Strategic Category Manager – Sourcing & Innovation Leader

Thames Water Utilities Limited; Reading; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 86,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private Medical Health Care

Generous Pension Scheme

26 days annual leave increasing with 2

Performance-related pay

Job summary

The Senior Category Manager at Thames Water Utilities Limited will lead category development and sourcing across complex spend areas, engaging with stakeholders up to CEO level to align strategy with risk and market changes.

You will drive category plans, manage supplier negotiations up to £100m, ensure compliance, and embed continuous improvement across the procurement function to deliver value for Thames Water and its customers.

Qualifications

• Experience in a Category Manager role within a complex environment.
• Track record in continuous improvement and delivering stretching targets.
• Experience negotiating with key suppliers up to senior level.
• Strong understanding of category management and data sources for market insight.

Responsibilities

• Lead the newly developed Category process for relevant spend areas.
• Engage internal stakeholders to shape category approach, needs, and suppliers.
• Lead major category projects and sourcing events with required approvals.
• Source and procure goods/services across categories, ensuring value for money and quality.
• Lead supplier opportunities reviews and innovations, and manage key supplier relationships.
• Support Thames Enterprise Risk Model and ensure process & compliance standards.

Skills

Category management

Stakeholder engagement

Negotiation

Data analysis

Change management

Job description

The Senior Category Manager at Thames Water Utilities Limited will lead category development and sourcing across complex spend areas, engaging with stakeholders up to CEO level to align strategy with risk and market changes.

You will drive category plans, manage supplier negotiations up to £100m, ensure compliance, and embed continuous improvement across the procurement function to deliver value for Thames Water and its customers.