Category Manager – Property Services in Southampton

Location: Hampshire

Type: Permanent

Salary: 57,000 - 65,000

Consultant: Gabriel Quarm

Contact: gabriel@procurementheads.com

Phone: 07826 458701

Location: Basingstoke and/or Wembley

Working Model: Hybrid (2 days on-site per week)

Overview

We are seeking an experienced Procurement Category Manager to lead strategic sourcing and category management activity across a diverse portfolio of spend areas. This is an exciting opportunity for a procurement professional with strong public sector procurement expertise to drive value, support business objectives, and develop effective supplier partnerships. Working closely with internal stakeholders, you will deliver end-to-end sourcing projects, ensure compliance with procurement regulations, and identify opportunities to enhance commercial outcomes through strategic procurement and supplier management.

Responsibilities

• Lead nominated procurement categories, suppliers, and contracts, developing strategic sourcing solutions that deliver efficiencies, value, and business benefits.
• Manage a portfolio of procurement projects from inception through to contract award and implementation, ensuring value for money, quality outcomes, and timely delivery.
• Ensure compliance with relevant public procurement legislation and governance requirements across all procurement activity.
• Lead supplier engagement, tender processes, negotiations, and contract lifecycle management activities.
• Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders to understand business priorities, challenges, risks, and opportunities.
• Conduct market research and analysis to support sourcing strategies, supplier selection, and procurement decision-making.
• Identify and map organisational expenditure, ensuring appropriate and compliant routes to market are established.
• Proactively identify opportunities for procurement to add measurable value through strategic sourcing, supplier management, and commercial improvement initiatives.
• Support continuous improvement in procurement practices, processes, and category strategies.

Requirements

• Proven experience in a procurement or category management role.
• Experience managing procurement activity within categories such as: Development and Construction, Property Services, Asset Management, Hard Facilities Management (FM).
• Strong category management expertise, with the ability to use data and market intelligence to inform strategic decision-making.
• Demonstrable experience delivering tendering and competitive procurement exercises within a regulated public sector environment.
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to build credibility at all levels.
• Experience managing supplier relationships and contract performance to achieve value for money and high service standards.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and projects simultaneously.
• Good understanding of the Procurement Act 2023 and Public Contracts Regulations (PCR) 2015.
• Experience within a registered social housing provider, local authority, wider public sector organisation, property maintenance provider, facilities management business, or residential development environment would be advantageous.