Category Manager

A Surrey-based business is seeking a Category Manager to manage a team of three and run full end to end category management activities.

Reporting to the Head of Commercial, this is an exciting and unique opportunity to join a team known for pushing boundaries and challenging the status quo. The business is undergoing a transformation and rapid growth in response to the success of its critically acclaimed global products.

This role of Category Manager will provide excellent commercial support and guidance to the team, allowing them to perform in a demanding and perfection driven industry.

As Category Manager your key duties and responsibilities will include:

• Act as liaison between the business and suppliers, ensuring stakeholder requirements and concerns are fully understood and ensure these are fed back during the appropriate stages to the suppliers.
• Work cross-functionally with stakeholder departments to drive quality, service and commercial rigour into every aspect of our business.
• Manage a category team of three to ensure the delivery of team objectives and personal objectives.
• Accountability & delivery of commercial cost management and cost-saving targets.
• Full procurement life-cycle responsibility and autonomy for sourcing of high quality, value for money goods and services, utilising robust and objective sourcing processes
• Maintain & develop where appropriate SRM processes with suppliers to build long term relationships and synergies based upon common goals 
• The setting of clear objectives and monitor the performance of suppliers and other functions within the organisation.

Skills and experience required:

It is desired the successful candidate will have the following skills and experience:

• Cross category procurement experience
• Demonstrated ability to lead negotiations and support in the development of negotiation strategies for large and complex projects and contracts.
• Strong leadership qualities and excellent influencing and interpersonal skills. Happy to challenge authority.
• Excellent organisational skills, deadline adherence and exceptional attention to accuracy and detail.
• Excellent written and presentational skills.
• Educated to degree level or equivalent.
• Ability to understand complex and abstract concepts (legal, technical and/or commercial) and being able to present the information in an informative and simplified manner; such that key decisions can be made quickly and objectively.
• Able to demonstrate a methodical approach to problem-solving.
• Ability to prioritise a demanding workload and manage stakeholders accordingly.
• Strong numerical ability.
• Strong communicator/influencer.

Benefits of the role include:

• £50-60,000
• Private medical
• Pension
• Life assurance
• Flexible benefits