Senior Category Manager - IT Services

QinetiQ Limited; Farnborough; On-site; GBP 62,000 - 69,000; Full time

Job summary

QinetiQ Limited in Farnborough is seeking a Senior Category Manager IT Services to lead complex sourcing initiatives, deliver cost optimisation, and manage end-to-end procurement in a Defence environment.

You will build relationships with key stakeholders, ensure compliance, and develop strategies with business partners to meet future aspirations. The role requires SC clearance eligibility and a 37-hour week at Farnborough head office.

Qualifications

• Experience in business relationship management with internal and external stakeholders.
• Knowledge of sourcing strategies and risk mitigation in procurement.

Responsibilities

• Develop strong relationships with key decision-makers to influence behaviours in sourcing.
• Maintain awareness of controls and accreditations for Defence suppliers, ensuring compliance.
• Collaborate with Business Partnering to leverage existing supplier relationships and frameworks.
• Collaboratively develop sourcing strategies to align targets and improve supplier performance.

Education

Degree in Business or Engineering

CIPS Qualification or equivalent

Job description

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Job Title: Senior Category Manager - IT Services

Location: Farnborough, England, United Kingdom

Role Type: Permanent – Full Time

Package: £62,100 - £69,000 (salary dependent on experience) + Benefits

Role ID: SF19700

*Previous applications will not be considered*

Are you ready to be part of the future? At QinetiQ, we’re not just imagining tomorrow we are creating it. From cutting-edge defence technology to ground-breaking innovations our mission is to empower and protect lives. Join us as a Senior Category Manager IT Services, where you will have the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technology in partnership with some of the most brilliant minds.

The Role
The Senior Category Manager leads complex sourcing initiatives to deliver strategic value, cost optimisation, and risk mitigation across multiple categories. Develops and execute sourcing strategies aligned with organisational objectives, leveraging market intelligence and supplier insights. Manage end-to-end procurement processes, including tendering, negotiation, and contract execution, ensuring compliance and ethical standards.

The Senior Category Manager will need to be able to identify, develop and nurture positive supplier relationships to meet QinetiQ’s future aspirations, this may involve leading industry engagement events and activities.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Develop strong relationships with key decision-makers to influence behaviours and ensure appropriate involvement of Procurement in all sourcing activities
• Maintain awareness of the restrictions, controls and accreditations that are placed upon suppliers working in a Defence environment, always ensuring that both sourcing strategies and the incumbent supplier base do not jeopardise or threaten internal compliance
• Collaborate with the Business Partnering team to identify opportunities to utilise existent supplier relationships and frameworks that leverage Group scale
• Collaboratively develop sourcing strategies with key stakeholders to ensure alignment of targets, improve supplier performance, and implement continuous improvement plans across spend

Essential experience of the Senior Category Manager :

• Adept at business relationship management; internally & externally facing
• Knowledge of different types of sourcing strategies
• Highly proficient in the identification & mitigation of supply chain, organisational, regulatory, legal & commercial risk

Desirable qualifications for the Senior Category Manager:

• CIPS Qualified or equivalent experience
• Degree in a Business or Engineering discipline, or equivalent experience

We value difference and we don’t have a fixed idea when it comes to background or education, provided you can show the required level of experience and willingness to learn then we would like to hear from you.

This role is 37 hours per week and is based out of our Farnborough head office facility with an average expected attendance of 3 days per week onsite.

Farnborough

At our Farnborough site exciting work takes place at our state-of-the-art facility, with high-energy laser technologies, our 5m pressurised wind tunnel which has a simulation capability that is unique in the UK and our large research and development projects is a real hub of creativity, research and innovation. Join our talented teams of Engineers, IT & Cyber Specialists, Project Managers, Group Functions Teams and many more to provide future defences in the UK.

Please note that all applicants for this role must be eligible for SC clearance, as a minimum.