Strategic Category Manager – Procurement & Value

Great British Energy Group; Milton Keynes; Hybrid; GBP 56,000 - 68,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

28-day annual leave (buy/sell)

Pension schemes

75% travel discount (leisure)

Private Healthcare

5 days paid volunteer or carers leave

Rail/Underground travel subsidy

Gym Pass

My Benefits platform

Job summary

Network Rail is seeking a Category Manager to shape strategic direction across procurement and commercial activities. The role focuses on delivering category strategies, cost value, and cross-functional collaboration to enhance safety and efficiency.

The successful candidate will bring deep procurement experience, strong negotiation skills, and a demonstrable track record in financial management, with the ability to influence at executive levels.

Qualifications

• Educated to a Business or Economics degree standard or equivalent business experience.
• Deep level of Procurement experience, to include Category Management.
• Demonstrable experience of financial management.
• Demonstrable level of negotiation and dispute resolution skill set.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrable experience of driving cost and service value from complex multi-divisional business environments.
• Ability to deliver defined relationship and commercial value and deliver continuous improvement value.
• Experienced with agile, cross-functional collaborative working methods.
• Politically savvy, with the proven ability to use direct and indirect influencing strategies at an executive level.
• Demonstrable level of problem-solving experience of complex category specific challenges.
• Completer finisher mindset.
• Knowledge of the UK Rail Industry, including procurement processes in a reclassified environment (Desirable).

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with stakeholders to develop category strategies.
• Support other team members and lead by example.
• Apply strategic analysis to improve safety, sustainability and efficiency.
• Drive continuous improvement in cost and service value across divisions.

Skills

Procurement experience

Category management

Negotiation

Communication skills

Agile working

Influencing strategies

Problem solving

Completer finisher mindset

Education

Business or Economics degree

Job description

Network Rail is seeking a Category Manager to shape strategic direction across procurement and commercial activities. The role focuses on delivering category strategies, cost value, and cross-functional collaboration to enhance safety and efficiency.

The successful candidate will bring deep procurement experience, strong negotiation skills, and a demonstrable track record in financial management, with the ability to influence at executive levels.