Category Manager – Marketing Procurement

Overview

As Senior Procurement Category Lead – Marketing, you shape and execute category strategies to optimise spend, drive innovation, and deliver measurable value across Marketing services. You’ll partner with senior stakeholders across Marketing, Finance, Legal, and Procurement, acting as a trusted advisor and driving commercial outcomes. You will lead and develop a procurement team, fostering a high-performance culture focused on collaboration and continuous improvement. This is a strategic, influential role with a strong link to brand performance and customer outcomes.

Pay / Benefits

• Competitive Salary
• Annual Performance Bonus
• Car Allowance
• Generous Pension Scheme
• Private Healthcare
• Hybrid & Flexible Working

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement long-term category strategies for Marketing
• Align category plans with business objectives and growth priorities
• Identify cost optimisation, supplier performance improvements, and innovation opportunities
• Use market intelligence to inform decisions and drive best practice in Marketing categories
• Lead complex sourcing programs and competitive tenders
• Negotiate high-value contracts and commercial agreements
• Deliver measurable savings, cost avoidance and value creation
• Manage robust contract governance and commercial risk management
• Develop strategic supplier relationships and governance structures
• Drive supplier performance monitoring and continuous improvement
• Support supplier consolidation and optimisation initiatives
• Partner with senior Marketing and business leaders to understand priorities
• Act as trusted advisor on procurement and commercial matters
• Influence stakeholders to achieve optimal commercial outcomes
• Support major campaigns, transformation programs and strategic initiatives
• Lead, coach and develop procurement professionals
• Foster accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement
• Share knowledge and best practice across procurement
• Champion professional development and high performance
• Manage a diverse portfolio of marketing suppliers and agency partners
• Lead contract renewals, sourcing events and commercial negotiations
• Review market trends and identify opportunities for innovation and value creation
• Collaborate with stakeholders on strategic marketing initiatives
• Deliver savings and commercial benefits while maintaining quality and service excellence
• Drive supplier performance and governance activities
• Support procurement transformation and continuous improvement programs
• Develop category insights for informed decision-making

Key requirements

• Significant experience within Marketing Procurement
• Expertise across Marketing categories (Media, Creative Agencies, Production, Print, MarTech, Data or Marketing Services)
• Proven experience developing and executing category strategies
• Strong track record of delivering commercial value and cost optimisation
• Experience leading complex sourcing and supplier management initiatives
• Excellent negotiation and contract management skills
• Strong stakeholder engagement and influencing capability
• Experience operating within large, complex organisations
• Leadership experience including coaching and developing procurement teams
• CIPS qualification or equivalent professional accreditation

• stakeholder management
• leadership
• negotiation
• Marketing procurement expertise
• category strategy development
• complex sourcing and contract negotiations

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