Procurement Category Manager

Procurement Category Manager London (Hybrid)£65,000 plus benefits
This is an exciting opportunity to join a well-established food procurement team within a growing business that values long-term supplier partnerships, product innovation and commercial excellence.
Our ClientOur client is a leading specialist food wholesaler and importer, supplying premium food products to many of the UK's best-known hospitality, retail and food manufacturing businesses. Working with an extensive international supplier network, they source innovative products from around the world and have built an outstanding reputation for quality, service and market expertise.
The RoleReporting to the Head of Procurement, this role will take ownership of a portfolio of strategic food categories, working closely with an international supplier base to deliver the highest standards of quality, service and commercial performance. You'll play a key role in shaping category strategy, supporting new product launches and identifying opportunities to strengthen supplier relationships and improve commercial performance.
This is a highly collaborative role, working closely with Sales, Supply Chain and Technical teams, while also offering the opportunity to travel internationally to meet suppliers, develop partnerships and stay close to emerging market trends.

Responsibilities:Managing a portfolio of strategic food categories and developing category strategiesBuilding long-term relationships with international suppliers through regular communication and global travelLeading commercial negotiations, including pricing, promotional support and supplier agreementsSupporting new product launches and category development initiativesMonitoring global market trends to identify opportunities, manage risk and improve supplyDriving continuous improvement across supplier performance, product quality and commercial outcomesSupporting procurement best practice and mentoring junior members of the team
Required Experience:Proven experience managing strategic supplier relationships within an international food suppliers.Strong commercial negotiation and category management experienceExperience working with imported food products or global food supply chains would be advantageousExcellent stakeholder management and communication skillsStrong analytical skills with advanced Excel capabilityComfortable travelling internationally to build supplier relationships and support category developmentA genuine passion for food, sourcing exceptional products and developing long-term supplier partnerships