Procurement Category Manager

Shape the future of how we source and manage the services that keep our organisation running. We're looking for an experienced Procurement Category Manager to lead our Facilities, Estates and Logistics category portfolio. This is a high-impact role where you'll influence strategic decisions, work closely with senior stakeholders and drive measurable value across a diverse range of services, from hard and soft facilities management through to property services, transport and logistics solutions.

You'll develop and deliver category strategies, lead complex sourcing projects, negotiate significant commercial agreements and build strong supplier partnerships that improve performance, resilience and sustainability. Working across multiple business functions, you'll provide market insight, challenge requirements and help shape long-term procurement plans that support operational and organisational priorities.

This role offers the opportunity to work on a varied portfolio with genuine visibility across the organisation, giving you the autonomy to influence outcomes and the platform to make a lasting contribution. Whether your background is in Facilities Management, Estates, Property Services, Logistics or a combination of these areas, you'll bring strong commercial judgement, stakeholder management skills and a track record of delivering value through strategic procurement.

Main duties of the job include:

• Shaping and delivering category strategies across a diverse portfolio that supports critical operational services.
• Leading end-to-end procurement activity, from market analysis and category planning through to tendering, negotiation, contract award and supplier relationship management.
• Influencing decision-making, challenging requirements and identifying opportunities to improve value, service performance and operational resilience.
• Managing complex sourcing projects and strategic supplier relationships ideally within Facilities Management, Property Services, Estates or Logistics categories.
• Using spend analysis, market intelligence and supplier performance data to develop innovative procurement solutions that deliver measurable business outcomes.

The role provides significant opportunity to influence strategic business decisions, improve supplier performance, deliver value for money and strengthen supply chain resilience across critical operational services.

Key Responsibilities include:

• Developing, implementing and maintaining category strategies across Facilities, Estates and Logistics categories.
• Creating category roadmaps aligned to organisational priorities, operational requirements and procurement objectives.
• Analysing spend, market intelligence and supplier capabilities to identify opportunities for savings, cost avoidance, innovation and service improvement.
• Driving supplier rationalisation, category standardisation and demand management initiatives.
• Monitoring market developments, emerging technologies, regulatory changes and supplier risks.
• Leading end-to-end sourcing projects from strategy development through to contract implementation.
• Designing and delivering sourcing strategies that maximise commercial value and service performance.
• Managing competitive tender exercises, supplier evaluations, negotiations and contract award processes.
• Delivering annual savings, cost avoidance and value creation targets.
• Managing contract renewals and re-procurement activities in line with category plans.

At SYNLAB UK & Ireland, we make a positive difference to people's lives, health and wellbeing through science, innovation and high-quality diagnostics. As one of the UK's leading laboratory diagnostics organisations, we work in partnership with the NHS and other healthcare providers to deliver services that support millions of patients every year.

Joining SYNLAB means becoming part of an organisation that places people, quality and innovation at the heart of everything it does. We are investing in the future of diagnostics, embracing new technologies and working collaboratively across healthcare partnerships to deliver resilient, efficient and sustainable services.