Category & Sourcing Manager (Major Projects, Environment & Innovation)

**Location:** Falmer (Hybrid – 2 days per week on site)

**Contract Type:** Permanent

**Hours:** 37 hours per week, flexible working options considered

**Salary:** Up to £60,000 per annum, commensurate with experience + excellent benefits

**About the role:** There’s never been a more exciting time to join Southern Water. We’re delivering a portfolio of new, large-scale infrastructure and innovation programmes that will shape the future of water and environmental sustainability across the UK. We’re now looking for a **Category & Sourcing Manager** to join our Major Projects, Environment & Innovation Procurement team. This is a unique opportunity to support first-of-a-kind programmes, from major infrastructure investments (including privately financed models) through to emerging environmental and innovation initiatives. This role is distinctly **project-led rather than traditional category management**. You’ll work across a broad and evolving portfolio where no two projects are the same, ranging from large-scale infrastructure procurements to bespoke, innovation-led sourcing with SMEs, consultancies and emerging suppliers. The pace, scale and complexity will vary significantly, requiring a high degree of adaptability and commercial judgement.

**What you will be responsible for:**

• Developing and delivering flexible sourcing approaches to support complex, project-based procurement across Major Projects and E&I
• Leading end-to-end procurement for diverse requirements, from large infrastructure packages and technical services through to bespoke innovation-led procurements
• Supporting delivery of major programmes, including privately financed and regulated project models
• Working closely with multidisciplinary stakeholders (engineering, environment, innovation, legal) to shape commercially sound and deliverable procurement strategies
• Navigating both procurement and environmental regulatory requirements, balancing compliance with pace and flexibility
• Ensuring project delivery aligns with environmental legislation, regulatory deadlines and organisational obligations
• Managing supplier engagement across a varied supply base, including niche suppliers, SMEs and organisations new to working in regulated environments
• Adapting standard procurement processes to suit bespoke project requirements, often working in a fast-moving and reactive environment

**What you’ll bring to the role:**

**Essential**

• Proven experience in a Category, Sourcing or Procurement role within a project-based, infrastructure, utilities, or complex delivery environment
• Demonstrable experience supporting end-to-end procurement across multiple projects, rather than single, stable categories
• Strong project delivery experience, with the ability to manage competing priorities, timelines and stakeholders across a varied portfolio
• Knowledge of public procurement regulations (PA23/UCR) and ability to apply them pragmatically
• Understanding of environmental legislation and associated regulatory deadlines, or the ability to quickly build this knowledge in a regulated environment
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the ability to operate across technical and non-technical teams
• Commercially astute, with the ability to manage ambiguity and operate across projects of differing scale and complexity
• A flexible, proactive approach – comfortable switching between priorities and responding to evolving requirements

**Desirable**

• Experience working within private finance or investor-led infrastructure models (e.g. PFI/DPC)
• Exposure to environmental, sustainability, or innovation-focused programmes
• Demonstrable interest in environmental and sustainability topics, gained through education, professional experience, or personal interest
• Experience engaging with a diverse supplier base, including SMEs, consultancies, charities or early-stage organisations
• CIPS qualification (or working towards)

**About Southern Water:** Southern Water is at the forefront of transforming Britain’s water industry, with significant investment planned to deliver major infrastructure and innovation-led programmes. You’ll be joining during a period of rapid growth across Major Projects and Environmental & Innovation, supporting work that ranges from highly complex, multi-million-pound programmes through to pioneering new technologies and partnerships. The diversity and scale of delivery make this a genuinely unique procurement opportunity. At Southern Water, we believe diverse perspectives drive better outcomes. If you’re motivated by working on complex, meaningful projects and enjoy operating in a dynamic, evolving environment, we’d love to hear from you.

**Our Commitment to Diversity:** We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, identities, and experiences. We do not discriminate based on any protected characteristic. If you require adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process, please let us know.

**Additional information:** In line with Southern Water’s requirements, successful candidates will be required to undertake pre-employment checks, including identity verification, right-to-work checks, DBS, and employment/education history verification.

**Ready to Make a Difference?** Join our Procurement team and help deliver innovative, large-scale programmes that will shape the future of water and the environment. Apply today and see how far your career can go with Southern Water—where innovation meets impact.

**Interested in the role?** We reserve the right to close this advertisement early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications, so if you are interested in the position please do send your application over today to ensure consideration. We truly appreciate every application. Please note, that due to the volume of interest, we may not be able to provide personalised feedback to all applicants.

**Our Benefits**

• Company and performance-related bonus
• Generous pension with up to 11% company contribution
• Life assurance payment equal to four times your annual salary
• Health benefits through a Cash Plan
• Two paid community volunteering days a year
• 25 days annual holiday
• Occupational health service
• Retail discount app
• We offer competitive maternity leave, and flexible return to work options

**Everybody Welcome** We value diversity and are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. If you require any reasonable adjustments to facilitate your participation in the recruitment process, please do not hesitate to let us know.

**Need flexibility in your work?** Does this opportunity excite you but you’re not 100% sure if you meet all the requirements for the role? Or are you concerned that ‘normal’ office hours aren’t possible given your personal circumstances? Whilst we can’t accommodate every flexible working request, we’ll try to find a practical solution. So why not engage with us and find out more about this role?