Category Specialist – Manufacturing/Components
Category Specialist – Manufacturing/Components

Category Specialist – Manufacturing/Components

Full-Time 36000 - 60000 £ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
Go Premium
C

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Drive procurement strategies and enhance processes in a dynamic manufacturing environment.
  • Company: Global leader in essential industrial components with over 65 years of experience.
  • Benefits: Competitive salary, annual bonus, generous leave, and employee discounts.
  • Why this job: Join a forward-thinking team and make a real impact on sustainability and innovation.
  • Qualifications: Experience in manufacturing procurement and strong analytical skills required.
  • Other info: Hybrid role with excellent career growth opportunities and a focus on continuous improvement.

The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.

Our client is a global market leader in plastic injection moulded, vinyl dip moulded and metal components. They have over 65 years’ experience of producing essential components across a huge range of industries and applications. They are constantly growing, evolving and attempting to improve. As a result, they are now searching for a key individual to help them design, improve, support and make their processes more agile.

They are looking for an experienced Procurement Specialist who has industry experience in manufacturing or components. You will be providing expertise in category management and procurement activities across the growing business. Whoever is successful in this opportunity will work closely with divisional group and business teams.

Responsibilities

  • Implement and manage robust strategic (3-18 month) commodity plans with all relevant stakeholders
  • Gather relevant market intelligence to support the business with insightful commercial information
  • Work with key stakeholders to define opportunities and deliver the benefits
  • Apply a fact-based and insight-led approach to recommendations put forward to the business
  • Help drive sustainability & ESG agenda across procurement function & category
  • Execute value for money decision making through spend leverage, cost benchmarking and through the negotiation of favourable terms and fact-based recommendations
  • Ensure and mitigate business risk across the commodity portfolio
  • Support the NPI process and develop strong relationships with the relevant internal Product Manager
  • Manage and develop the commodity area with an emphasis on continuous improvement
  • May be required to support on other procurement categories including but not limited to freight, indirect & Raw material procurement
  • Ensure adherence to Procurement's standards and policy
  • Monitor supplier compliance with governance requirements
  • Take responsibility for tracking both cost saving and price adjustment reporting against budget
  • Coordinate, monitor and report on all data and pricing changes
  • Apply a flexible and pragmatic approach to all tasks undertaken
  • Actively promote Procurement to the wider business to ensure leading practice is adopted, delivered and recognised

Skills and Experience

  • Industrial/ manufacturing experience
  • Procurement experience within a category-based role, negotiation experience
  • Strong presentation/ communication skills, sound commercial understanding
  • Strong numeracy and analytic skills
  • Customer service driven
  • Task orientated with ability to own and complete complex tasks
  • Level 4 CIPS qualification, component purchasing experience

What is on Offer

  • Competitive Salary, discretionary Annual Bonus
  • Up to 5% matched pension contribution, 4x annual salary life assurance
  • 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, extra paid day off for your birthday, additional holiday purchase scheme, aid day off for volunteering
  • Employee discounts through MyDiscounts, Salary Sacrifice Car Scheme
  • Eyecare Vouchers, Cycle to work scheme, Employee Assistance Programme

This is a hybrid role with expectation of working in our Jarrow or Kidlington office 2/3 days per week.

Category Specialist – Manufacturing/Components employer: Connect With Limited

As a global market leader with over 65 years of experience, our client offers an exceptional work environment for a Category Specialist in Manufacturing/Components. Employees benefit from a competitive salary, generous annual leave, and a strong commitment to sustainability and continuous improvement. With opportunities for professional growth and a hybrid working model, this role is perfect for those seeking meaningful employment in a dynamic and supportive culture.
C

Contact Detail:

Connect With Limited Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Category Specialist – Manufacturing/Components

Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to industry contacts on LinkedIn or attend local events. We all know that sometimes it’s not just what you know, but who you know that can land you that dream job.

Tip Number 2

Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its culture. We should be ready to discuss how our skills align with their goals, especially around sustainability and procurement strategies. Show them you’re not just another candidate!

Tip Number 3

Practice your negotiation skills! As a Procurement Specialist, you’ll need to demonstrate your ability to negotiate favourable terms. We can role-play scenarios with friends or family to build confidence before the real deal.

Tip Number 4

Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we often have insider tips and updates on new roles that might suit you perfectly.

We think you need these skills to ace Category Specialist – Manufacturing/Components

Category Management
Procurement Experience
Negotiation Skills
Market Intelligence Gathering
Strategic Planning
Sustainability and ESG Knowledge
Cost Benchmarking
Risk Mitigation
NPI Process Support
Supplier Compliance Monitoring
Data Analysis
Presentation Skills
Commercial Understanding
CIPS Level 4 Qualification
Customer Service Orientation

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the role of Category Specialist. Highlight your procurement experience and any relevant industry knowledge. We want to see how your skills align with our needs!

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're the perfect fit for this role. Share specific examples of your achievements in procurement and how you can contribute to our growth.

Showcase Your Analytical Skills: Since this role requires strong numeracy and analytical skills, don’t shy away from showcasing these in your application. We love seeing how you’ve used data to drive decisions in past roles!

Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother process. It helps us keep track of your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates!

How to prepare for a job interview at Connect With Limited

Know Your Stuff

Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of procurement and category management, especially in the manufacturing sector. Familiarise yourself with the latest trends and challenges in the industry, as well as the specific processes used by the company. This will show that you're not just interested in the role, but that you understand the landscape.

Showcase Your Analytical Skills

Since the role requires strong numeracy and analytic skills, be prepared to discuss how you've used data to drive decisions in past roles. Bring examples of how you've applied a fact-based approach to recommendations and how it benefited your previous employers. This will demonstrate your ability to contribute effectively from day one.

Build Relationships

Highlight your experience in working closely with stakeholders. Prepare to discuss how you've successfully collaborated with teams to define opportunities and deliver results. Emphasising your interpersonal skills will show that you can navigate the complexities of the role and foster strong relationships within the business.

Embrace Sustainability

With a focus on driving sustainability and ESG agendas, be ready to talk about your understanding of these concepts and how you've implemented them in procurement practices. Share any relevant experiences where you've contributed to sustainable initiatives, as this aligns with the company's vision and values.

Category Specialist – Manufacturing/Components
Connect With Limited
Go Premium

Land your dream job quicker with Premium

You’re marked as a top applicant with our partner companies
Individual CV and cover letter feedback including tailoring to specific job roles
Be among the first applications for new jobs with our AI application
1:1 support and career advice from our career coaches
Go Premium

Money-back if you don't land a job in 6-months

C
Similar positions in other companies
UK’s top job board for Gen Z
discover-jobs-cta
Discover now
>