Senior Category Manager

Fifty5Blue; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Fifty5Blue in London is seeking a Senior Category Manager to lead strategic procurement across Data Acquisition, Research Services and related areas. This role focuses on Operations spend with integration into Technology where needed, delivering value in a fast-moving, global environment.

The role reports to the Technology and Operations Procurement Director, requires 7–8 years in procurement, and offers a hybrid working pattern with a minimum 2 days in the office.

Qualifications

• 7–8 years of procurement or category management experience in a fast-moving global environment.
• Strong category experience across Technology or Marketing with understanding of market dynamics and pricing models.
• Proven ownership of a category with streamlined processes, governance and strategies.
• Track record of delivering measurable savings and commercial value.
• Strong sourcing, negotiation and contracting capability with sound commercial judgement.
• Experience with global stakeholders and suppliers across cross-functional organisations.
• Excellent communication skills for collaboration with internal teams and external partners.
• Strong analytical capability including spend analysis and data-driven decision support.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and practical approach to reducing complexity.
• Knowledge of supplier risk and performance management; deep TPRM not required.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Bachelor's Degree and/or MCIPS.

Responsibilities

• Lead category strategies across Data Acquisition, Research Services, Panel & Incentive Management Services, while supporting Technology procurement initiatives.
• Oversee end-to-end sourcing and go-to-market activities: requirements, market engagement, evaluation, negotiation, contracting and implementation.
• Own established and developing categories, simplify fragmented activity and implement clear governance and sourcing strategies.
• Make procurement easier for stakeholders with practical, efficient processes while maintaining commercial controls.
• Deliver measurable savings, cost avoidance and value through spend analysis, demand management and supplier negotiations.

Skills

Procurement

Category Management

Sourcing

Negotiation

Contracting

Global Stakeholders

Communication

Analytics

Problem Solving

Deadline-Driven

Stakeholder Management

Education

Bachelor's Degree and/or MCIPS

Job description

We help partners understand the changing advertising landscape. Specialising in audience measurement, consumer targeting and in-depth intelligence into paid, owned and earned media, their global coverage and local expertise enable better understanding of media audiences and their relationships with brands.

Job Details

Fifty5Blue is a global leader in media measurement and analytics, operating in more than 80 countries.

We bring clarity to complexity. Our independent, hybrid cross-media audience measurement combines trusted audience panels with large-scale data to establish a single, coherent view across platforms and markets. This gives content owners, advertisers, agencies and platforms the clarity and confidence to develop content and plan advertising decisively.

With deep expertise across global media systems, we design integrated, comparable measurement frameworks that support a more consistent and accountable media market.

Job Title: Senior Category Manager

Location: London, Westgate
Employment Type: Permanent

Department: Procurement

* This is a full-time permanent position, based in our London office. We operate on a hybrid working arrangement and require a minimum of 2 days in the office.We welcome all applications from those with the legal right to live and work permanently in the UK, without requiring VISA sponsorship now or in the future.

Overview

An exciting opportunity to join a greenfield Procurement function in a fast moving, dynamic global environment. The role will help manage approximately $95m of spend across Technology and Operations, combining operational sourcing with selected central technology category activities.

Reporting to the Technology and Operations Procurement Director, the Senior Category Manager will work closely with Technology and Operations leaders to develop and implement procurement strategies, lead go to market activities and improve how the categories operate. The role will primarily focus on Operations related spend, primarily Data, Insights & Research Services, alongside selected Technology category activities.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead category strategies across Data Acquisition, Research Services, Panel & Incentive Management Services, while supporting selected Technology procurement initiatives and strategic supplier relationships.

• Lead end to end sourcing and go to market activities, including requirements definition, market engagement, evaluation, negotiation, contracting and implementation.

• Take ownership of established and developing categories, simplifying fragmented activity and introducing clear processes, governance and sourcing strategies.

• Make procurement easier for stakeholders by creating practical, efficient ways of working while maintaining appropriate commercial controls.

• Deliver measurable savings, cost avoidance and wider commercial value through spend analysis, demand management, supplier negotiation and effective implementation.

Skills and Knowledge Required

• Typically 7–8 years of procurement or category management experience in a fast-moving global environment.

• Strong category experience across either Technology or Marketing, with the ability to understand market dynamics, cost drivers and supplier pricing models.

• Proven experience taking ownership of a category, streamlining fragmented activity and putting effective processes, governance and strategies in place.

• A track record of improving the stakeholder experience while delivering measurable savings and commercial value.

• Strong sourcing, negotiation and contracting capability, supported by sound commercial judgement.

• Experience working with global stakeholders and suppliers across complex, cross-functional organisations.

• Excellent communication skills for effective collaboration with internal teams and external partners.

• Strong analytical capability, including spend analysis, financial evaluation and using data to identify opportunities and support decisions.

• Excellent problem-solving skills, with a practical approach to removing complexity and resolving operational challenges

• Working knowledge of supplier risk and performance management; deep TPRM expertise is not required.

• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.

• Bachelors Degree and/or MCIPS.

Our offer

Our specialist expertise, pioneering technology and commitment to innovation provide the ideal environment for career growth.

Want to have a real-world impact? Help us deliver the trusted data that informs decisions in content and advertising across the world.

When you join us, you’ll gain the benefit of our global reach, advanced technical innovation and deep expertise. We’ll support you with training and career development opportunities. Become part of a community of passionate, dedicated professionals.

Why join Fifty5Blue?

We pride ourselves on understanding people, and what makes us think and act the way we do.

And because we know people, we like to make sure our own people are being looked after as well. Equality of opportunity for everyone is our highest priority and we support our colleagues to work in a way that supports their health and wellbeing. While we encourage teams to spend part of their working week in the office, we understand no one size fits all; our approach is flexible to ensure everybody feels included, accepted, and that we can win together. We’re dedicated to creating an inclusive culture and value the diversity of our people, clients, suppliers and communities, and we encourage applications from all backgrounds and sections of society. Even if you feel like you’re not an exact match, we’d love to receive your application and talk to you about this job or others at Fifty5Blue.

Privacy and Legal Statement

PRIVACY DISCLOSURE: Please note that by applying to this opportunity you consent to the personal data you provide to us to be processed and retained by Fifty5Blue. Your details will be kept on our Internal ATS (Applicant Tracking System) for as long as is necessary for the purposes of recruitment, which may include your details being shared with the hiring manager(s) and for consideration for potential future opportunities at Fifty5Blue. For full details of our privacy policy please visit https://www.fifty5blue.com/privacy-policies/fifty5blue-privacy-notice-for-candidates

Country

United Kingdom

Why join Fifty5Blue?

We pride ourselves on understanding people, and what makes us think and act the way we do.

And because we know people, we like to make sure our own people are being looked after as well. Equality of opportunity for everyone is our highest priority and we support our colleagues to work in a way that supports their health and wellbeing. While we encourage teams to spend part of their working week in the office, we understand no one size fits all; our approach is flexible to ensure everybody feels included, accepted, and that we can win together. We’re dedicated to creating an inclusive culture and value the diversity of our people, clients, suppliers and communities, and we encourage applications from all backgrounds and sections of society. Even if you feel like you’re not an exact match, we’d love to receive your application and talk to you about this job or others at Fifty5Blue.