Overview
Location: London
Job Family: Commercial
Job Type: Full Time
Posted Date: 29-Dec-2025
Ref #: 70921
As a Category Manager – Core Platforms, you’ll play a pivotal role in shaping how Virgin Media O2 sources, manages and optimises its Core Network Platforms. This role is accountable for over £70m of third-party spend. It ensures our networks have strong supplier strategies balancing performance, cost, risk, and sustainability. You’ll turn complex technical and commercial requirements into clear category strategies that deliver for our customers and collaborators alike.
Responsibilities
In practice, this is a highly collaborative and influential role. You’ll:
- Develop and deliver category plans
- Lead complex sourcing and negotiation activities
- Manage key supplier relationships end-to-end
- Work closely with senior collaborators across Networks, Finance, Legal, and Group Procurement
- Drive cost and performance initiatives
- Mitigate commercial and operational risk and ensure contracts are governed throughout their lifecycle
This is a role for someone who enjoys complexity, thrives on influence, and wants to make a tangible impact on the future of our network platforms.
Who we are
We’re a flexible-first organisation. To support meaningful collaboration, we ask everyone to spend at least eight days each month connecting in person. This may include team meetings, offsites, volunteering days, cross-functional projects, or away days—anywhere meaningful collaboration happens. What matters is making those moments purposeful.
Accessible, inclusive and equitable for all.
Virgin Media O2 is an equal opportunities employer. We build equity and inclusion into everything we do, from policies to relationships, and encourage you to be your authentic self throughout your application journey.
Qualifications
The must haves
- Proven experience crafting and delivering category and supplier strategies for complex, high-value spend
- Leading complex sourcing events and commercial negotiations, including contract development and execution
- Strong collaborator management skills with experience influencing up to senior leadership level
- Understanding of contract law and commercial risk management
- Strong analytical capability, including spend, budget and contract analysis to inform strategy
The other stuff we are looking for
- Experience across Network and/or IT procurement categories
- Familiarity with global or group-wide procurement models and matrix working
- Experience driving transformational cost or value initiatives
- Strong supplier relationship management and performance frameworks
- An interest in networks and emerging technology platforms
What’s in it for you
Our goal is to celebrate our people, their lives, and everything in-between. We aim to create a culture that empowers everyone to bring the best versions of themselves to work each day. We believe an inclusive and diverse culture makes for a better business and a brighter world. Working at Virgin Media O2, you get a bumper reward package bursting with benefits and options to customise your package. These are designed to support you and your loved ones.
Next steps
About: If we feel like a place where you can belong, we’d love to learn more about you and your experience. If successful, the next steps may include:
- A Saville assessment
- Two interview stages, combining competency-based and role-specific discussions
When you apply, you’ll be asked about any adjustments you might need to support the recruitment process. Let us know, and we’ll discuss them with you.
Please note: Applications will be reviewed and interviews conducted throughout the duration of this advert, and the closing date may be brought forward. All roles require a criminal record check, and some roles require a financial probity check. Your recruiter can provide more information if needed.
Thanks for your patience and for your interest in joining Virgin Media O2.
Seniority level
- Mid-Senior level
Employment type
- Full-time
Job function
- Marketing and Sales
Industries
- Telecommunications
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