Category Manager

Wirral Council is a place where your work truly makes a difference. Employees are empowered to “#BeTheDifference” and help improve life for residents across one of the happiest and most welcoming areas in the UK. With its stunning coastline, vibrant communities, and ambitious vision for the future, Wirral offers an exceptional setting to grow your career and feel valued every day. If you’re looking for a role where you can thrive, develop, and make real impact, Wirral Council is the perfect place to apply.

As Category Manager you will ensure the service delivers the Council’s objectives in a compliant manner and to the highest possible professional standards, complying with all aspects of relevant legislation and public accountability requirements. You will be accountable for the delivery of specific strategic procurement projects and support the development and delivery of service strategies and objectives. The successful candidates will align to support the corporate service within the Council and be responsible for the management of the commissioning cycle, through the provision of best practice procurement, including e-procurement solutions.

We are interested in hearing from you if you are a full member of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) Level 5 (or hold an equivalent procurement qualification) or working towards. We would like to hear from people who have experience of working in a procurement, finance, or commissioning environment, along with knowledge of the full procurement lifecycle. You will have knowledge of the stages involved in developing and implementing contracting strategies, and an understanding of public sector procurement legislation. Proven experience of communication with internal and external contacts is essential for this role therefore you are required to possess excellent communication and negotiation skills. We also require candidates with a good standard of analytical and data management skills.

This role offers a hybrid working arrangement, combining the benefits of remote work with the collaboration and connection of in-office days, twice a week. Eligibility to work in the UK will be verified in the final stages of the selection process. All candidates must either already have a right to work in the UK before commencing employment or meet the Home Office criteria for Visa sponsorship. Candidates who require sponsorship should evaluate the Home Office eligibility criteria for a Skilled Worker visa before applying.

If you are a Wirral resident, are unemployed or out of work, and require help with your application, please contact Involve Northwest’s employment and skills team on info@involvenorthwest.org.uk or contact 0151 644 4500 or 0151 652 4349. If you’re already a Wirral Council employee, as part of our Talent Strategy, we’re committed to strengthening opportunities for our people to learn, grow, progress and thrive.

We believe in ensuring staff are well looked after, staff wellbeing is a priority for us. We’re serious about recognising and rewarding people for the great things they do. You’ll benefit from our track record of developing, growing and investing in our people. We have a range of staff benefits including staff discounts, an excellent pension scheme which includes a generous employer contribution rate, immediate life cover and ill-health protection. We have a strong flexible working approach, hybrid working, family-friendly employment initiatives and an annual leave package starting with 28 days leave plus public holidays.

We have an inclusive, engaged culture, everyone has a voice, everyone is valued for their contribution and understands the role they play in delivering our strategic priorities. Each voice is heard, each contribution valued. We embrace diversity in our workforce and recognise it is critical to our success. We support an inclusive culture that champions differences and nurtures a sense of belonging. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds, who share our values and our commitment to inclusion to apply for roles with us.

Please note that in accordance with the Council’s policy, employees who are in a formal redeployment situation will be considered in the first instance for all vacancies. It is Council policy not to re-appoint any employee who has left under the terms of the Council's Early Voluntary Retirement (EVR) scheme or who have left with a voluntary severance (VS) package, unless in exceptional circumstances. Applications will be accepted until midnight on the closing date. We reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier than the specified date should we receive sufficient applications. Applications can only be accepted through the Jobs page following registration. Forms received via the post will not be processed. All applicants invited to interview must evidence their right to work in the UK. Details of required documents can be found by clicking the link at the bottom of the Jobs page.

The job description and other supporting documents will not be accessible once the vacancy closing date has passed so if a copy is required you should download it now. We do not accept applications or CV’s from recruitment agencies, unless otherwise stated. Therefore, any candidates submitted via a recruitment agency will not be considered for this role.

Please apply online by clicking the link below.