Job Description

Category Manager - Materials
This is a rare opportunity to own a category with huge untapped potential, reset supplier expectations, challenge the status quo, and carve out a path directly toward becoming the future procurement lead.
Location: Hertfordshire ( Easily commutable from: Luton, Royston, Letchworth Garden City, Bedford)
Hybrid working (3-4 days on site) with monthly visit to Germany office / suppliers
55,000-60,000 + bonus + progression
Are you hungry for a role where you can make a visible, organisation shaping impact fast?
Do you thrive when there's opportunity and the autonomy to truly transform a category?
A long-established, UK-headquartered manufacturer (turnover 150m+) is searching for a dynamic, high-energy Category Manager to take ownership of a strategically critical spend area across their materials.
Category Manager role
This organisation operates across three UK manufacturing sites and a key site in Germany. You will visit the Germany site once a month to collaborate with the procurement team there as well as visiting your key German supply partner once a quarter to strengthen the working relationship.
The Materials Category covers c 20million spend across c15 key suppliers covering a diverse portfolio of fabrication and fit-out components such as joinery connectors, sheeting, adhesives, building materials and engineered fixings. Supply base is broadly UK, with one major long standing German partner.
What the Category Manager will do:
Strategic Category Ownership

• Build and execute robust category plans
• Lead supplier negotiations and SRM activities
• Benchmark, analyse cost structures, and improve total cost of ownership

Transforming Supplier Relationships

• Challenge historic ways of working
• Introduce improved reporting, performance metrics, and risk-mitigation frameworks
• Establish alternative sourcing options and maintain supplier intelligence

Cross-Functional Influence

• Work with stakeholders across manufacturing, technical, operations, supply chain and finance
• Educate non-procurement teams in best practice

Driving Procurement Excellence

• Support budget preparation, forecasting, and sustainable procurement reporting
• Drive waste elimination, improve process discipline, and lead ongoing improvement initiatives

What we're looking for in the Category Manager
We are looking for someone with appetite, enthusiasm, and a genuine desire to make a name for themselves. Impact in this role will be immediately visible, and your leadership potential quickly recognised. This role offers progression to senior leadership.
You'll need:

• Minimum of 3 years in a category management role
• Experience managing multi-million-pound spend categories
• Strong negotiation capability and confidence to challenge suppliers
• A proactive mindset, high energy and the drive to push through change
• Experience within manufacturing or supply chain environments
• Experience with German suppliers advantageous but not essential

Please note you must be able to travel monthly to Germany for this role.
Benefits for the Category Manager

• 55-60k salary
• Discretionary bonus
• Monthly travel
• Hybrid working, 3/4 days per week onsite in Letchworth Garden City
• Direct succession opportunity to senior leadership

Skills Required