Procurement Category Manager - Fulfilment & Logistics

This is an exciting opportunity to join the M&S Procurement team and take the commercial lead across some of the most important areas of our logistics operation. You’ll own the procurement strategy for Courier Services, Returns Fulfilment and Stock Exit, using your logistics expertise and commercial judgement to shape supplier strategies, lead complex negotiations and deliver sustainable value for M&S.

Working across Logistics, Supply Chain, Finance, Legal, Technology and Trading, you’ll have the opportunity to influence decisions at pace, challenge the status quo and help us build strong, innovative supplier partnerships that balance cost, service, resilience and the needs of our customers. M&S is looking to double its Fashion, Home and Beauty business and online and increase its online volume as such this role will be at the heart of enabling the business to grow.

Your key accountabilities will include:

• Own and shape the category strategy across Courier Services, Returns Fulfilment and Stock Exit, building sourcing roadmaps and commercial plans that support the needs of M&S.
• Lead complex sourcing and contract negotiations end-to-end, from developing the strategy and engaging the market through to negotiation, award, mobilisation and renewal.
• Drive commercial value from our logistics partnerships, using market insight, benchmarking, cost modelling and demand data to challenge suppliers and optimise cost, service, capacity and working capital.
• Create effective commercial routes for returns and stock exit, helping M&S maximise value from surplus, obsolete and returned stock while protecting our brand and supporting responsible, circular solutions.
• Build trusted relationships across M&S and our supplier network, partnering with teams across Logistics, Supply Chain, Trading, Finance, Legal, Technology and Sustainability to manage risk, improve performance and unlock new opportunities.

Your skills and experience will include:

• Strong experience within logistics procurement, ideally gained in a large or complex organisation, with excellent knowledge of courier, fulfilment and outsourced logistics services.
• Proven experience of courier or parcel-carrier procurement and negotiation, with an understanding of areas such as pricing models, tariffs, fuel and peak surcharges, capacity, service levels and indexation.
• Experience across returns, reverse logistics or stock-exit solutions, with an understanding of how to balance commercial value, operational performance, risk and brand protection.
• Strong commercial and analytical skills, with experience using data, cost modelling, scenario analysis and market insight to inform decisions and deliver measurable value.
• A confident communicator and influencer who can build credibility with senior business partners, constructively challenge thinking and bring different teams together to deliver in a fast-paced environment.

Working at M&S means being part of something bigger - helping to deliver quality, value and service to millions of customers every day. We’re inclusive, fast paced and always evolving, with a strong sense of purpose and a focus on doing the right thing.

Here are just a few of the benefits that make working here even more rewarding:

• 20% colleague discount on all M&S products and many third-party brands for you and someone in your household, available once you’ve completed your probation
• Competitive holiday allowance with the option to buy more
• Discretionary bonus schemes linked to your performance and ours
• Strong pension and life assurance to help plan for the future
• Tailored induction and training to support your development from day one
• Exclusive perks and savings through our M&S Choices portal
• Market-lea…