Category Manager – AR

Category Manager – Royal Borough of Greenwich

Department: Finance – Procurement
Grade: PO7
Reports to: Category Lead

Role Overview

Royal Borough of Greenwich is seeking an experienced Category Manager to provide senior strategic procurement and commercial advice across the Council.

The successful candidate will work closely with senior managers and service areas to lead complex, high-value and high-risk procurement projects, ensuring the Council achieves value for money, social value and wider corporate objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement category procurement strategies and forward procurement plans.
• Lead end-to-end procurement exercises, including complex and high-value contracts.
• Provide expert procurement and contract management advice to senior managers and Council officers.
• Advise and challenge stakeholders on procurement strategy, tendering and commercial matters.
• Undertake market analysis and strategic sourcing to achieve improved services, savings and value for money.
• Support tender evaluation and moderation processes.
• Ensure procurement activity complies with the Procurement Act, Provider Selection Regime where applicable, Social Value Act and Council procurement requirements.
• Manage supplier relationships and identify and mitigate contractual and commercial risks.
• Monitor contract performance to maximise financial, service and social value benefits.
• Deliver procurement workshops and training to internal stakeholders and suppliers.
• Work with contractors, consultants, partners and other local authorities on procurement and contract management matters.
• Provide guidance and supervision to Procurement Officers and contribute to multi-disciplinary project teams.
• Mentor junior staff and support the development of procurement best practice.

Essential Experience

• Strong experience in strategic/category procurement, ideally within local government or the wider public sector.
• Proven experience managing complex and high-value procurement projects from strategy through to contract award.
• Strong knowledge of public-sector procurement legislation, particularly the Procurement Act and relevant procurement regulations.
• Experience providing procurement and commercial advice to senior stakeholders.
• Strong contract management, supplier relationship and risk management experience.
• Experience of strategic sourcing, market analysis and delivering value for money.
• Understanding of social value and sustainability within procurement.
• Experience leading projects and/or supervising procurement staff.

Key Skills

• Strategic Procurement & Category Management
• Contract & Supplier Management
• Commercial & Risk Management
• Stakeholder Management
• Public-Sector Procurement Legislation
• Strategic Sourcing & Market Analysis
• Tender Evaluation & Contract Award
• Leadership & Team Management

DBS: Not required.