Interim Category Manager - Datacenter & Network Infrastructure

Category Manager (Technology, Datacenter & Network Infrastructure)

• 6 months Initially
• London based (Hybrid working)
• £600 to £650 inside IR35
• Starting ASAP

This role sits within Group Procurement function, supporting Datacenter and Network Infrastructure within the Technology spend tower. You’ll be responsible for managing strategic sourcing and supplier relationships across a significant annual spend, with a strong focus on Datacenter Co-Location and Hosting and associated services in addition to experience management of Value-Added Resellers. You’ll work globally across teams in London, Bangalore, New York, Tokyo and Beijing, partnering with technology leaders with a focus on transformation project, finance, legal, and vendor management to deliver commercial value, innovation, and risk mitigation. The role blends strategic planning, supplier contract award and hands-on sourcing, contributing to transformation roadmap and procurement excellence. This is a high-impact role for someone with deep procurement expertise, strong commercial acumen, and the ability to influence senior internal partners and suppliers in a complex, global environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Define, develop and implement category strategies for the group.
• Drive supplier consolidation and preferred vendor adoption.
• Use data and market insights to guide sourcing decisions and Infrastructure hardware investments.
• Anticipate procurement risks (e.g., global demand supply risks, vendor lock-in) and develop mitigation strategies.
• Lead sourcing initiatives, RFPs, and contract negotiations for Datacenter Co-Location vendors.
• Ensure contracts protect interests and manage operational and contractual risks.
• Leverage tools like e-Procurement and e-Auctions to drive value.
• Support supplier performance improvement and risk management.
• Build strong relationships with technology and business leaders, especially Datacentre Services Group, Infrastructure/ Network engineering, architecture, and IT operations.
• Act as a commercial advisor and escalation point for vendor issues.
• Oversee renewals and ensure focus on high-value opportunities (e.g. product acquisition, lifetime support and software licencing)
• Maintain procurement systems and track savings, compliance, and Infrastructure hardware/software usage.
• Support end-to-end sourcing processes and contract variations.
• Promote best practices and support procurement transformation.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Strong procurement background in Technology, with a focus on Datacenter and Network Infrastructure Category.
• Proven experience in OEM contract negotiation, support and maintenance, licensing models, and supplier management.
• Knowledge of Infrastructure hardware/software/service acquisition pricing models (e.g., subscription, perpetual, managed services and consumption-based), contract terms, and risk management.
• Strong analytical, project management, and communication skills.
• Ability to influence internal partners up to Executive level.
• Degree educated; experience in regulated or global environments preferred.

Desirable

• MCIPS or similar procurement qualification.
• Experience in negotiating and managing OEM contracts with Equinix, Digital Realty , NTT , Arista , Cisco, F5, Checkpoint and Global Value-Added Resellers
• Experience in Financial Services, FinTech, or global organisations.