Indirect Category Manager – Marketing, Professional Services, Recruitment

Overview

As Indirect Category Manager, you will shape category strategies and lead strategic sourcing for Marketing, Professional Services and Recruitment. You’ll partner with senior stakeholders to influence commercial decisions, supplier solutions and cost models across Group & UK spend. The role focuses on cost optimisation, supplier performance and risk management in a fast-paced environment, with exposure to acquisitions, mobilisations and integrations. You will drive end-to-end sourcing, negotiations and governance to deliver measurable commercial value and sustainable supplier relationships.

Pay / Benefits

• digital learning
• Wagestream flexible pay (contract-specific)
• Hapi retail discounts and wellbeing resources
• 600+ live learners for professional growth
• inclusive, diverse workplace
• award-winning employer recognition

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement 3–5 year category strategies aligned to business goals
• Manage ~£25m annual spend across Group & UK categories
• Collaborate with senior stakeholders to provide procurement expertise and market insight
• Support business development, acquisitions, mobilisations and integrations early in commercial discussions
• Review supplier portfolios and contracts to consolidate and standardise, driving cost savings
• Lead market testing, benchmarking, supplier engagement and solution design
• Deliver end-to-end sourcing programs including RFIs, RFPs, e-auctions, evaluation, negotiation and award
• Achieve savings and value while balancing quality, service, innovation and risk
• Use market intelligence to challenge costs and identify opportunities
• Lead negotiations on pricing, models, contracts, SLAs and risk allocation
• Develop strategic supplier relationships with KPI, SLA and governance
• Manage contract renewals and procurement pipelines to reduce reactive spend
• Drive supplier consolidation, standardisation, and demand management
• Collaborate with Marketing, HR, Finance, Legal and Operations to manage risk
• Track and report category performance, savings, supplier performance and risk

Key requirements

• Experience in strategic procurement or category management in marketing, professional services and/or recruitment
• Experience handling significant indirect spend and complex stakeholder environments
• Proven success in developing and delivering category strategies
• Experience leading sourcing, supplier evaluation, negotiation and contract award
• Strong commercial and contractual negotiation skills
• Ability to develop category strategies using spend analysis and market intelligence
• Experience managing supplier performance, governance, renewals and risk
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, including with senior leaders
• Strong analytical skills translating data into insights
• Commercially focused, results-driven with ability to manage multiple priorities
• Experience working in a dynamic, growth-focused environment

• stakeholder influence
• commercial acumen
• collaboration
• Coupa
• Microsoft Dynamics
• spend analysis

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