Strategic Category Leader & Partnerships

Birmingham City Council; West Midlands; Hybrid; GBP 54,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Birmingham City Council is seeking a Category and Strategic Relationships Lead to join the newly established Commercial and Procurement Services. You will lead strategic category management, drive evidence-based category strategies and strengthen supplier relationships to maximise value for money across directorates.

The role is permanent at Grade 6 with a 36.5-hour week and hybrid working, offering a senior leadership position within a busy council environment.

Qualifications

• Significant experience leading category management, strategic sourcing or commercial procurement within a regulated procurement environment.
• Strong knowledge of category management methodologies, procurement legislation and governance.
• Experience developing evidence-based sourcing strategies using spend analysis, market intelligence and supplier performance data.
• Excellent stakeholder management, influencing and negotiation skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships across senior leadership teams and external partners.
• Proven experience leading, coaching and developing high-performing teams to deliver organisational objectives.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a high-performing category management team, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation and continuous improvement.
• Act 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

Analytical thinking

Leadership

Education

A Level 6 CIPS Diploma (or equivalent)

Job description

Birmingham City Council is seeking a Category and Strategic Relationships Lead to join the newly established Commercial and Procurement Services. You will lead strategic category management, drive evidence-based category strategies and strengthen supplier relationships to maximise value for money across directorates.

The role is permanent at Grade 6 with a 36.5-hour week and hybrid working, offering a senior leadership position within a busy council environment.