Procurement Category Manager - Marketing and Corporate Services
HybridLondon, England, United Kingdom
Job Summary
Develop and execute category strategies across Marketing and Corporate Services to optimise spend, value, and outcomes while autonomously managing a pipeline of strategic, complex, and high-value procurement projects. Prioritise concurrent activities to deliver savings, cost avoidance, and value-generation opportunities, proactively implementing sourcing strategies aligned to business needs and risk profiles. Build and lead stakeholder relationships with Executive and C-suite levels, acting as a subject matter expert on market trends and supplier capabilities to drive innovation and continuous improvement. Manage supplier performance and commercial risk by ensuring contractual obligations and service levels are met, while championing Diversity, Equity & Inclusion strategies. Spend at least three days a week in the office to accelerate decision-making and team connection.
Required Qualifications
- Experience working within a fast-paced procurement environment with multiple competing priorities
- Demonstrating the ability to autonomously manage, prioritise, and deliver a high-volume workload
- Strong category management experience across a broad range of Marketing and Corporate Services categories
- Agency category management experience
- Media category management experience
- Creative category management experience
- Professional services category management experience
- People services category management experience
- Facilities category management experience
- Business support functions category management experience
- Ability to apply the appropriate level of procurement rigour and resource based on project complexity, value, risk, and stakeholder requirements
- Proven track record of developing and executing category strategies that deliver commercial value, operational efficiencies, innovation, and risk mitigation across multiple spend areas
- Demonstrable experience leading complex sourcing events, negotiations, and high-value procurement projects from strategy through to contract execution within challenging timelines
- Strong understanding of procurement systems, governance, policies, and processes
- Proactive approach to identifying and implementing continuous improvement opportunities
- Ability to adapt quickly and reprioritise effectively within a dynamic and rapidly changing business environment
- Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to manage multiple complex issues simultaneously
- Collaborating effectively with stakeholders and suppliers
- Excellent communication, relationship management, and stakeholder engagement skills
- Ability to build credibility and trust at all levels of the organisation
- Strong supplier management and negotiation capabilities
- Experience developing partnerships that deliver measurable business value
- Excellent analytical, commercial, administrative, and presentation skills
- Ability to translate data into actionable insights and recommendations
- Confidence and self-motivation to work independently
- Ensuring key stakeholders and leadership teams remain appropriately informed and engaged
- A passion for continuous learning
- Curiosity about market trends and innovation
- Confidence to challenge existing approaches to improve business outcomes
- Spending at least 3 days a week in the office
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