Balfour Beatty plc
Procurement Category Manager
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About The Role
Our projects are more than just your opportunity to make your mark. They’re an opportunity to stretch, test and develop your expertise. Join Balfour Beatty as an IT Procurement Category Manager and you’ll deliver complex work that really matters to our business, and the world around you.
The successful candidate can be based from a number of our UK main hubs including London, Basingstoke, Newcastle, and Motherwell.
As a Category Manager, you will take ownership of the procurement and strategic management of IT services across the organisation. This is a key role requiring strong commercial awareness, a thorough understanding of IT supply markets, and the ability to build effective relationships with both suppliers and internal stakeholders.
Working closely with business leaders and key stakeholders, you will identify requirements, provide expert procurement guidance, and lead sourcing activities that deliver value, manage risk, and support organisational objectives. You will ensure robust procurement processes and due diligence are undertaken to establish and maintain a high-performing supply chain.
What you'll be doing
- Develop and deliver a category strategy that supports business objectives, stakeholder requirements, and sustainability goals.
- Lead end-to-end sourcing activities through the eProcurement platform, ensuring procurement exercises align with category plans and business needs.
- Build strong relationships with stakeholders across the organisation, providing procurement expertise and ensuring appropriate engagement in all sourcing and supplier-related activities.
- Negotiate commercial agreements and contracts with suppliers in line with Group policies, governance requirements, and stakeholder expectations.
- Drive effective Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) practices, establishing clear performance measures, governance frameworks, and continuous improvement initiatives. This includes managing supplier performance improvement plans where required.
- Ensure suppliers operate in compliance with all relevant legal, regulatory, and ethical standards, while consistently delivering high levels of quality and service.
- Develop, implement, and maintain a preferred supplier framework that supports the overall category strategy and promotes procurement compliance across all Strategic Business Units.
- Provide clear, timely, and effective communication on procurement activities, category developments, and supplier performance to key stakeholders.
- Monitor market trends, emerging technologies, and supplier capabilities to identify opportunities for innovation, value creation, and risk mitigation.
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Who we're looking for
Qualifications & Experience
- 3+ years experience in procurement and category management, with at least 3-5 years' experience within an IT procurement environment is absolutely essential.
- Degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, or a related discipline is desirable.
- CIPS qualified, studying towards CIPS, or holding an equivalent professional qualification is desirable.
- Demonstrable experience leading end-to-end sourcing, tendering, and supplier selection activities.
- Strong experience reviewing, negotiating, and managing commercial agreements, including terms and conditions.
- Sound understanding of procurement best practice, market trends, supplier management, and relevant regulations.
- Experience building and maintaining effective supplier relationships and driving supplier performance.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office applications and procurement/eProcurement systems.
Skills & Attributes
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage and influence stakeholders at all levels of the business.
- Strong commercial awareness and negotiation skills, with a track record of delivering successful outcomes.
- Able to manage multiple priorities and projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
- Highly analytical, with strong problem-solving and decision-making capabilities.
- Confident facilitating discussions, driving consensus, and ensuring key decisions are made.
- Excellent organisational and time management skills, with the ability to work to deadlines and manage competing priorities.
- Comfortable working with senior leaders, demonstrating strong listening skills and an ability to focus on business-critical issues.
Behaviours
We're Looking For Someone Who
- Takes ownership of their work and is motivated to deliver high-quality outcomes.
- Demonstrates professionalism, integrity, and accountability in everything they do.
- Is self-motivated and able to work autonomously while remaining a collaborative team player.
- Builds positive and productive relationships with colleagues, stakeholders, and suppliers.
- Has a proactive mindset and a genuine desire to drive positive change and continuous improvement within the procurement function.
- Brings a positive attitude, energy, and enthusiasm to the team.
Why work for us
Day in, day out, our teams deliver some of the UK’s most ambitious, exciting, and meaningful projects; developing, building, and maintaining the vital infrastructure that supports national economies and strengthens communities.
Why join us?
Benefits
As if contributing to and supporting work that makes life better for millions wasn’t rewarding enough, we offer a full range of benefits too. You’ll have the freedom to shape the package that’s right for you and your life. Here are some of our key benefits:
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- Smart working, giving you more flexibility such as staggered start and finish times, with up to 40% remote working, where roles allow.
- 25 days paid annual leave (pro rata)
- Family-friendly policies which include 28 weeks full pay for maternity/adoption leave and four weeks full pay for paternity/partners leave
- Pension, share incentive plan, volunteering leave, recognition schemes, and much more…
About Us
Balfour Beatty Group Enabling Functions are Legal, Finance, IT, and Procurement, Communications, Health Safety and Environment, HR, and Sustainability. Together, they support the delivery of our Build to Last strategy while improving efficiencies and standardising our approach, systems, and processes.
Diversity and inclusion
At Balfour Beatty, we believe that diversity and inclusion are essential components of any successful, happy workplace. Through our Value Everyone Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and Action Plan, we are growing our diverse workforce and developing our inclusive culture where everyone is able to thrive and reach their full potential, regardless of their identity or background. To find out how we are making this a reality, visit www.balfourbeatty.com/diversityandinclusion.
To help and support us with our desired commitment to create an inclusive culture, we are members of WISE, enei, Business Disability Forum, and the Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers (AFBE). In 2020, we signed the Audeliss and Involve Open Letter to demonstrate our commitment to taking key long-term and sustainable actions on Black Inclusion. Balfour Beatty is also a Gold Award holder in the Ministry of Defence 'Employer Recognition Scheme' and actively encourage applications from Armed Forces personnel, veterans, and reservists.
As a Disability Confident Employer, we are committed to working with people who have disabilities and long-term health conditions to remove barriers for them in obtaining employment. We are also committed to offering applicants with a disability an interview if they meet the minimum requirements for the role. For more info, visit: https://disabilityconfident.campaign.gov.uk/
We are looking to continually improve our resourcing process and ensure that it is fair and inclusive for all. If you have any feedback on the process, please share this with us at: candidaterecruitmentqueries@balfourbeatty.com
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