IT Category Manager

IT Category Manager 

Portsmouth, Hampshire | Permanent | Up to £66k per annum | Hybrid (2-3 days on-site per week) | Bonus + Excellent Pension

Our client is looking for an experienced IT Category Manager to lead strategic sourcing and category management across their IT portfolio. You'll be responsible for developing category strategies, managing key supplier relationships, and delivering commercial value through effective procurement and contract management. This is an excellent opportunity for a commercially driven procurement professional to influence business decisions and drive continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and continuously improve procurement best practices across the full procurement lifecycle.
• Lead commercial activities across the sourcing lifecycle, maximising value and minimising total cost of ownership.
• Manage strategic IT category spend, aligning procurement with business objectives and risk management.
• Develop and implement category and demand strategies based on stakeholder and business requirements.
• Collaborate with business leaders to reduce costs through standardisation, aggregation, and tail spend reduction.
• Build trusted relationships with internal stakeholders and suppliers, influencing at senior levels.
• Deliver excellent customer service through clear, proactive communication with internal and external partners.
• Drive continuous improvement in procurement processes to enhance efficiency and service delivery.
• Ensure compliance with procurement regulations, statutory obligations, and data protection requirements.
• Embed health, safety, and wellbeing principles into sourcing strategies and supplier selection.

Experience You'll Need:

• Ability to analyse and present complex commercial/contractual data and concepts to a wide range of stakeholders
• Strong organisational skills and ability to manage multiple workstreams
• Solid negotiation, influencing and resolution skills
• Outstanding communication skills and customer service ethic with strong stakeholder engagement capabilities
• Self-starter – resilient and tenacious under pressure and willingness to develop skills and experience
• Knowledge of the water industry and/or IT category specific supply chain
• Experience of strategic sourcing in a multi-stakeholder environment and working within multi-disciplinary teams
• Relevant transferable business and/or supply chain knowledge
• Track record in delivering against stretching target

Desirable Experience:

• Excellent proven commercial and contractual acumen
• Knowledge and experience of regulated procurement procedures (either UCR, PCR or PA23)
• CIPS or MCIPS qualified; or alternative qualifications in transferable expertise
• Project management experience or qualifications

Due to the volume of applications received for positions, it will not be possible to respond to all applications and only applicants who are considered suitable for interview will be contacted. 

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