Senior Category Manager (Security and Passenger Services)

Discover a one-of-a-kind career. Our vision at Heathrow is to be an extraordinary airport, fit for the future. In the Finance team we know that generating income is critical to driving our business forward, but it’s also vital that we create positive passenger and customer experiences that make every journey better. You’ll help us to get the balance right so we can continue investing in our world‑class environment.

Heathrow’s size, scale, and reputation for innovation translates to exciting opportunities for everyone. Finance here is about more than numbers. It’s about being influential, developing trusted relationships, and showing the world that we’re a responsible investment with a bright future; a place that embraces digital innovation and has a sustainable mindset.

You’ll become part of a team that drives excellence across everything from insurance to investment, treasury to business partnering, as you collaborate widely to deliver projects that directly impact millions of passengers each year.

Are you ready to make an impact on the journeys of millions? Heathrow is seeking a Senior Category Manager (Security and Passenger Services) to lead procurement strategy across key passenger‑facing services, driving commercial value and strategic supplier partnerships. This is a unique opportunity to help deliver world‑class passenger experiences at one of the world’s busiest and most iconic airports.

Working within our Procurement team, you will lead strategic sourcing, category management, and supplier partnerships across a diverse portfolio of passenger services, ensuring the delivery of exceptional operational, commercial, and customer outcomes. This is an exciting opportunity to work within one of the world’s most dynamic and high‑profile operational environments.

Partnering with senior stakeholders, suppliers, and cross‑functional teams, you will develop and implement procurement strategies that support Heathrow’s operational objectives, strengthen supplier performance, and deliver sustainable business value. Success in this role will be measured by your ability to build trusted stakeholder relationships, lead complex commercial initiatives, and apply market insight and procurement expertise to enhance performance across a critical passenger services portfolio.

We are looking for a proactive and strategic thinker who can anticipate future business needs, identify opportunities for improvement, and lead collaboratively across diverse stakeholder groups. You will have strong interpersonal and influencing skills, with the ability to build effective relationships across functions, develop others, and make a positive contribution to the wider Procurement team.

Your role will involve:

• Developing and delivering category strategies that maximise value, minimise risk and support Heathrow’s operational objectives.
• Leading end‑to‑end sourcing, tendering and contract award activities across a diverse portfolio of security and passenger services.
• Building strong relationships with stakeholders to understand business needs and deliver commercially effective procurement solutions.
• Managing strategic supplier relationships, driving performance, continuous improvement and value delivery.
• Providing commercial insight, market intelligence and innovative solutions to support operational and business priorities.
• Coaching and supporting colleagues while fostering collaboration and best practice across the Procurement function.

These Skills Are Essential:

• Demonstrates the capacity to identify opportunities, drive innovation, and deliver continuous improvement.
• Proven capability to develop category strategies, lead sourcing activities, and deliver commercial value.
• Experience in managing supplier relationships, contract performance, and commercial negotiations.
• Skilled in identifying and mitigating risks while ensuring compliance and good governance.
• Strong commercial awareness and the capability to leverage market intelligence to support decision‑making and optimise value.
• Demonstrates professionalism, sound judgement, and a proactive approach to escalating challenges.
• Proven ability to lead, coach, and develop high‑performing teams while fostering a collaborative team culture.

Desirable Skills:

• MCIPS qualified (or working towards accreditation).
• Knowledge and experience of service‑based and workforce‑intensive contracts, including understanding of London Living Wage considerations and service‑based procurement models.
• Experience managing large outsourced service contracts and strategic supplier relationships.
• Desirable experience of operating within a highly regulated or operationally critical environment.
• Experience leading change and continuous improvement initiatives or programmes.

There’s something so special about working at the world’s most iconic airport. Its sights. Its sounds. Its constant air of excitement. Heathrow is an amazing backdrop to a career filled with unique opportunities. Every day, you’ll discover a world full of fresh possibilities and end the day buzzing with stories to tell, as you encounter people from all cultures, nationalities and experiences.

A world full of pride for what we do and no end of exciting career prospects to explore. It brings out the best in all of us. And inspires everyone to deliver on our ambitious plans. Together, we’re working to welcome millions more passengers while ensuring aviation can continue to be a force for good by leading global efforts in sustainability. Join us on that journey and we’ll help you achieve your ambitions too.

Supporting you to learn, encouraging you to be yourself, backing you to achieve more than you might ever have imagined. Because there’s no place like Heathrow.

Our rewards:

We offer competitive salaries and excellent benefits that will support you now and in the future. As well as performance‑based annual bonuses and our longer‑term Share in Success Bonus plans, we also offer generous annual leave allowances and market‑leading pensions. With family‑friendly policies, access to private health insurance and a wide range of wellbeing tools, we’ll support you to be at your best inside and outside work. And of course, we’ll provide varied learning and development opportunities too. Here you’ll find everything you need for a fulfilling career journey that can take you in exciting directions.

Our Hybrid working approach offers the opportunity for colleagues in some roles to work from home for an average of two days a week, providing the flexibility to work in an agile way whilst ensuring we deliver for the operational needs of Heathrow. Working arrangements vary from team to team and will be confirmed during the recruitment process. You’ll need to be based in the UK and within a commutable distance to Heathrow.

Heathrow’s Sustainable Travel Guide sets out easy and sustainable travel options that everyone can access.

As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applications from all. We believe that diverse talent makes us stronger – not least because we welcome passengers from all corners of the globe, every single day. Heathrow is an accessible place to work. With five diversity networks, we champion inclusivity and celebrate individuality.