Category Procurement Manager – Indirect

About the role

The Procurement Manager – Indirect will lead strategic sourcing and category management across a range of indirect spend categories, supporting transformation initiatives that improve governance, reporting, supplier management and digital procurement systems.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and deliver sourcing and category strategies for Supply Chain, Facilities, Retail & Marketing, Corporate and Professional Services.
• Lead end‑to‑end RFx processes, supplier evaluations, negotiations and contracting in partnership with Legal and business stakeholders.
• Identify and deliver sustainable cost savings, value creation, supplier consolidation and efficiencies while maintaining service quality and supply continuity.
• Partner with Finance, Legal, IT and senior stakeholders to influence sourcing decisions and present data‑driven commercial recommendations.
• Support procurement policy, contract governance and operating model improvements across the Source‑to‑Pay lifecycle.
• Contribute to procurement transformation, process standardisation, change adoption and benefits realisation.
• Optimise procurement platforms such as SAP S/4HANA and SAP Ariba while ensuring data integrity.
• Develop dashboards and spend analytics to track savings, compliance, supplier performance and commercial outcomes.
• Strengthen supplier governance, risk practices and ESG considerations.

Required profile

• Extensive experience in strategic sourcing and category management across a broad range of indirect categories.
• Tertiary qualification in a business‑related field; professional procurement qualification (e.g., MCIPS) is valued.
• Proven track record supporting procurement transformation, governance and operating‑model improvements in complex, multi‑site organisations.
• Strong analytical and reporting skills, with experience developing KPI dashboards using Excel or Power BI.
• Confident stakeholder engagement, influencing, presentation and project‑management abilities.

Required skills

• SAP S/4HANA
• SAP Ariba (or similar procurement platforms)
• Advanced Excel
• Power BI

What we offer

• Learning and development programmes, including leadership and women‑in‑leadership courses.
• Annual salary reviews linked to performance.
• Hybrid work model – one day remote, four days onsite at the Preston Support Office.
• Paid parental leave (six weeks primary, one week secondary).
• Team member discounts, employee assistance programme and subsidised onsite canteen.
• Complimentary shuttle bus to nearby train stations.