Senior Category Manager - IT (Cloud and Infrastructure)

SSE plc; Glasgow; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private healthcare discounts

Gym membership discounts

Online GP

Counselling service

Cycle to Work

Maternity pay

Adoption pay

Paternity leave

Job summary

SSE plc is hiring a Senior Category Manager - IT Cloud & Infrastructure to drive enterprise strategy across Cloud, Hosting, Compute, Storage and Infrastructure services. You will partner with senior leaders to set direction and secure sustained value and resilience for SSE's technology portfolio.

You will shape investments, lead critical commercial engagements and influence SSE's transformation agenda through strategic procurement leadership.

Qualifications

• Substantial record owning enterprise IT category strategies.
• Experience leading high-value sourcing and negotiations.
• Deep cloud economics and contracting expertise.
• Ability to influence senior leaders and shape investments.

Responsibilities

• Define and implement multi-year IT Cloud & Infrastructure strategy.
• Lead complex sourcing, negotiations and value optimisation.
• Provide commercial counsel to senior stakeholders on strategy.
• Set agenda with global technology providers and drive performance.
• Translate spend data into cost-optimisation initiatives.
• Oversee portfolio governance and risk for IT & Telco.

Skills

IT category strategy

Cloud & Infrastructure

Sourcing negotiations

Executive leadership

Stakeholder management

Contracting expertise

Regulatory compliance

CIPS qualification desirable

Education

CIPS qualification desirable

Job description

Base Location: You'll be expected to spend 50% of your working week in our Havant, Reading, Glasgow or Perth office

Salary: £59,800 - £89,800 + performance-related bonus + a range of benefits to support your finances, wellbeing and family.

Working Pattern: Permanent | Full Time | Flexible First options available

The role

This role leads the commercial strategy for one of SSE's most significant technology portfolios. As Senior Category Manager - IT Cloud & Infrastructure, you will shape enterprise investment and supplier decisions across Cloud, Hosting, Compute, Storage and Infrastructure services. Partnering with senior leaders across Technology, Security, Architecture, Finance and Group Technology Services, you will set category direction, lead critical commercial engagements and ensure the portfolio delivers sustained value, resilience and strategic advantage. The role offers significant scope to influence SSE's transformation agenda and the continued development of procurement as a high-performing strategic function.

Key accountabilities

• Define and execute the multi-year commercial strategy for IT Cloud & Infrastructure, aligned to SSE's enterprise, technology, security and regulatory priorities.
• Direct complex, high-value sourcing and negotiations, establishing commercial models that optimise value, resilience, flexibility and risk.
• Provide authoritative commercial counsel to senior stakeholders, converting market and technology complexity into clear strategic choices and investment decisions.
• Set the agenda with key global technology providers, strengthening executive relationships and driving performance, innovation and competitive tension.
• Translate spend, demand and market intelligence into a prioritised pipeline of cost optimisation, value creation and risk reduction initiatives.
• Maintain executive oversight of portfolio performance, governance and exposure, providing clear insight and recommendations to the Head of Procurement for IT & Telco.

What you'll bring

• A substantial record of owning and delivering enterprise-scale IT category strategies across Cloud, Hosting, Infrastructure or Data Centre services within a large, complex organisation.
• Demonstrable success in leading high-value, business-critical sourcing and negotiations with major global technology providers, delivering material and measurable commercial outcomes.
• Deep expertise in cloud economics and contracting, including hyperscaler commercial models, consumption-based pricing, commitments and reservations, marketplace procurement, licensing dependencies and cost optimisation.
• Proven ability to shape investment decisions, supplier strategies and commercial operating models across complex, multi-stakeholder technology environments.
• Strong command of commercial, contractual, operational and concentration risk, with the judgement to balance value, resilience, flexibility and long-term strategic outcomes.
• Executive presence and credibility, with experience influencing senior leaders, constructively challenging established positions and presenting clear, evidence-based recommendations.
• A decisive and collaborative leadership style, with the ability to mobilise cross-functional teams across Procurement, Technology, Finance, Legal, Security and Architecture.
• CIPS or an equivalent professional qualification is desirable; experience in a regulated, critical-infrastructure or asset-intensive sector would be advantageous.

About SSE

SSE's purpose is to provide energy needed today while building a better world of energy for tomorrow. We do this by developing, building, operating and investing in electricity infrastructure and businesses needed in the energy transition. Our Transforming for Growth investment plan sees us investing £33bn in critical electricity infrastructure across the five years to 2030.

Our Procurement & Commercial teams help us get the best service and value from partners, while ensuring suppliers meet compliance, contractual and business obligations.

Flexible benefits to fit your life

Enjoy discounts on private healthcare and gym memberships. Wellbeing benefits like a free online GP and 24/7 counselling service. Interest-free loans on tech and transport season tickets, or a new bike with our Cycle to Work scheme. As well as generous family entitlements such as maternity and adoption pay, and paternity leave.

Work with an equal opportunity employer

SSE will make any reasonable adjustments you need to ensure that your application and experience with us is positive. Please contact [e-mail] / 01738344763 to discuss how we can support you.

We're dedicated to fostering an open and inclusive workplace where people from all backgrounds can thrive. We create equal opportunities for everyone to succeed and especially welcome applications from those who may not be well represented in our workforce or industry.