Operations Category Manager Specialist

Operations Category Manager Specialist Strategic Procurement | Operational Supply Chains | Category Strategy | Supplier Management

Location:

West London (Hybrid)
Salary: 55, (+10% bonus & attractive benefits package)
Ready to take ownership of critical operational categories, broaden your procurement expertise and influence one of the largest investment programmes in the UK utilities sector?

A leading UK utilities organisation is expanding its procurement function and is looking for an experienced Operations Category Manager to join its growing team. This is an opportunity to take commercial ownership of key operational categories, working closely with operational stakeholders and strategic suppliers to strengthen supply chain performance, improve service delivery and ensure the business has the resources and capabilities needed to deliver its ambitious investment plans.

Following a period of significant growth, the organisation is embarking on its most ambitious investment programme in over 100 years. With substantial investment across its operational infrastructure, procurement will play a crucial role in ensuring the availability, quality and commercial performance of the goods and services that keep the business running. You'll have the opportunity to shape category strategies, influence operational decisions and deliver tangible improvements across critical supply chains.

As an Operations Category Manager, you will:

Own Operational Category Strategy:
Develop and deliver category strategies across operational spend, aligning procurement priorities with wider business and infrastructure requirements. You'll have the autonomy to shape your categories, identify commercial opportunities and influence how critical operational requirements are sourced and managed.

Drive Strategic Sourcing & Commercial Negotiations:
Lead end-to-end sourcing activity across complex operational requirements, from market engagement and tender development through to negotiation and contract award, supporting long-term operational performance.

Strengthen Supply Chain Resilience:
You'll play an important role in ensuring suppliers have the capacity, capability and resources to support the organisation's significant investment and ongoing operational demands.

Improve Supplier Performance & Relationships:
Take ownership of strategic supplier relationships, monitoring contractual performance, challenging underperformance and driving continuous improvement. You'll have the opportunity to influence service standards, improve supplier accountability and develop partnerships that deliver lasting operational and commercial value.

Partner with Operational Stakeholders:
You'll act as a trusted commercial partner, working closely with engineering, operations and wider business teams to understand requirements, challenge existing specifications and influence procurement decisions.

To be successful in this role, you will need:

Procurement

Experience:

A proven background in procurement and category management, ideally within utilities, infrastructure, engineering, manufacturing or another complex operational environment. Experience independently managing a category for at least 12 months is preferred, although Senior Buyers with demonstrable end-to-end category management experience will also be considered.

Complex Supply Chain Knowledge: A sound understanding of contract management, supplier risk and procurement processes, alongside the commercial and practical challenges involved in sourcing goods and services that support business-critical operations.

Strategic Sourcing & Negotiation: A track record of leading complex sourcing projects, developing category strategies and negotiating commercial agreements.

Supplier & Stakeholder Management:
Confidence managing strategic supplier relationships, challenging performance and influencing stakeholders across operational and commercial functions to achieve business objectives.

Commercial & Analytical Capability:
Strong commercial awareness and analytical skills, with the ability to interpret spend data, understand supplier markets, identify opportunities and translate insight into effective category strategies.

This is an excellent opportunity to join a procurement function experiencing significant growth at a pivotal time for the utilities sector. With unprecedented infrastructure investment, ownership of business-critical operational categories and exposure to complex supply chain challenges, you'll have the opportunity to…