Procurement Category Lead - IT

We’re currently recruiting for an exciting opportunity for a Category Lead – IT/Technology to take ownership of a broad and strategically important range of Indirect spend portfolio.

We're working with a Financial Services group who are currently undergoing a procurement transformation, to build a more strategic function across the group.

This is a great opportunity for a commercially minded IT procurement professional who enjoys operating at both strategic and operational levels, developing category strategies, leading complex sourcing activity and delivering measurable value across a technology estate.

You’ll be responsible for developing and delivering sourcing strategies across software, hardware, cloud and IT services, ensuring technology investment is cost-effective, scalable, secure and aligned with wider business and digital transformation objectives.

You’ll lead the end-to-end procurement lifecycle across IT and Technology categories, managing significant spend and working closely with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Leading the end-to-end procurement lifecycle across IT and Technology categories.

• Developing and implementing effective IT category and sourcing strategies.

• Managing procurement across SaaS, PaaS, IaaS and enterprise applications, with a focus on licence optimisation and value.

• Leading sourcing activity for IT hardware, devices, networks and infrastructure.

• Managing procurement of managed services, consultancy and IT support services.

• Negotiating complex commercial agreements, contracts and SLAs with key technology suppliers.

• Identifying opportunities for cost optimisation, supplier consolidation and improved commercial value.

• Supporting the adoption of procurement technology and automation to improve efficiency, visibility and governance.

• Ensuring procurement activity aligns with data security, regulatory and cyber-risk requirements.

• Building strong relationships with stakeholders across Technology, Finance, Legal, Risk and the wider business.

• Driving continuous improvement and bringing innovation into the IT procurement function.

We’re looking for an experienced IT/Technology procurement professional with a strong commercial mindset and a proven track record of delivering value.

You’ll ideally bring:

• Strong procurement experience across IT or Technology categories.

• A good understanding of software, cloud, hardware and IT services markets.

• Proven experience delivering cost savings, cost optimisation and wider value creation.

• Experience using procurement platforms such as SAP Ariba, Coupa or Oracle.

• Strong negotiation, commercial and contract management skills.

• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence both technical and non-technical audiences.

• A data-driven approach with a genuine focus on continuous improvement and innovation.

• Experience working within a complex or regulated environment would be advantageous.

• A professional procurement qualification such as CIPS, CPSM or equivalent is preferred.

• A degree in Business, IT, Supply Chain or a related discipline would be advantageous.

HYBRID MANCHESTER OR PETERBOROUGH BASE - THREE DAYS ON SITE

£70 to £80k as a base Plus Bonus, Pension and Benefits