Strategic Category and Project Manager

Public Sector Resourcing; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 101,000 - 166,000; Full time

Job summary

Government Commercial Agency (GCA) is seeking a Strategic Category and Project Manager for a 6-month hybrid role in the UK. The role focuses on EU procurement policy, procurement governance, and end-to-end project delivery, including SaaS, cloud, cyber security, and professional services.

Working arrangements combine 2 days a week in Birmingham or Bootle with remote working. Inside IR35 and UK-only, the post requires significant experience in complex programmes, senior stakeholder engagement,

Qualifications

• Signif icant experience leading complex commercial projects end-to-end.
• Proven category management in Digital, Data, Tech, SaaS, cloud, and cyber security.
• Strong stakeholder management, able to influence senior leaders and teams.
• Experience with procurement governance, risk management and contract awards.

Responsibilities

• EU Regulation & Procurement Policy navigation and guidance.
• Oversee procurement projects, mobilise plans, and advise on complex requirements.
• Tender management and end-to-end procurement support through to award.
• Communicate risk with senior leaders and maintain risk logs.
• Governance, assurance, and CCS approval process support.
• Stakeholder engagement across suppliers, GLD and cross-functional teams.

Skills

Strategic procurement

Stakeholder management

Commercial leadership

Governance & assurance

Risk management

Budget management

SaaS & cloud procurement

Technology procurement

Job description

On behalf of Government Commercial Agency, we are looking for a Strategic Category and Project Manager - Inside IR35 for a 6 month contract working on a Hybrid basis (2 days per week in Birmingham or Bootle office and remaining WFH)Government Commercial Agency (GCA) is the largest public procurement organisation in the UK.As a trading fund and executive agency of the Cabinet Office, we implement procurement policy on behalf of the government.We use the collective buying power of our customers and our commercial expertise to help public sector organisations achieve value for money and provide great outcomes for taxpayers.The main duties and responsibilities of the Strategic Category and Project Manager would be:* EU Regulation & Procurement Policy - Accurately navigate and interpret obligations in the EU procurement regulatory framework to manage and deliver extensive procurement projects, applies the principles of recent procurement case law. Provide advice, guidance and support to team members and stakeholders on complex procurement projects and operations.* Early engagement & project mobilisation - Oversee and produce procurement projects and plans. Leading on more complex requirements, providing advice, guidance and support to procurement project team members, category colleagues and stakeholders.* Tender Management - Oversee procurement projects, leads on more complex end-to-end procurement projects, advising on the approval process and supports on standstill correspondence.* Risk Management - Communicate risk and issue management effectively with senior leaders and stakeholders, escalating where appropriate and maintaining designated risk logs, using commercial acumen to find solutions to problems.* Governance & Assurance - Oversee and monitor assurance and governance processes, provide support and advice to team members and stakeholders about the CCS approval process and propose compliant practical solutions. Monitor and report corporate requirements.* Stakeholder Engagement - Manage stakeholder (inc suppliers and GLD) engagement processes in procurement projects and operations of a complex nature across a range of activities and communication channels.* Budget Management - Manage, analyse, justify and report expenditure in designated business area against budget requirements.* Leadership & Management - Delivery of operational targets in designated area of the business. Lead (inc resource planning support), coach and develop their team's capability and performance as well as working as part of the sourcing management team.* Continuous Improvement - Pro-actively supports continuous process and people improvement across the team through proactive facilitation, coaching and guiding.Essential:* Significant experience leading complex commercial projects and programmes, delivering successful outcomes across the full project lifecycle from business case development and requirements gathering through to contract award, implementation, and benefits realisation.* Proven commercial and category management experience within Digital, Data, Technology and Software markets, including the development and execution of sourcing strategies for SaaS, cloud, cyber security, data, infrastructure, and professional services requirements.* Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence and challenge senior leaders, programme teams, technical specialists, suppliers, legal advisors, and finance colleagues to deliver commercially sound outcomes.* Demonstrable experience managing large-scale procurement and sourcing activities, including market engagement, competitive tendering, commercial negotiations, contract award processes, and supplier onboarding.* Ability to provide commercial leadership and strategic advice on technology-enabled transformation projects, ensuring value for money, risk mitigation, and alignment with organisational objectives.* Experience managing supplier and contract performance within strategic technology categories, driving supplier accountability, commercial value, service improvement, innovation, and continuous cost optimisation.* Strong understanding of commercial risk, governance, and assurance processes, with the ability to identify complex risks, develop mitigation strategies, and present clear recommendations to senior stakeholders and governance boards.Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas.At GCA, we actively support, promote, and celebrate our differences for the benefit of our employees, suppliers, and customers. GCA is proud to be an equal opportunities employer. GCA believes that diversity and inclusion is critical to our success, and we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people. In exceptional circumstances, we may also need to apply the desirable criteria in our shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.Disability ConfidentAs a Disability Confident employer, GCA encourage applications from disabled and neurodivergent candidates. Applications from candidates who identify as having a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role will be prioritised for review. Where application volumes are high, additional role-specific and desirable criteria may be applied as part of the shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.Armed Forces Covenant / CommitmentAs a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant, GCA welcome applications from veterans, service leavers, reservists and military spouses or partners. Applications from eligible candidates who meet the essential criteria for the role will be prioritised for review. Where application volumes are high, additional role-specific and desirable criteria may be applied as part of the shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.In applying for this role, you acknowledge the following \"this role falls in scope of the Off Payroll Working in the Public Sector legislation. Any rates of payment quoted will reflect the gross rate per day for the assignment and will be subject to appropriate taxes and statutory costs. As such the payment to the intermediary and your income resulting from this contract will be different\".