Role: Category Manager Professional Services / Recruitment

Location: Hybrid / 2/3 days On site [UK Wide] Bristol

Salary: £50,000 - £60,000 + 25 Days + Bank + Company Shares + Life + Health

Opportunity:

Do you want to take your procurement career to the next level? I'm looking for ambitious, motivated and enthusiastic procurement professional to be a mange a range of suppliers across recruitment and professional services for programmes associated with MOD.

This is a great opportunity to join a growing team and bring your experience working across category management, procurement and contract management to add value across projects with multiple challenging stakeholders.

You will be deeply embedded with centralised procurement function driving delivery with suppliers supporting wider programmes and playing a pivotal role in achieving mission critical goals of wider UK defence strategy.

The opportunity to grow develop and progress within the diverse project teams will give you new skills and experience for your future career. This role will give you exposure to cutting edge innovative technology and you will be on the front-line of developments across UK defence strategy. You will gain credibility working with leaders of industry who will give you fast tracked career progression opportunities unparalleled elsewhere.

Job Summary:

As a Category Manager you will work closely with project managers, centralised procurement function, and suppliers to ensure the timely and cost-effective procurement of recruitment services, contingent labour, and professional services required for successful project execution. Your expertise in procurement strategies, contract negotiations, and supplier management will be crucial in ensuring project success and delivering high-quality outcomes.

• Developing and implementing benchmark procurement category strategies for Contingent Labour, Recruitment and Offload categories
• Owning the relationship across UK PLC Business Units and the labour suppliers to deliver resource aligned to the strategy
• Working closely with Central Procurement stakeholders to develop innovative solutions to labour based requirements across critical skill sets
• Leading a team of Procurement Professionals to deliver resourcing requirements to the business, aligned to the external and internal market
• Liaising with key and often senior stakeholders across the UK to determine project and service requirements
• You'll also have people manager responsibilities in this role of at least one direct report.

Qualifications and Skills:

1. Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, or a related field. A master's degree or professional certification.
2. Proven experience in procurement and supply chain management, in recruitment, labour, professional services
3. Strong knowledge of procurement principles, practices, and strategies, including strategic sourcing, contract management, and supplier relationship management.
4. Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously, meeting tight deadlines while maintaining attention to detail.
5. Excellent negotiation and communication skills, with the ability to effectively interact with stakeholders at various levels, both internally and externally.
6. Proficient in using procurement software and tools, as well as MS Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
7. Familiarity with manufacturing processes and materials used in complex programs, such as aerospace, automotive, or heavy machinery, is highly desirable.
8. Analytical mindset with the ability to leverage data and market insights to make informed procurement decisions.
9. Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to anticipate and mitigate procurement risks.
10. Proactive and results-oriented, with a focus on delivering high-quality outcomes and driving continuous improvement.

If you are a self-motivated procurement professional with key experience across category management of recruitment services I want to hear from you. Apply online and ideally also send your CV to tom.dykes@1st-executive.com so we can arrange a time to discuss your background, suitability and the role itself in more detail.