Supplier Manager

RS Group; Pickhill; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

RS Group is seeking a Category Manager in the UK to lead supplier relationships and develop strategic partnerships within our PPE, safety and hygiene product range. You will drive supplier strategies, negotiate commercial terms, and deliver ongoing cost savings while supporting fast-moving, customer-driven markets.

The role emphasizes cross-functional collaboration, change management, and strong analytical skills to optimize category performance across the UK&I market.

Qualifications

• Successful track record in supplier/account or category management.
• Business planning and execution capability.
• Collaborative team player across a fast-moving, customer driven market.
• Successful supplier relationship management.
• Ability to work cross functionally and cross culturally as part of a wider global team.
• Demonstrates an excellent understanding of, and the ability to articulate the RS Value Proposition.
• Strong commercial acumen and broad communication skills.
• Positive can-do attitude, takes ownership and very results oriented.
• Outstanding communication and influencing skills.
• Change Management experience.
• Understanding of marketing, purchasing and inventory control.
• Operational problem solver and good process management capability.
• Excellent negotiation abilities.
• Develop and implement category strategies aligned to business objectives.
• Deliver sales, margin, and cost-saving targets.
• Identify risks and opportunities to continuously improve category performance.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced environment.
• Proficiency in Excel and data analysis tools.

Responsibilities

• Meet with suppliers and develop partnerships to become first choice.
• Deliver commercial benefit from ongoing review of supplier pricing agreements and negotiate terms.
• Gain price support for specific customers / opportunities to achieve profitable growth.
• Deliver sales, margin, and cost-saving targets.
• Identify risks and opportunities to continuously improve category performance.

Skills

Supplier management

Category management

Business planning

Cross-functional collaboration

Negotiation

Communication

Change management

Inventory control

Data analysis

Tools

Excel

Job description

Job Overview

This is a critical role for our organisation where your primaryactivity will be meeting with suppliers and developing partnerships to become first choice for our defined strategic suppliers. There should be strong engagement with the sales community, with regular customer visits being a component of the role.

Delivering commercial benefit from ongoing review of supplier pricing agreements, commercial term negotiations and gaining price support for specific customers / opportunities are also critical activities to contribute towards achieving the required profitable growth ambitions within the category.

What do I need to be successful?

If you have the following skills and experience, we want to hear from you:

• Successful track record in supplier/account or category management
• Business planning and execution capability
• A collaborative team player across a business with fast moving, customer driven markets
• Successful supplier relationship management
• Ability to work cross functionally as well as cross culturally as part of a wider global team
• Demonstrates an excellent understanding of, and the ability to articulate the RS Value Proposition
• Strong commercial acumen and broad communication skills
• Positive can-do attitude, takes ownership and very results oriented
• Outstanding communication and influencing skills
• Change Management experience
• Understanding of marketing, purchasing and inventory control
• Operational problem solver and good process management capability
• Excellent negotiation abilities
• Develop and implement category strategies aligned to business objectives
• Deliver sales, margin, and cost-saving targets
• Identify risks and opportunities to continuously improve category performance
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced environment
• Proficiency in Excel and data analysis tools

RS Safety Solutions are going through an exciting period of growth with robust plans for the future which include becoming the number 1 supplier of PPE, due to this we are seeking an experienced Category Manager to join our team here in Melton, the successful individual will be integral to our ambitious plans and have a real opportunity to make an Impact in this space.

As the Category Manager you will be involved in developing and leveraging supplier relationships, across our UK&I market.

RS Safety Solutions part of RS Group is one of the UK's leading supplier of PPE, safety, and hygiene products to the food manufacturing industry. With customers of all sizes in almost every food sector, our success is based on exceptional customer service, a tailored supply chain and an extensive, well priced product list..

What you will be doing, We are RS Group.

At RS we've been solving engineering problems for over 80 years: big ones, small ones, easy and difficult ones. We turn the 'what ifs' into the 'why nots', the impossible into the possible. Our purpose? Making amazing happen for a better world.

We offer service and product solutions. We send out a parcel every 2 seconds, to over 130 countries. We provide over 700,000 in-stock and over 3 million unstocked products to more than 1.2 million customers.

We want people like you, as you are curious about things, you like doing things differently and also in a human way with empathy. Because that's exactly how we partner with people - our customers, suppliers, colleagues and communities - to solve problems.

We'll also invest in your development and wellbeing - because building a more diverse and inclusive culture, being ethical, responsible and committed to our Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) action plan is at the heart of everything we do.