Senior Category Manager

Ventula Consulting; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 88,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

Ventula Consulting Ltd. is seeking a Senior Category Manager – Education for London, hybrid working three days in the Central London office with remote work the rest of the time. The role offers a daily rate of £550 inside IR35 and requires substantial procurement leadership experience.

You will shape buying strategies, negotiate strong commercial deals, and lead a team while collaborating with faculties and departments across a large education organisation.

Qualifications

• Significant senior-level procurement and commercial experience.
• Expert negotiator with a track record of delivering complex, large-scale commercial solutions.
• Strong leadership skills, including change management and building high-performing teams.

Responsibilities

• Develop procurement plans that meet category needs and sustainability goals.
• Run large-scale tenders and negotiate value-for-money agreements.
• Advise stakeholders on compliance, including when to compete and when to sole source.
• Draft and manage supplier contracts linked to research funding, including grant awards, material transfer agreements and research service agreements.
• Build tiered supplier relationship management approaches.
• Drive non-pay savings and continuous process improvement.
• Line manage, develop and retain a high-performing team.
• Contribute to the Commercial Leadership Team and its strategic plan.

Skills

Senior procurement experience

Negotiation

Stakeholder influence

Leadership

Change management

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

Contract management

Job description

Senior Category Manager – Education - £550 (Inside IR35) – London (Hybrid)

Leading higher education client now requires a Category professional to lead procurement/commercial contract management.

This role will work directly with faculties and departments to shape buying strategies, negotiate strong commercial deals and introduce better ways of working.

Key responsibilities:

• Develop procurement plans that meet category needs and sustainability goals.
• Run large-scale tenders and negotiate value-for-money agreements.
• Advise stakeholders on compliance, including when to compete and when to sole source.
• Draft and manage supplier contracts linked to research funding, including grant awards, material transfer agreements and research service agreements.
• Build tiered supplier relationship management approaches.
• Drive non-pay savings and continuous process improvement.
• Line manage, develop and retain a high-performing team.
• Contribute to the Commercial Leadership Team and its strategic plan.

About you:

• Significant senior-level procurement and commercial experience, with a degree or equivalent. experience and ongoing professional development.
• Expert negotiator with a track record of delivering complex, large-scale commercial solutions.
• Strong leadership skills, including change management and building high-performing teams.
• Confident communicator and influencer at all levels, able to work across large, decentralised organisations.
• Commercially astute, organised and collaborative, and a good evidence-based decision-maker.

This is an initial 3-month contract role which provides a daily rate of £550(Inside IR35).

In terms of working structure, this is hybrid with 3 days per week in their Central London office and the rest remote.