At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead category strategies for Food, Beverage and Retail while enhancing guest experiences.
- Company: Join Center Parcs, a vibrant team in a stunning natural environment.
- Benefits: Enjoy free leisure access, discounts, bonuses, and career development opportunities.
- Other info: Hybrid working with flexible hours and occasional travel to beautiful locations.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on sustainability and customer satisfaction in a dynamic role.
- Qualifications: Experience in procurement, strong negotiation skills, and a passion for hospitality.
Senior Category Manager - Food, Beverage & Retail (fixed-term)
Forest House | Circa £60,200 per annum plus 18% bonus scheme
We're a thriving team passionate about working together to deliver excellence, all in a natural forest environment
Please note this is a fixed-term contract for one year.
Are you a commercially astute procurement professional with a passion for delivering exceptional customer experiences?
We're looking for a Senior Category Manager to lead the development and delivery of category strategies across our diverse Food, Beverage and Retail portfolio. This is a high-impact role where you'll combine strategic thinking, supplier expertise and commercial insight to drive value, innovation and operational excellence across the business.
Working closely with colleagues across Food, Beverage, Retail, Operations, Finance and Sustainability, you'll help ensure our sourcing decisions support business goals while enhancing the guest experience. You'll play a leading role in supplier performance, cost optimisation, risk management and sustainability, delivering tangible benefits for both our business and our guests.
What you'll be doing
As our Senior Category Manager, you will:
- Develop and implement category strategies that align with business objectives, customer trends and operational requirements.
- Lead cross-functional planning to optimise product ranges, services, pricing and sourcing approaches.
- Build and manage strong supplier relationships, driving performance, quality, compliance and continuous improvement.
- Lead high-value sourcing initiatives, contract negotiations and tendering activity across Food, Beverage and Retail categories.
- Identify opportunities for cost efficiencies, innovation and risk mitigation through detailed market and spend analysis.
- Collaborate with key stakeholders to ensure procurement strategies support operational priorities, commercial targets and service delivery standards.
- Champion sustainability and ethical sourcing initiatives that support corporate responsibility goals.
- Ensure robust due diligence and best practice throughout the supply chain, maintaining compliance with health, safety, quality and sustainability requirements.
- Coach, mentor and develop Category Managers, strengthening commercial capability and strategic procurement expertise across the team.
What's in it for you
- Free day passes and access to leisure facilities (including the spa)
- Discounts on breaks and in our shops and restaurants
- Bonus scheme and recognition rewards
- A supportive, friendly team
- Career development and in-role training
Your working hours
Please note this is a fixed-term contract until 29th October 2027
You will be contracted to work 150 hours per 4-week period (37.5 hours per week). Normal working hours are 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. However, dynamic working is available whereby the earliest start time is 7am and the latest finish time is 7pm.
Please note, this role will be hybrid with 2 days in the office and 3 days home-working. This role will also require occasional travel to our villages based in the UK and Ireland and some overnight stays will be required.
About you
- Full UK driving licence
- Commercial Acumen. Strong financial and analytical skills with the ability to identify cost saving and margin improvement opportunities
- Negotiation. Skilled at building partnerships and negotiating favourable terms with suppliers
- Substantial experience in category management, procurement or supply chain within hospitality and leisure.
- Proven experience in creating and implementing sourcing and category management strategies
- Strong understanding of food, beverage, retail operations and vendor landscapes.
- Experience in contract management, negotiation, cost analysis and supplier performance management
- Ability to build andmaintaingood relationships both internally and externally.
- Attention to detail. Critical in product specification, pricing and contract terms.
- Adaptability. Comfortable in a fast-paced environment and responsive to changing consumer and industry trends.
- Strategic Thinking. Vision to shape long-term category strategies aligned with business goals.
Our values
Each colleague at Center Parcs is involved in building better worlds for our guests, colleagues, communities and our environment. Contributing to our purpose means living out our values: We care, we're brave, we're determined and we're naturally us.
Sound like your kind of job?
Closing date: 11th August 2026 #INPLOIv2
At Center Parcs, everyone's welcome.
