Category Manager

£47,813 to £60,000

Warwick (Hybrid, 3 days office, 2 days remote)

About Us
National Gas is securing Britain's energy. We transport gas throughout Great Britain, repair and maintain gas pipelines, and manage the meters that allow millions of homes and businesses to access the energy they need. We are the national gas network, providing secure energy to power Britain, achieve net zero, and maintain our industrial competitiveness.

About The Role
Ready to shape the future of asset health and drive real impact in supply chain strategy? Join us as our next Category Manager focusing on Asset Health and help power the success of National Gas

As Category Manager covering, you'll be at the heart of our Supply Chain and Commercial team, leading the way in strategic sourcing and supplier performance management. Your work will directly influence how we secure, manage, and optimise our supply base, ensuring we deliver value and innovation across our asset health categories. This is your chance to make a tangible difference in a business that keeps the UK's energy infrastructure running.

What you'll be doing

• Develop and deliver category and sourcing strategies for asset health, using data analysis and market insights.
• Lead complex sourcing projects, from supplier identification and market research to tender management, negotiation, and contract award.
• Track supply market trends, risks, and opportunities, maintaining strong engagement with suppliers and stakeholders.
• Support governance, risk, and compliance management to protect and enhance National Gas's interests.
• Collaborate with regional procurement teams, aligning central strategies with local needs and sharing best practices.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key suppliers, leveraging collective buying power.
• Coach, mentor, and support team members to achieve shared objectives.

About You
You're a confident communicator and a natural collaborator, able to build strong relationships and influence at all levels. Your proactive approach and analytical mindset mean you thrive in fast-paced environments and are always looking for ways to drive improvement.

Key Requirements & Experience
Essential:

• Proven experience in strategic sourcing or procurement, with a track record of delivering results and continuous improvement.
• Strong understanding of procurement practices, including category spend analysis, sourcing processes, and supplier management.
• Hands-on experience in requirement definition, sourcing planning, supplier management, and competitive bidding.
• Experience working with UCR2016 and PA23.
• Advanced skills in business requirement analysis, contract drafting, stakeholder management, and negotiation.
• A desire to get out and about meeting suppliers, getting to site and learning about the business and category.

Desirable:

• Category experience (Asset Health).
• MCIPS Chartership.
• Knowledge and understanding of construction contracts (preferably NEC4 ECC/ECSC).

What we offer

• Annual bonus of 6% based on personal and company performance
• 26 days' holiday plus statutory holidays - option available to buy extra or sell days
• Overtime at x1.5 normal and then x2 on Sunday
• Double-match pension scheme - for every £1 you put in, we'll add £2 (max company contribution 12%)
• Opt-In flexible benefit scheme, including salary sacrifice private healthcare, dental insurance, technology plans and more
• Financial protection with 10x salary death in service and financial support if you're unable to work due to long term illness or injury
• Excellent family friendly provisions - maternity/paternity/adoption/surrogacy/shared parental leave
• Career progression, professional training and development – including access to LinkedIn Learning
• Employee assistance programme offering free confidential professional counselling 24/7
• Financial support to help you cover the cost of professional membership subscriptions
• Flexible working hours
• Free gym and exercise classes, subsidised canteen and coffee shop onsite at our Warwick office
• Free parking

Inclusive recruitment

At National Gas, we are disability confident and we are signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant, committed to building a workforce that represents the communities we serve. We celebrate the different experiences our colleagues bring to our organisation, and strongly encourage applicants of all backgrounds to apply. Please let us know of any reasonable adjustments you need to perform your best.