About the Team:
Our procurement team is undergoing an exciting transformation as we strengthen and scale our capability to support the business. We're creating a lean, high-performing team focused on delivering commercial value, strengthening supplier relationships and supporting business growth.
This role will play a key part in leading our most complex and high-value technology procurement activity.
This role is hybrid working; you will work predominantly from home and once a week in our Fulford Grange office (LS19 6BA).
About the Role:
As a Senior Procurement Category Manager, you will act as a subject matter expert for technology procurement, leading end-to-end sourcing, supplier negotiations and contract management across key spend areas.
You will take ownership of high-value and complex contracts, including cloud, SaaS and IT services, and partner closely with stakeholders to deliver commercial outcomes and cost optimisation.
You will also support the wider procurement function by embedding best practice and driving consistency across procurement processes.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead end-to-end sourcing and procurement activity across technology categories including cloud, software and IT services
- Own and lead complex, high-value commercial negotiations with key suppliers (e.g. AWS, Microsoft)
- Develop and implement category strategies aligned to business objectives
- Manage supplier relationships, performance and risk across key contracts
- Identify and deliver cost optimisation opportunities across spend areas
- Partner with stakeholders to provide commercial insight and support decision-making
- Support supplier transition activity and delivery of high-priority contracts during a period of operational change
Who You Are:
You are a strong procurement professional with technical expertise in technology sourcing and a proven ability to lead complex commercial negotiations.
You are confident working with senior stakeholders, comfortable managing multiple priorities, and thrive in a fast-paced, evolving environment. Your commercial acumen and attention to detail enable you to deliver value and mitigate risk across supplier relationships.
Key Skills, Experience & Qualifications
- Strong procurement experience
- Proven experience in technology procurement (software, SaaS, cloud or IT services)
- Demonstrable experience managing complex sourcing processes and contract negotiations
- Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills
- Experience in supplier relationship management and contract lifecycle management
- Strong commercial acumen and analytical capability
Ready to Join Us?
At Optum, we are a UK leader in integrated healthcare software and services, supporting healthcare professionals across primary and community care, pharmacy, secondary care and specialist services. Our technology enables better, faster and more efficient patient care across the UK healthcare system.
Diversity creates a healthier atmosphere: UnitedHealth Group is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.
At UnitedHealth Group, our mission is to help people live healthier lives and make the health system work better for everyone. We believe everyone-of every race, gender, sexuality, age, location and income-deserves the opportunity to live their healthiest life. Today, however, there are still far too many barriers to good health which are disproportionately experienced by people of color, historically marginalized groups and those with lower incomes. We are committed to mitigating our impact on the environment and enabling and delivering equitable care that addresses health disparities and improves health outcomes - an enterprise priority reflected in our mission.
Diversity creates a healthier atmosphere: UnitedHealth Group is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by law. UnitedHealth Group is a drug-free workplace. © 2025 UnitedHealth Group. All rights reserved.
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Senior Procurement Category Manager in Sunderland employer: UnitedHealth Group
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