Senior Category Manager - Professional Services

This exciting opportunity as a Senior Category Manager – Professional Services requires expertise in procurement in managing HR / Corporate Services Category. This opportunity is with a well‑established organisation which is transforming and growing. We are looking for a Senior Category Manager to join our growing Indirect Procurement team. This is a fantastic opportunity to shape category strategy, influence senior stakeholders, and drive meaningful commercial outcomes across Corporate Services, Professional Services, Marketing, Travel, Fleet, and wider indirect spend. You will play a key role in developing and managing category plans, improving supplier performance, and delivering cost savings that support efficient business operations. Working closely with functions across the organisation, you will help build a best‑in‑class procurement capability within a newly developed global procurement structure.

Description

• Develop and deliver category strategies across Corporate & Professional Services and wider indirect spend; manage end‑end procurement across a large spend and set up key processes to enable success.
• Partner with stakeholders across the business to understand requirements and improve sourcing activity.
• Lead cost‑saving, cost‑avoidance, and value‑creation initiatives.
• Manage supplier negotiations, tendering, and contract renewals.
• Build strong supplier relationships and drive performance through effective SRM.
• Monitor the market to ensure competitiveness and identify innovation opportunities.
• Ensure full compliance with internal policies and relevant regulations.
• Support the Head of Indirect Procurement in shaping and delivering the long‑term procurement agenda.

Profile

• Strong procurement experience within a complex, global or multi‑site organisation.
• Proven expertise across indirect categories, ideally Corporate Services or Professional Services.
• Experience leading category strategies and delivering commercial results.
• Ability to build strong relationships with stakeholders up to C‑suite level.
• Strong commercial and contractual understanding.
• Data‑driven mindset with the ability to analyse, challenge, and recommend.
• Confident negotiator with excellent communication skills.
• Proactive, curious, and comfortable driving change.
• Experience in greenfield or newly developing procurement environments.
• Manufacturing or regulated industry background (e.g., pharma, corporate environment, consultancy).
• CIPS or equivalent professional certification.
• People management experience (desired).

Job Offer

• Competitive salary ranging from £70,000 to £80,000, plus car allowance and bonus.
• Permanent role based in Manchester.
• Opportunity to shape and influence a newly built procurement function.
• Exposure to strategic global projects.
• A role with real ownership, autonomy, and progression potential.
• Inclusive culture and supportive leadership team.