Senior Category Manager

Greystar Worldwide, LLC; London; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is on a transformative journey in its European procurement function. This exciting role offers the opportunity to transition from transactional procurement to strategic sourcing, driving improvements in supplier performance and enhancing the Net Operating Income of assets. The successful candidate will engage with stakeholders, manage the procurement process, and introduce innovative suppliers. This position promises a dynamic work environment where your contributions will significantly impact the organization's success. If you thrive in fast-paced settings and are passionate about procurement, this is the role for you.

Benefits

Flexible working hours

Professional development opportunities

Health and wellness programs

Company events and team outings

Qualifications

• 3+ years as a Senior Category Manager or similar role.
• Experience in Real Estate or Facilities Management preferred.

Responsibilities

• Manage end-to-end procurement for sourcing projects.
• Build strong internal relationships to drive operational efficiencies.

Skills

Stakeholder engagement

Contract negotiation

Procurement technology

Analytical skills

Interpersonal skills

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree

Professional certification in procurement

Tools

Procurement software

Finance systems

Job description

ABOUT GREYSTAR

Greystar is a leading, fully integrated global real estate company offering expertise in property management, investment management, development, and construction services in institutional-quality rental housing, logistics, and life sciences sectors. Headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina, Greystar manages and operates more than $320 billion of real estate in 250 markets globally with offices throughout North America, Europe, South America, and the Asia-Pacific region. Greystar is the largest operator of apartments in the United States, manages more than 1,000,000 units/beds globally, and has a robust institutional investment management platform comprised of more than $79 billion of assets under management, including over $36 billion of development assets. Greystar was founded by Bob Faith in 1993 to become a provider of world-class service in the rental residential real estate business. To learn more, visit www.greystar.com.

JOB DESCRIPTION SUMMARY

Greystar’s European procurement function commenced a transformation journey in 2024. Following the appointment of a Senior Director for European Procurement, existing procurement processes and procedures were reviewed, and areas for improvement identified.

During 2025, the procurement team will focus on transitioning from transactional procurement activity to strategic sourcing. The appointment of this role will provide additional capacity to help procurement demonstrate value—improving the Net Operating Income (NOI) of our assets and driving improvements in supplier performance.

This role will operate within the European procurement team, balancing the needs of UK stakeholders with regional procurement activity where appropriate.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Key Responsibilities:

1. Stakeholder engagement - build strong internal relationships that ensure procurement is engaged in relevant sourcing activity, and savings / operational efficiencies are realized
2. Work independently and be accountable for the end-to-end procurement process for agreed sourcing projects – from the creation of sourcing strategies / high-quality tender documents to commercial and contract negotiations (and mobilizations where relevant)
3. Demonstrate subject matter expertise that builds trusted relationships with internal stakeholders and suppliers
4. Deliver demonstrable savings / commercial benefits aligned to your personal targets
5. Assist with defining supplier requirements / expectations e.g., scopes of work, Service Level Agreements, performance management procedures etc.
6. Administer the contract lifecycle, including contract negotiation, signing, and supplier onboarding / ongoing due diligence
7. Effective engagement / management of existing suppliers. Support the launch of SRM procedures with strategic suppliers. Act as an escalation point for supplier issues
8. Introduce new high-performing suppliers that proactively identify operational efficiencies and leverage technology & innovation
9. Support the mobilization of new suppliers – engage with the business to ensure successful delivery from day 1
10. Keep project and benefits trackers up to date and support communication of procurement successes
11. Manage relevant reporting requirements - spend analysis, vendor performance / feedback, income from revenue share agreements etc.
12. Ensure compliance with procurement policies and procedures – educate internal stakeholders / suppliers on relevant procedures e.g., onboarding, POs, P Card setup etc.
13. Support the creation of new procurement policies, process tools, and templates
14. Support procurement communications and training materials
15. Identify opportunities to leverage deals / suppliers across Europe
16. Identify opportunities for new / improved revenue share / rebate deals
17. Support wider procurement initiatives such as supply chain ESG

Experience & Skills:

• Experience in Real Estate / Facilities Management / Hospitality or related industry preferable
• Experience in a European or global role
• 3+ years as a Senior Category Manager (or comparable role)
• Sourcing experience across categories - Facilities Management (Hard & Soft Services), Capital Projects, and indirects
• Knowledge of the UK supply market essential; European knowledge advantageous
• Strong contract negotiation skills
• Ability to identify and mitigate supply chain risks
• Experience with procurement technology / finance systems
• Strong interpersonal and relationship skills – influence stakeholders at all levels
• Ability to support a busy, fast-paced environment
• Excellent organization skills – prioritize workload and exercise good judgment under pressure
• Positive team player – flexible and adaptable to changing priorities
• Collaborative working – balance stakeholder requirements and support business objectives
• Excellent communication skills – proactive reporting and stakeholder engagement
• Strong presentation skills – confident with senior stakeholders
• Excellent analytical skills – assess savings and benefits, engage finance for benefits approval
• Results-driven – create detailed plans to deliver projects on time
• Discretion and ability to handle sensitive information
• Self-starter – work effectively independently and as part of a team