Senior Category Manager

Senior Category Manager
Competitive Day Rate (inside IR35 via umbrella)
6 Month Contract
Hybrid Working (3 days onsite, 2 days remote)
Coventry City Centre

We are proud to be partnering with Severn Trent Water who are a leading provider of water and wastewater services in the UK, dedicated to delivering high-quality, reliable services to its customers now and into the future.

Role Overview:
Drive the development and execution of strategic commercial category plans for the Chemicals category, focusing on future demand planning and the delivery of sourcing initiatives that create value, support sustainability goals, and reduce supply risks in business-critical spend areas.

Key Responsibilities:
Lead the creation and management of category plans for key strategic spend areas, ensuring a clear pipeline of planned procurement activities is maintained.

Take ownership of spend oversight within the category, collaborating with stakeholders to increase spend under management and ensuring timely tendering or renewal of contracts before expiry.

Lead and oversee all tendering activities within the category, including managing negotiations that deliver value and achieve defined business objectives.

Engage with senior stakeholders to anticipate future demand within the category, influencing commercial decisions as part of wider business and budget planning processes.

Maintain deep market and operational insight into the strategic category, advising the business on emerging risks and opportunities. Develop and implement effective risk mitigation and contingency plans.

Embed Severn Trent’s sustainability commitments into all category and sourcing strategies. Collaborate with suppliers to enhance their capabilities, particularly in relation to sustainability performance.

Ensure full compliance with Severn Trent’s operating procedures and systems, maintaining accurate documentation throughout all procurement activities.

Actively contribute to departmental initiatives, promoting innovation and continuous improvement in procurement processes and outcomes.

Promote a safe, healthy, and positive working environment. Champion health, safety, and wellbeing for both internal teams and suppliers, proactively monitoring and managing any related risks.

Key Skills, Experience & Qualifications:
CIPS Level 6 qualified (or equivalent), or actively working towards completion.

Comprehensive knowledge of the full procurement lifecycle, with a strong track record of delivering successful commercial outcomes. Experience in Chemicals category and the utilities sector is highly desirable.

Skilled negotiator and influencer, able to secure value and achieve critical business objectives.

Clear and confident communicator, capable of leading and influencing stakeholder interactions at all levels, both internally and externally.

Strong analytical abilities, with the capability to interpret commercial and contractual performance data and translate it into actionable insights.

Technically proficient, with the ability to navigate and learn both standard and bespoke systems, including e-procurement tools.

Self-motivated and proactive, able to work independently using initiative and sound problem-solving skills to meet deadlines and budgets.

Change-oriented, with a demonstrated ability to drive continuous improvement initiatives across teams and wider organisational functions.

Preferably experienced in regulated procurement environments, with an understanding of relevant compliance and governance requirements.

If this role resonates with you or you may know someone, please send an updated CV to alex.donnellan@morson.com.