Senior Category Manager

Innovate Recruitment Ltd; Stevenage; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading recruitment agency is seeking a Senior Category Manager to join a global Digital Procurement team. This role involves developing category strategies, managing complexity, and engaging with senior stakeholders. The ideal candidate will have strong procurement capabilities and experience at the Category Management level within technology domains. Joining this international team offers the opportunity to shape the procurement landscape and drive innovation within the organization.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Benefits package

Qualifications

• Experience at Category Management or Group level within technology categories.
• Senior procurement professional keen to transition into digital procurement.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead end-to-end category strategies in digital technologies.
• Identify risks and opportunities in supply markets.
• Align procurement plans to business strategy.

Skills

Strategic procurement capability

Stakeholder engagement

Relationship-building skills

Ability to manage complexity

MCIPS qualified or working towards

Job description

Senior Category Manager or Group Category Manager

Bristol / Bolton / Stevenage

Competitive Salary & Benefits

You will need SC Level Clearance or be Clearable.

About the Company

My Client has an exciting opportunity for a Group Category Manager to join their growing Digital Procurement team. This senior, Group-level role offers the chance to play a strategic part in shaping the company's digital and technology procurement landscape while working in a truly international environment.

About the Role

The Category Manager role in Digital Procurement is central to the company's mission and future success. As they continue to accelerate our digital transformation, you will act as a strategic procurement partner to the Information Management function and wider business.

You will develop and deliver category strategies that support long-term capability, innovation, and value across complex technology markets.

This role is ideal for an experienced technology procurement professional, or a senior procurement practitioner or Category Manager ready to deepen their expertise in digital categories within a global organisation.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead end-to-end category strategies across digital and information management technologies.
• Build strong market insight, identifying risks, opportunities, and innovation within supply markets.
• Create and deliver short-, medium-, and long-term procurement plans aligned to business strategy.
• Act as a trusted business partner to senior stakeholders across the Group functions.
• Mentor and support buyers, enabling delivery of complex and high-value procurement activities.
• Operate confidently in an international, multicultural environment.

Qualifications

You will bring strong strategic procurement capability, with experience at Category Management or Group level, ideally within one or more technology categories.

Alternatively, you may be a senior procurement professional with international experience who is keen to transition into a digital procurement specialism.

Required Skills

• Proven ability to operate strategically and influence at senior levels.
• Comfortable managing complexity and ambiguity.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and relationship-building skills.
• MCIPS qualified or working towards MCIPS (support provided.)

Equal Opportunity Statement

They are proud of their inclusive and people-focused culture. They actively support employee-led networks and are committed to developing talent, fostering diversity, and enabling individuals to reach their full potential.