will double your contribution (up to 15% when you contribute 7.5%)
• Sharesave – the chance to buy Severn Trent Plc shares at a discounted rate
• Support for your CIPS Studies
• Dedicated training and development with our Academy
• Electric vehicle scheme and retail offers
• Family friendly policies
• Two paid volunteering days per year

At Severn Trent, you’ll be joining a culture that cares, one that works together to achieve, grow, and develop. And when it comes to our employee engagement scores – they’re some of the highest of energy and utility companies globally*, and we believe that is down to our wonderful culture, created by our wonderful people.