Strategic Category Manager – Global Sourcing & NPD

Prime Appointments Ltd; Essex; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

On-site parking

Company pension scheme

Career development opportunities

Job summary

Prime Appointments Ltd seeks a commercially minded Category Manager in the Chelmsford area to drive new product development, strategic procurement, and supplier performance from concept to end-of-life.

You will lead cost analyses, engage suppliers early, and streamline SAP/ERP data while collaborating with engineering and manufacturing teams to ensure successful product launches and lifecycle management.

Qualifications

• Degree in Engineering or related field.
• Experience in category management and strategic procurement.
• Background in new product introduction, supplier development, or manufacturing environments.

Responsibilities

• Manage forward sourcing activities and develop effective purchasing strategies aligned with business objectives.
• Conduct cost analysis, support price modelling, and identify opportunities for cost reduction and value engineering.
• Lead supplier enquiries, commercial negotiations, and early supplier engagement for new product development projects.
• Build and maintain strong supplier relationships to support quality, cost, delivery, and project requirements.
• Maintain accurate SAP and ERP master data, support make-or-buy assessments and prepare project reports and documentation.
• Collaborate with engineering, manufacturing, and other stakeholders to support product launches and production ramp-up.
• Coordinate sourcing activities throughout the product lifecycle, including phase-out and end-of-life planning.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives, supply chain efficiency, and procurement performance.

Skills

Category management

Strategic purchasing

Sourcing

Supply chain ops

Project procurement

New product intro

Supplier development

Manufacturing understanding

Negotiation

Analytics

SAP

ERP systems

Microsoft Office

Communication

Fluent English

Travel sometimes

Education

Degree in Engineering

Procurement-related degree

Tools

SAP

ERP systems

Microsoft Office

Job description

Prime Appointments Ltd seeks a commercially minded Category Manager in the Chelmsford area to drive new product development, strategic procurement, and supplier performance from concept to end-of-life.

You will lead cost analyses, engage suppliers early, and streamline SAP/ERP data while collaborating with engineering and manufacturing teams to ensure successful product launches and lifecycle management.