Group Category Lead Construction and Infrastructure in Kent

Location: Flexible UK Locations + Hybrid Working Arrangements

Compensation: Competitive Salary + Benefits

Role Type: Full time / Permanent

Shape the future of strategic procurement in construction and infrastructure. At Babcock, we’re working to create a safe and secure world, together. If you join us, you can play your part as a Group Category Lead Construction and Infrastructure at any of our main UK locations.

The role involves:

• Shaping and delivering procurement strategies across major construction, civil engineering, and infrastructure programmes.
• Influencing high-value sourcing decisions and optimising supply chain performance.
• Building strong supplier partnerships that deliver long-term value.
• Collaborating with senior stakeholders and contributing to strategic decision-making.
• Driving innovation and sustainability across the supply chain.

Key responsibilities include:

• Developing and delivering end-to-end category strategies for construction, infrastructure and civil engineering.
• Leading complex procurement activities including tendering, negotiation, and contract award.
• Building and managing strategic supplier relationships and performance frameworks.
• Advising stakeholders on commercial models, sourcing approaches, and contract best practice.
• Identifying opportunities for cost optimisation, risk reduction, and sustainable value creation.

This role is full time, 37.5 hours per week and provides hybrid working arrangements with days onsite and days working from home.

Essential experience includes:

• Extensive experience in sourcing and procurement, with a strong track record in complex environments.
• Proven expertise within construction and infrastructure categories, including civil engineering.
• Demonstrable experience managing framework agreements and supplier performance at scale.
• Strong knowledge of commercial contracts, including NEC and JCT forms.
• Experience working within matrix organisations, managing multiple senior stakeholders.

Qualifications:

• Degree qualified or equivalent experience.
• Professional accreditation such as CIPS, RICS, CIOB or similar (desirable).

Security Clearance: The successful candidate must be able to achieve and maintain Standard (BPSS) and Security Check (SC) security clearance for this role.

What we offer:

• Generous holiday allowance.
• Matched contribution pension scheme, with life assurance.
• Access to a Digital GP, annual health check, and nutritional consultations through Aviva DigiCare+.
• Employee share scheme.
• Employee shopping savings portal.
• Payment of Professional Fees.
• Reservists in the armed forces receive 10 days special paid leave.
• Holiday Trading allows employees to buy additional leave or sell up to one working week of annual leave.
• ‘Be Kind Day’ enables employees to take one working day's paid leave a year for volunteering work.
• Flexible working options to better integrate work and personal life.
• A dynamic working environment.

We are a disability confident committed employer. If you have a disability or need any reasonable adjustments during the application and selection stages, please email careers@babcockinternational.com with the subject header ‘Reasonable adjustments requirement’. We’re committed to building an inclusive culture where everyone’s free to thrive. We are happy to talk about flexible working – please ask about alternative patterns of work at interview.