Assistant Category Manager

Assistant Category Manager – Procurement

The Assistant Category Manager role, based in Hillingdon, offers a temporary, full-time position with a daily rate of £275. Working within the Council’s Procurement team, you will oversee six to eight concurrent projects, ensuring compliance with public sector regulations. Responsibilities include leading end-to-end procurement exercises, developing category strategies, and fostering robust relationships with internal stakeholders and suppliers to secure value and service excellence.

This position demands strong project management skills and a thorough grasp of procurement legislation. You will support diverse Council services, delivering compliant, high-quality outcomes through strategic sourcing and effective supplier engagement.

Lead and deliver end-to-end procurement exercises in line with public sector procurement legislation and best practice. Manage multiple procurement projects across a range of category areas. Develop and implement category strategies, supporting commercial negotiations and supplier performance. Lead tender evaluations, contract implementation, supplier management and ongoing contract performance. Provide commercial advice to stakeholders, ensuring procurement activity is compliant, delivers value for money and supports organisational objectives.

Contribute to procurement strategies, risk management, continuous improvement initiatives and the development of Service Level Agreements where appropriate.

To be successful in this role, you will have: MCIPS qualification (or equivalent professional procurement experience). Proven experience managing procurement projects within Local Government. Strong category management experience, including sourcing strategy development, supplier management and stakeholder engagement. Experience of contract implementation, negotiation and risk management within complex organisations. Extensive knowledge of PCR 2015 and the Procurement Act, with a proven track record of delivering compliant procurement activity.

Experience independently leading procurement projects and providing commercial advice to senior stakeholders. Excellent communication, negotiation and relationship-building skills, with the ability to manage a varied workload with minimal supervision. If you're a proactive procurement professional looking to make a real impact within local government procurement, we'd love to hear from you.