Category Manager – Development (Construction)

Overview

In this role you will lead strategic sourcing and category management for a development/construction portfolio within the public sector. You will partner with internal stakeholders to deliver end-to-end sourcing, ensure procurement compliance, and optimize supplier performance for value for money. The role combines market analysis, tendering, and contract lifecycle management to drive measurable commercial improvement. You will work across Basingstoke and/or Wembley with a hybrid model to support business objectives and supplier partnerships. This is an opportunity to shape procurement strategy in a regulated environment and deliver tangible results.

Responsibilities

• Lead nominated procurement categories, suppliers, and contracts with strategic sourcing solutions
• Manage projects from inception to contract award and implementation
• Ensure compliance with public procurement legislation and governance
• Lead supplier engagement, tendering, negotiations, and contract lifecycle activities
• Build relationships with internal stakeholders to align priorities and risks
• Conduct market research and analysis to inform sourcing decisions
• Identify and map organisational expenditure and establish compliant routes to market
• Identify opportunities for procurement to add measurable value via strategic sourcing and supplier management
• Support continuous improvement of procurement practices and category strategies

Key requirements

• Proven experience in procurement or category management
• Experience in Development and Construction, Property Services, Asset Management, Hard Facilities Management
• Strong category management with data and market intelligence for decision-making
• Tendering and competitive procurement in a regulated public sector environment
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills
• Experience managing supplier relationships and contract performance
• Good organisational skills to manage multiple priorities
• Understanding of the Procurement Act 2023 and Public Contracts Regulations (PCR) 2015
• Experience in public sector or related environments advantageous

• stakeholder management
• influencing skills
• communication
• data-driven decision making
• market intelligence
• tendering

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