At a Glance
- Tasks: Shape category strategies and drive impactful commercial outcomes in a dynamic procurement environment.
- Company: Join a well-established organisation that's transforming and growing in the procurement space.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, car allowance, bonus, and opportunities for career progression.
- Other info: Inclusive culture with supportive leadership and exposure to global projects.
- Why this job: Take ownership of strategic projects and influence key stakeholders while driving meaningful change.
- Qualifications: Strong procurement experience and ability to build relationships with senior stakeholders.
This exciting opportunity requires expertise in procurement in managing a HR / Corporate Services Category.
This opportunity is with a well-established organisation which is transforming and growing. We're 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'll 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'll 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.
- You will manage end-end procurement across a large spend and help set up the 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
- A successful Senior Category Manager should have 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.
Desirable
- Experience in greenfield or newly developing procurement environments.
- People management experience.
- Manufacturing or regulated industry background (e.g., pharma, corporate environment, consultancy etc).
- CIPS or equivalent professional certification.
Job Offer
- Competitive salary ranging from £70,000 - £80,000 + Car Allowance + 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.
If you're ready to advance your career as a Senior Category Manager in Cheshire, apply today.
Senior Category Manager - Professional Services employer: Michael Page
Join a well-established organisation in Manchester that is not only transforming but also committed to fostering an inclusive culture and supportive leadership. As a Senior Category Manager, you will have the unique opportunity to shape category strategies and influence senior stakeholders while enjoying competitive salary packages, a car allowance, and bonus potential. With a focus on employee growth and exposure to strategic global projects, this role offers real ownership and autonomy in a newly developed procurement function.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Category Manager - Professional Services
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry, attend relevant events, and engage on platforms like LinkedIn. We can’t stress enough how important it is to build relationships that could lead to job opportunities.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its procurement strategies. We recommend practising common interview questions and having examples ready that showcase your experience in managing categories and driving cost savings.
✨Tip Number 3
Follow up after interviews! A quick thank-you email can go a long way in showing your enthusiasm for the role. We suggest mentioning something specific from the conversation to make it personal.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we’re always looking for talented individuals like you to join our team in shaping the future of procurement.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Category Manager - Professional Services
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV is tailored to the Senior Category Manager role. Highlight your procurement experience, especially in Corporate and Professional Services, and showcase any successful category strategies you've led.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter should tell us why you're the perfect fit for this role. Use it to demonstrate your understanding of the procurement landscape and how you can drive cost savings and value creation.
Showcase Your Stakeholder Management Skills:In both your CV and cover letter, emphasise your ability to build relationships with stakeholders at all levels, especially C-suite. We want to see examples of how you've influenced decision-making in previous roles.
Apply Through Our Website:Don't forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity. We can't wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at Michael Page
✨Know Your Category Inside Out
Before the interview, dive deep into the Corporate and Professional Services categories. Understand current trends, challenges, and opportunities in procurement. This will not only show your expertise but also demonstrate your proactive approach to driving change.
✨Showcase Your Stakeholder Management Skills
Prepare examples of how you've successfully partnered with stakeholders at various levels, especially C-suite. Highlight specific instances where your relationship-building led to improved sourcing activities or cost-saving initiatives. This will illustrate your ability to influence and collaborate effectively.
✨Be Ready to Discuss Data-Driven Decisions
Since a data-driven mindset is crucial for this role, come prepared with examples of how you've used data analysis to challenge assumptions and recommend strategies. Discuss any tools or methodologies you’ve employed to drive commercial results in previous roles.
✨Demonstrate Your Negotiation Prowess
Expect questions about your negotiation experiences. Prepare to discuss specific negotiations you've led, the strategies you used, and the outcomes achieved. This will highlight your confidence and effectiveness as a negotiator, which is key for a Senior Category Manager.
