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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Shape category strategies in finance and customer services while ensuring compliance and value.
- Company: Join SSE, a leader in energy transition and infrastructure development.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, competitive salary, and wellbeing perks like free online GP access.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on sustainable procurement and collaborate with diverse teams.
- Qualifications: Proven procurement experience and strong leadership skills are essential.
- Other info: Be part of an inclusive workplace that values diversity and growth.
The predicted salary is between 58100 - 87100 £ per year.
Base Location: Glasgow, Perth, Reading or Havant
Salary: £58,100- £87,100 + performance-related bonus + a range of benefits to support your finances, wellbeing and family.
Working Pattern: Permanent | Full Time | Flexible First options available
About The Role
As Senior Category Manager - Finance & Customer Services, you’ll play a pivotal role in shaping category strategies that balance commercial rigour with long-term sustainability. You’ll lead category management approaches across key portfolios, ensuring compliance, resilience, and value for money - while reducing risk and optimising total cost of ownership. You’ll work across diverse categories including finance, metering, banking, and insurance, creating clear Category Management Plans and sourcing strategies that reflect real business needs. Through strong stakeholder relationships and thoughtful supplier engagement, you’ll help deliver outcomes that support both operational excellence and stakeholder experience.
Responsibilities
- Build strong, trusted relationships by working in close partnership with internal teams, suppliers, and external collaborators to co-create successful and resilient category strategies.
- Enable cross-functional collaboration by bringing people together, encouraging open dialogue, and fostering positive engagement between departments and the category team.
- Guide stakeholders with confidence and care through consultative processes that reflect genuine service needs and support sustainable, long-term outcomes.
- Champion operational excellence by ensuring sourcing and procurement activities are clear, consistent, and aligned with agreed supplier lists and buying channels.
- Support supplier success and sustainability by nurturing supplier relationships, monitoring performance, and strengthening reliability across the supply chain.
Qualifications
- Extensive hands-on procurement experience, with a strong track record of delivering detailed category management activity in comparable sectors.
- Proven capability managing complex and challenging categories, with CIPS qualification preferred, but not essential.
- Strong commercial and legal insight, including a solid understanding of UK and EU procurement legislation and statutory compliance.
- Collaborative leadership skills, with the ability to influence, inspire, and bring cross-functional teams and suppliers together.
- Confidence using data and systems such as Oracle and Jaggaer to inform decisions, improve outcomes, and strengthen supply chains.
About SSE
SSE’s purpose is to provide energy needed today while building a better world of energy for tomorrow. We do this by developing, building, operating and investing in electricity infrastructure and businesses needed in the energy transition. Our Transforming for Growth investment plan sees us investing £33bn in critical electricity infrastructure across the five years to 2030. Our Procurement & Commercial teams help us get the best service and value from partners, while ensuring suppliers meet compliance, contractual and business obligations.
Flexible Benefits To Fit Your Life
- Enjoy discounts on private healthcare and gym memberships.
- Wellbeing benefits like a free online GP and 24/7 counselling service.
- Interest-free loans on tech and transport season tickets, or a new bike with our Cycle to Work scheme.
- Generous family entitlements such as maternity and adoption pay, and paternity leave.
Work with an equal opportunity employer
SSE will make any reasonable adjustments you need to ensure that your application and experience with us is positive. Please contact janet.gossman@sse.com / 01738 351816 to discuss how we can support you. We’re dedicated to fostering an open and inclusive workplace where people from all backgrounds can thrive. We create equal opportunities for everyone to succeed and especially welcome applications from those who may not be well represented in our workforce or industry.
Ready to apply? Start your online application using the Apply Now box on this page. We only accept applications made online. We’ll be in touch after the closing date to let you know if we’ll be taking your application further. If you’re offered a role with SSE, you’ll need to complete a criminality check and a credit check before you start work.
Senior Category Manager - Finance and Customer Services in Basingstoke employer: SSE PLC
Contact Detail:
SSE PLC Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Category Manager - Finance and Customer Services in Basingstoke
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the finance and customer services sectors. A friendly chat can lead to insider info about job openings or even a referral, which can give you a leg up in the application process.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its category management strategies. Show us that you understand their goals and how you can contribute to their success. Tailor your responses to highlight your relevant experience and skills.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be ready to explain how your background in procurement aligns with SSE’s mission. We want to hear how you can help shape resilient category strategies and foster strong supplier relationships.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team and contributing to our vision of a better world of energy.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Category Manager - Finance and Customer Services in Basingstoke
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Senior Category Manager role. Highlight your procurement experience and any relevant achievements that align with the job description. We want to see how your skills can help us shape category strategies!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you’re the perfect fit for this role. Share specific examples of how you've built strong relationships and delivered successful category management in the past. We love a good story!
Showcase Your Collaborative Spirit: Since this role involves working closely with various teams, make sure to highlight your collaborative skills. Talk about times when you’ve brought people together to achieve a common goal. We value teamwork and want to see how you can contribute to our culture!
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the easiest way for us to receive your application. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team. We can’t wait to see what you bring to the table!
How to prepare for a job interview at SSE PLC
✨Know Your Categories Inside Out
Make sure you’re well-versed in the specific categories you'll be managing, like finance and customer services. Research current trends, challenges, and best practices in these areas to demonstrate your expertise during the interview.
✨Build Strong Relationships
Prepare examples of how you've successfully built relationships with stakeholders and suppliers in the past. Highlight your collaborative leadership skills and how you’ve fostered positive engagement across teams to achieve common goals.
✨Showcase Your Data Savvy
Be ready to discuss how you’ve used data and systems like Oracle and Jaggaer to inform your decisions. Bring specific examples of how data-driven insights have led to improved outcomes in your previous roles.
✨Understand Compliance and Legislation
Brush up on UK and EU procurement legislation and statutory compliance. Be prepared to discuss how you’ve navigated these regulations in your past work, ensuring that your category strategies align with legal requirements.
