Senior Strategic Category & Relationships Leader

We Manage Jobs(WMJobs); West Midlands; Hybrid; GBP 54,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

LGPS pension

Annual leave

Wellbeing programmes

Job summary

Birmingham City Council is seeking a Category and Strategic Relationships Lead to join the Commercial and Procurement Services. You will shape evidence-based category strategies and act as a trusted commercial partner to directorates, driving value-for-money and ethical procurement.

The role requires extensive experience in category management, strategic sourcing and stakeholder engagement, plus the ability to lead a high-performing team and navigate governance.

Qualifications

• Significant experience leading category management, strategic sourcing or commercial procurement in regulated procurement.
• Strong knowledge of category management methodologies, procurement legislation and governance.
• Experience developing evidence-based sourcing strategies using spend data.
• Excellent stakeholder management and negotiation skills with senior leaders.
• Strong analytical ability to interpret complex commercial information.
• Proven experience coaching and developing high-performing teams.
• Level 6 CIPS Diploma or commitment to obtain it.

Responsibilities

• Leading and developing a high-performing category management team, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation and continuous improvement.
• Acting as the strategic commercial partner for a portfolio of Council directorates, providing expert advice across the full procurement lifecycle.
• Developing and delivering evidence-based category strategies that respond to organisational priorities, market intelligence and emerging commercial opportunities.
• Leading market engagement, supplier relationship management and strategic sourcing activities to improve competition, innovation and long-term value.
• Using commercial, supplier and spend data to identify opportunities, manage risks and measure financial, social value and sustainability outcomes.
• Leading complex procurement activity, including negotiations, structured dialogue and supplier engagement, ensuring compliance with governance and legislative requirements.
• Driving continuous improvement through the use of technology, performance insight and modern procurement practices to enhance commercial outcomes.

Skills

Category management

Strategic sourcing

Commercial procurement

Stakeholder management

Negotiation

Data analysis

Leadership

Coaching

CIPS Diploma

Education

Level 6 CIPS Diploma

Job description

Birmingham City Council is seeking a Category and Strategic Relationships Lead to join the Commercial and Procurement Services. You will shape evidence-based category strategies and act as a trusted commercial partner to directorates, driving value-for-money and ethical procurement.

The role requires extensive experience in category management, strategic sourcing and stakeholder engagement, plus the ability to lead a high-performing team and navigate governance.