Category Manager Health & Care

As a Procurement Category Manager, you'll provide strategic procurement and commercial advice across your portfolio, working closely with senior leaders, commissioners and stakeholders. You'll lead category strategies, sourcing and contract management activity to deliver savings, value for money, social value and positive outcomes for the Council.

You'll use your market and commercial expertise to shape procurement approaches, build strong supplier relationships, manage risk and ensure compliance with UK procurement regulations. You'll also lead and develop a high-performing team, champion continuous improvement and help embed our new procurement operating model and culture.

You'll bring substantial experience in strategic procurement, category and contract management, with a strong track record of delivering savings and commercial value. You'll have excellent commercial acumen, strategic thinking and knowledge of markets, procurement legislation and best practice.

You'll be a confident leader and communicator, able to influence senior stakeholders, negotiate with major suppliers and turn complex information into clear, pragmatic advice. You'll have experience developing specifications, leading procurement projects, managing teams and driving change in a complex organisation.

Ideally, you'll be CIPS qualified or working towards membership, with relevant experience in the portfolio area. Most importantly, you'll be collaborative, commercially minded and passionate about using procurement to make a real difference.