Category Manager in Southampton

We are using and creating technology to transform operations at sea to enable people and the planet to thrive.

We are open-minded and fearless in our approach to innovation and don't believe in boundaries. We challenge everything and have massive ambitions to drag aging industries into the tech era.

We take safety, equality and education very seriously, and our responsibilities don't stop at our front door. Our business is built on the belief that there's definitely a more environmentally responsible way to operate at sea.

We employ people who share our core values. We expect our people to be courageous, trustworthy, and conscientious, driven by a desire to do the right thing. We strive for excellence, work collaboratively, and are genuinely excited by our work.

We offer opportunities for our people to develop beyond their role and span a multitude of disciplines. These are open to all, regardless of background and experience level. Working with us means being part of a team that is harnessing technology and creativity to disrupt a traditional industry.

We are not your average workplace.

Ocean Infinity is seeking a Category Manager to play a key role within the Supply Chain Management (SCM) team, positioned as a critical interface between Procurement and a wide range of internal stakeholders primarily supporting our defence work. Reporting to the Procurement Senior Manager, the role bridges strategic category leadership with high-quality operational delivery, supporting the planning, sourcing, contracting and delivery of supply solutions in a fast-paced maritime robotics environment.

Acting as the single point of contact for assigned projects and categories, the Category Manager partners closely with project managers, engineers, operational leads and budget holders to deliver on-time, cost-effective and compliant outcomes, while balancing competing business priorities. The role owns category strategies and delivery in defined areas of spend, leads complex sourcing and supplier performance management, and line manages a small team of between 1 & 4 Buyers.

The Category Manager provides clear commercial recommendations grounded in market insight, total cost of ownership, supplier performance and risk, and is expected to build effective relationships, influence decisions and apply constructive challenge as a trusted partner to the business.

What you will do

• Own and deliver category strategies for defined spend areas, aligning to Procurement Senior Manager direction and business objectives, and translating strategy into sourcing pipelines, contracting plans and SRM actions.
• Act as the procurement single point of contact for assigned projects, owning the commercial interface with project managers, engineers, operational leads and budget holders.
• Build and manage effective stakeholder relationships, ensuring early engagement, alignment and clear expectation management across cost, schedule, quality, ESG and risk.
• Partner with stakeholders to shape demand into sourcing strategies, RFx activity, contracts and supply execution plans, balancing competing priorities and business governance.
• Lead complex sourcing and negotiations, including RFx, bid evaluation and preparation of clear, robust commercial award recommendations in line with the Delegation of Authority.
• Apply market intelligence, should-cost and TCO analysis to support informed decision-making and drive best value outcomes.
• Identify, challenge and mitigate commercial and supply risks, providing clear advice, recommendations and escalation where required.
• Drive supplier performance and governance, including SRM, KPIs, corrective actions, policy compliance, ISO standards alignment, ERP data quality and accurate reporting.
• Line manage and develop Buyers (1-4), reviewing sub-category strategies and awards, prioritising workload and acting as first point of escalation for commercial issues.

Who you are

• MCIPS qualified/member (or equivalent), or committed to structured CPD.
• 5+ years' experience in procurement with demonstrated ownership of categories, supplier relationships and complex stakeholder environments.
• Proven experience across the full procurement lifecycle, working in close partnership with project, technical and operational stakeholders.
• Highly effective communicator and stakeholder manager, able to build credibility, influence decisions and manage competing priorities across multiple functions.
• Comfortable acting as a trusted commercial partner, providing clear recommendations, challenge and guidance to senior and cross-functional stakeholders.
• This role will require security clearance (BPSS).
• Demonstrated people leadership experience, including coaching, prioritisation and review of work within a small team.
• Strong understanding of procurement governance, policies, procedures and best practice.
• Proficient with ERP systems (e.g. NetSuite), e-sourcing, contract management and procurement analytics.
• Calm under pressure, organised and able to prioritise effectively in a fast-paced operational environment.
• High integrity, sound commercial judgement and a proactive approach to risk management and total cost of ownership.

Desirable

• Experience in maritime, industrial or project-based environments.
• Exposure to multiple procurement categories (e.g. vessels, payloads, IT, professional services).
• Experience supporting ISO standards governance and audit readiness.
• Familiarity with supplier performance management, ESG indicators and corrective action processes.

Benefits

Salary for this position:

Up to £60,000 per annum*

*The salary varies for this position as we are recruiting in multiple regional locations and job grades. The salary process is based on skills, abilities, and experience required.