Senior Category Manager

Our people are what makes Severn Trent a truly exciting and inclusive place to work. We’re a team of over 7,000 people, united by a shared purpose to deliver one of life’s essentials – water – while thriving in a unique and supportive culture.

We’re a growing, Midlands based FTSE 100 organisation and we welcome people from all walks of life. We celebrate individuality, because we know that diverse minds, experiences and backgrounds help us learn, innovate and better serve the customers and communities we represent.

It’s an exciting time to join us. As we enter our next five year regulatory period (AMP8), we have ambitious plans to deliver bigger and better than ever before. If you’re looking for a challenging, rewarding career where you can make a genuine impact, Severn Trent is the place to be.

We’re looking for a Senior Category Manager to join our Procurement & Contract Management team, leading our Asset Repair and Refurbishment category and shaping the future of how we deliver critical infrastructure services.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOWAs a Senior Category Manager, you’ll play a key role in driving value across a business-critical area of spend. You’ll lead the development of long-term category strategies, manage supplier relationships, and deliver high-value sourcing activity that supports operational performance and sustainability goals. You’ll work closely with senior stakeholders across the business to understand future demand, influence commercial decisions, and ensure procurement activity aligns with business priorities and regulatory expectations.

In this role, you’ll:

Lead the development and delivery of strategic category plans and procurement pipelines

Oversee complex tender activity, leading negotiations to secure best value and outcomes

Monitor and manage spend, ensuring strong contract coverage and forward planning

Build strong relationships with senior stakeholders, influencing business planning and decision making

Identify and manage supply chain risks, developing mitigation and contingency plans

Embed sustainability into sourcing strategies and work with suppliers to improve performance

Ensure compliance with Severn Trent processes and regulated procurement requirements

Contribute to continuous improvement across the Procurement function

Promote a strong culture of health, safety and wellbeing across suppliers and stakeholders WHAT YOU’LL BRING TO

THE ROLE We’re looking for someone who combines strong commercial expertise with the confidence to influence and lead in a complex, regulated environment.

You’ll bring:

Experience delivering end-to-end procurement and category management strategies

Strong negotiation and influencing skills, with a track record of delivering commercial value

Confidence engaging with and challenging senior stakeholders

The ability to turn data and market insight into clear, strategic decisionsA proactive, problem-solving mindset with the ability to work independentlyA passion for continuous improvement and driving change

Experience operating in a regulated or complex organisation (utilities experience is a plus)
CIPS Level 6 (or working towards) preferred WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU Working here isn’t just a job. You can build a career at Severn Trent. We’ll reward you for it, too. We have a range of benefits that recognise great work, and award-winning training to help you reach your potential. And we’ll also help you play your part in looking after the environment and the communities where we live.

With that in mind, here are just some of our favourite perks that you’ll get being part of the Severn Trent family:28 days holiday + bank holidays (and the ability to buy/ sell up to 5 days per year)
Annual bonus scheme (of up to 2,250, subject to eligibility)
Leading…