We recognise that we're all at our best when we're being ourselves. We are committed to building a culture that champions diversity, equity and inclusion, where everyone is treated fairly and with respect.We welcome people from all backgrounds and want them to feel valued for their individuality, thrive in our business and share a sense of belonging.We place a lot of value on recruiting based on behaviours rather than prioritising qualifications or experience.
We are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer, please let us know if you require any support or reasonable adjustments during the application or interview process.
Senior Category Manager - Food, Beverage & Retail (fixed-term) NEW Center Parcs Posted today Newark in Newark on Trent employer: Center Parcs group
Center Parcs is an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant work culture where teamwork and excellence thrive in a stunning natural forest setting. As the Head of Village Facilities, you will benefit from a competitive salary, generous bonus scheme, and extensive career development opportunities, all while being part of a company that values diversity, inclusion, and employee well-being. With access to leisure facilities, discounts, and a commitment to personal growth, Center Parcs provides a fulfilling environment for those looking to make a meaningful impact.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Category Manager - Food, Beverage & Retail (fixed-term) NEW Center Parcs Posted today Newark in Newark on Trent
✨Get Involved in Local Procurement Meetups
Join local procurement and purchasing groups on platforms like Meetup or Eventbrite. These gatherings are great for networking with industry professionals, sharing insights, and potentially hearing about temporary roles that might not be widely advertised!
✨Seasonal Hiring Cycles are Your Friend!
Keep an eye on seasonal trends in procurement, as many companies ramp up hiring during certain times of the year – especially around end-of-financial-year periods when budgets are being utilised. Be proactive and reach out to companies directly during these windows.
✨Leverage Online Platforms for Temporary Roles
Don’t forget to browse specific job boards dedicated to temporary positions, such as Reed or Indeed. You can filter your search for procurement roles and set up alerts for when new jobs pop up, so you can apply immediately!
✨Showcase Your Skills on Professional Networks
Create short case studies or posts on LinkedIn showcasing your procurement experience or interesting projects you've tackled. This not only builds your visibility but can also attract recruiters looking for temporary talent like you!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Category Manager - Food, Beverage & Retail (fixed-term) NEW Center Parcs Posted today Newark in Newark on Trent
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Relevant Experience:When applying for a temporary role in procurement-purchasing, it's crucial to highlight any relevant experience you have. Mention specific tasks like negotiating contracts, managing supplier relationships, or optimising inventory. This will show Center Parcs group that you can hit the ground running!
Keep it Concise and Impactful:For a temporary role, we recommend keeping your CV and cover letter concise. Focus on key achievements that showcase your procurement skills and any immediate impact you’ve made in past roles. Use bullet points for clarity—this way, Center Parcs group can quickly grasp your capabilities!
Include Relevant Certifications:If you’ve got any certifications that are relevant to procurement, like CIPS (Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply), don’t forget to mention them! This adds extra weight to your application and shows Center Parcs group that you're serious about your professional development.
Emphasise Flexibility and Availability:Since this is a temporary position, make sure to emphasise your availability and flexibility in your cover letter. Let Center Parcs group know when you can start and that you’re ready to adapt to their needs, making your application even more appealing!
How to prepare for a job interview at Center Parcs group
✨Know Your Procurement Basics
Brush up on key procurement concepts and terms, like 'total cost of ownership' and 'supplier relationships'. We want to impress them with our knowledge! Being able to talk fluently about relevant techniques and tools specific to the procurement field will definitely lend credibility.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
In a purchasing role, you might get thrown some real-world scenarios to assess how you’d handle supplier negotiations or cost-saving strategies. Be ready to demonstrate your problem-solving skills! Practising how you'd tackle these situations in advance will help us shine during the interview.
✨Highlight Your Flexibility and Adaptability
Since it’s a temporary role, emphasise how you can quickly adapt to new processes and environments. Share examples of past experiences where you’ve tackled new challenges with ease, showing they can rely on us to hit the ground running and contribute immediately!
✨Show Off Your Tech Savvy
Being well-versed in procurement software like SAP or Coupa can set us apart from other candidates. If you've got experience with these tools, be sure to mention it! Having a handle on data analysis and reporting will also demonstrate our capability to leverage technology effectively in procurement.
