Senior Category Manager

Leeds Building Society; Leeds; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent financial services organization in Leeds seeks a Senior Category Manager to optimize supplier relationships and drive commercial value. The role involves managing sourcing strategies and collaborating with stakeholders for better contract agreements. Ideal candidates will have leadership in category management and a strong commercial mindset. This position offers hybrid work, substantial benefits, and a commitment to equal opportunities in the workplace.

Benefits

Hybrid working - 2 days per week in the office

Annual bonus of up to 12%

Matched pension contributions up to 10%

26 days holiday plus bank holidays

Colleague Mortgage and Saver products

2 days’ volunteering per year

Qualifications

• Proven leadership with the ability to drive performance and engagement.
• Experience in Senior Category Management ideally within Financial Services.
• Ability to build strong relationships with stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Manage third-party supplier relationships to assure commercial value.
• Lead category strategies and sourcing exercises.
• Drive optimization of supplier contracts and agreements.

Skills

Strong leadership skills

Senior Category Management experience

Relationship building

Strong communication skills

Commercial mindset

Job description

How you’ll help us live our purpose

We’ve been helping our members save for their future and buy their own home since 1875. Join us and you’ll play a big role in helping us to put home ownership within reach of more people, generation after generation.

Cost & Supplier Management team | Senior Category Manager

You’ll be responsible for assuring end-to-end commercial value from third party supplier relationships across your designated portfolio, and the portfolio of direct reports. This includes sourcing and supplier relationship management, ensuring delivery of optimal benefit from the supply chain. You’ll work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders up to the most senior levels, from different business areas, establishing agreement on category strategies, leading sourcing exercises and driving the commercial optimisation of supplier relationships and contract agreements to ensure sustainable value for money.

What will you bring to the role?

• Strong leadership skills with the ability to role model, care, connect and coach to drive performance, change, positive engagement and deliver against challenging objectives
• Strong experience and knowledge of Senior Category Management in a medium/large organisation (ideally Financial Services).
• Strength in relationship building with business stakeholders, supplier contacts and colleagues.
• Strong communication skills, including the confidence to challenge and clearly present commercial advice and opinion, establishing trust in personal and team professional credibility.
• Commercial mindset - experience of commercial contracts, negotiation and drafting/ execution; ability to take a robust stance with external parties to promote and defend our commercial position; ability to explain complex terms and conditions and other commercial relationship elements in simple terms.

This role does not meet the eligibility criteria for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker visa route. Therefore, we are only able to consider applications from individuals who already have the right to work in the UK without employer sponsorship.

And in return, you’ll get the best from us:

• Hybrid working - 2 days per week in the office
• Annual bonus of up to 12%
• Matched pension contributions up to 10%
• 26 days holiday, plus bank holidays and holiday purchase scheme
• Colleague Mortgage and Saver products
• 2 days’ volunteering per year

We’ll give you a place to belong with the support to learn, develop and shape a meaningful career.

Why choose us?

Our business is centred around our people. Our colleagues are at the heart of everything we do, as shown by our Inclusive Employers Gold accreditation in 2023 and 2025. We’re committed to equal opportunities regardless of race, colour, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability or gender identity.

You’ll be joining a truly purpose-focused culture which helped us win the Leading with Purpose award at the 2023 Business Culture Awards. This recognises how we’ve embedded our purpose with our colleagues, and the actions we’ve taken to put home ownership within reach of more people, generation after generation.

Why wait? Apply now

We’d love to hear from you. But don’t wait around - we may close the advert early and we’d hate for you to miss out.

We’re devoted to creating a culture and workplace that is representative of the communities we serve. If you’d like to work with us but are unsure if you meet the full criteria for a role, please contact the recruiter so we can find out more about your skills and experience. We’re committed to supporting you to be at your best - to discuss any reasonable adjustments we could make, please contact us on [e-mail].

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