Category Manager

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Organisation: ESPO

Work Location: ESPO, Barnsdale Way, Grove Park, Enderby, Leicester, LE19 1ES

Salary: £43,860 - £47,829 per annum (Pro rata for part time)

Working Hours: 37 hours per week

Contract Type: Permanent

Closing Date: Friday 20th March 2026

If you are looking for an exciting and challenging opportunity to work within the public sector for an organisation with a commercial edge, then ESPO is the place for you. We are seeking highly motivated procurement professionals who are eager to develop their careers and contribute to our mission of delivering outstanding value for our customers across the public sector.

We currently have several Category Manager vacancies within our Procurement Division. These roles sit at the heart of ESPO's successful and growing portfolio of frameworks, offering the opportunity to lead strategic procurement projects, manage key categories and shape innovative solutions for our customers.

As a Category Manager, you will be responsible for a portfolio of frameworks within a specific category area, ensuring they continue to meet customer needs and the latest market developments. You will work closely with stakeholders, building and maintaining strong relationships with both customers and suppliers to maximise the usage of each framework.

You will also provide leadership to a small team of procurement professionals, ensuring procurement projects are delivered on time and to plan and in full compliance with ESPO's processes, procedures and the public procurement regulations.

We are looking for candidates who:

• Have a degree or equivalent qualification or equivalent demonstrable experience and are a member of the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (MCIPS) or are actively working towards achieving membership.
• Have experience of procurement at an influential level in a medium/large complex organisation and have broad experience across purchasing and supply procedures, including sourcing, tendering and evaluation techniques.
• Can demonstrate practical experience operating within the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and the Procurement Act 2023.
• Proven track record in conducting and managing procurement processes, influencing the process to best meet objectives whilst seeking innovation, making savings and delivering value for money
• Possess strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to work effectively with customers, suppliers and colleagues at all levels.
• Bring some degree of specialist category knowledge or expertise
• Able to analyse complex issues quickly and respond, providing advice in a clear, concise and impartial manner as well as Negotiating and influencing a range of stakeholders including customers, suppliers and collaborative working partners building relationships to achieve results

We also expect you to share our commitment to our values and will ask you to evidence when you have demonstrated them as part of the interview process.

Reasonable adjustments will be considered for applicants with a disability.

This post is covered by Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016) and therefore the ability to speak fluent English is an essential requirement for this role.

• Flexible working opportunities
• 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays (increasing to 33 days after 5 years service) and a scheme to buy additional leave.
• Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme with a generous employer contribution.
• Fully funded Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (MCIPS) membership
• A range of salary sacrifice schemes, including car leasing.
• Extensive learning and development opportunities to support your ongoing professional growth
• A great office location next to Fosse Park, Leicester, with free on-site parking and easy access to the M1 and M69.

We are open to discussions about flexible working, which may include part time working, job sharing, term-time working, flexible start and finish times, and hybrid working, depending on the requirements of the role and the service. If…