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Assistant Category Manager
The Assistant Category Manager will support sourcing, negotiation, contracting, supplier management, and procurement governance across IT, Digital, and Professional Services/Enabling Functions categories, helping Cornerstone realise best value from third-party spend while managing supplier and commercial risk appropriately.
The role holder will support the end-to-end Source-to-Contract process, including business requirements, sourcing events, contract renewals, supplier onboarding, procurement documentation, reporting, and process improvement activity.
Working closely with the Category Manager, the role will provide practical delivery support, accurate analysis, and clear stakeholder / supplier communication to enable effective procurement decisions.
Compliance & Safety
- Support and contribute actively to health and safety, environmental, business continuity, ethical purchasing, and information security arrangements that meet Cornerstone obligations to its customers.
Sourcing Event Management
- Support and, where appropriate, run RFIs, RFQs, and RFPs for lower to medium complexity requirements across IT, Digital, and Professional Services categories (Indirect Spend).
- Support sourcing planning, supplier communications, evaluation activity, clarification logs, and recommendation papers.
- Maintain tender documentation, evaluation matrices, SharePoint records, and audit trails so sourcing activity is well controlled.
Supplier Management & Onboarding
- Support supplier onboarding and due diligence activity, including NDA, PQQ, anti-bribery, HSQE, Information Security, ESG, and business continuity requirements.
- Maintain supplier documentation and support supplier performance, risk, improvement, and commercial action tracking.
- Provide accurate data and documentation to support supplier selection, retention, and exit decisions.
Contract Management & Negotiation
- Support commercial negotiations for new and renewal agreements through pricing analysis, contract summaries, negotiation logs, and approval materials.
- Maintain the contract renewal pipeline for IT, Digital, and Professional Services suppliers, ensuring trigger dates, risks, and actions are visible.
- Assist with Statements of Work, order forms, Contract Approval Forms inputs, supplier terms, special conditions, and handover material, escalating issues as appropriate.
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Process Management
- Support procurement governance and Source-to-Contract processes from initiation to award in line with Cornerstone requirements.
- Work with internal departments on procurement needs, Purchase Order queries, and sourcing to contract handover.
- Support improvements to procurement documentation, supplier onboarding, reporting, contract renewals, and ways of working.
Reporting, Monitoring, and Tracking
- Track procurement initiatives, contract renewals, supplier risks, benefits, commercial actions, and key decision points.
- Produce procurement reports, spend analysis, benefit tracking, supplier performance information, and management updates.
- Maintain accurate records covering supplier documentation, contract expiry dates, pipeline activity, savings, and risk actions.
Stakeholder Support & Communication
- Build effective working relationships with stakeholders across IT, Digital, HR, Finance, Legal, Risk, Compliance, and other enabling functions.
- Draft clear procurement communications, support supplier briefings, and manage responses, clarifications, and follow-up actions.
- Provide practical support to the Category Manager and wider Procurement team with a focus on quality, pace, and governance.
Experience
- Experience in procurement, purchasing, supplier management, contract administration, or a commercial support environment.
- Experience supporting sourcing activity, supplier engagement, tender documentation, evaluation processes, or contract renewals.
- Experience working with internal stakeholders and external suppliers in a structured, process-led environment.
- Exposure to IT, Digital, Professional Services, or indirect procurement categories is desirable.
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Education
- Good standard of general education, including GCSE Maths and English or equivalent.
- Good standard of written English, with the ability to draft clear supplier and stakeholder communications.
- CIPS qualification, or working towards CIPS, is desirable.
Skills/Knowledge
- Good demonstrable working knowledge of Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
- Strong attention to detail and a thorough, methodical approach to documentation, data, governance, and follow-up actions.
- Good commercial awareness, with an ability to support pricing analysis, supplier comparisons, and value-for-money assessments.
- Understanding of procurement processes, supplier onboarding, contract renewals, and basic contract management principles.
- Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and stakeholder requests.
What we offer
- Competitive salary and an excellent bonus structure.
- 30 days holiday.
- Electric Car Scheme.
- Competitive pension scheme.
- Hybrid working.
- Life insurance.
- Cycle to Work.
- Retail Discounts.
- Competitive refer a friend scheme.
- Private Healthcare Insurance.
Our Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI)
Our commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) is fundamental to our success. We strive to cultivate an inclusive environment where every employee feels valued, respected, and empowered. By embracing unique perspectives and experiences, we drive innovation and drive our organisation forward. Therefore, we recognise the importance of welcoming applications from candidates of all backgrounds.
We want to ensure everyone is able to present their best self throughout the recruitment process, so if you require any adjustments, please let us know.
If this role is of interest to you and you would like to find out more, please do apply with an up-to-date version of your CV.
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