Category Manager

Title: Category Manager

Contract Type: 12-month FTC, Full-Time, 35 hours

Salary: £55,270 per annum(London weighted salary) or £47,920 per annum (Regional salary), dependant onexperience

Grade: 10

Reporting Office: London, Stratford or Manchester, Trafford

Persona: Agile Worker: 20% - 40% of contractual hours to be worked from reporting office/working location (hybrid working)

Closing Date: 3rd October 2025

Interview Dates: W/C 20th October 2025

Click here for the Role ProfileCategory Manager Role Profile.pdf

Benefits include: Excellent pension plan (up to 6% double contribution), 28 days Annual Leave rising to 31 days with length of service + Bank Holidays, Westfield Health Cash Plan, non-contributory life assurance, up to 21 hours volunteering paid days, lifestyle benefits, Employee Assistance Programme and many more…

Early applications are encouraged as we reserve the right to close the advertisement and interview earlier than stated.

Join our Group ProcurementTeam at L&Q:

It’s an exciting time to join our Group Procurement Team as we embed a new structure focused on category management and business partnering, providing an operationally excellent service across L&Q.

As a Category Manager, you’ll play a key role in developing and implementing strategic sourcing plans across a range of goods and services. You’ll work closely with stakeholders to understand business needs, analyse supply markets, and deliver category strategies that optimise value, quality, and service.

You’ll be responsible for managing complex, multi-million-pound contract negotiations and ensuring compliance with legal and commercial standards. Experience working across both public and private sectors is essential.

You’ll be part of a collaborative team reporting to a Senior Procurement Manager and working alongside Procurement Managers, Category Managers, and Procurement Officers.

Are you a commercially minded procurement professional with experience in managing complex, high-value contracts across both public and private sectors?

Do you thrive in a dynamic environment where your market insight, negotiation skills, and strategic thinking help shape procurement outcomes?

If you’re a detail-oriented procurement professional with strong commercial acumen and a passion for delivering value, we would love for you to apply!

Your impact in the role:

• Shape and deliver category strategies across a wide range of goods and services, ensuring alignment with business needs and maximising value, quality, and service.
• Build deep market insight by analysing supply trends and key players, using this intelligence to inform strategic sourcing decisions.
• Collaborate with Procurement Managers to support the successful implementation of category solutions across the organisation.
• Lead complex, multi-million-pound contract negotiations with a strong commercial and legally compliant approach.
• Contribute to the transformation of procurement services through a newly structured team focused on category management and business partnering.

What you'll bring:

• Extensive experience in managing end-to-end procurement activity, with a strong understanding of Public Contracts Regulations.
• Proven ability to deliver procurement solutions tailored to stakeholder needs across both public and private sectors.
• Strong contract negotiation skills and commercial acumen.
• Ability to prepare detailed tender and contract documentation, and produce clear, insightful reports.
• Experience in Corporate Services categories is desirable.
• A collaborative mindset and a track record of delivering high-value outcomes in complex procurement environments.

If you require any reasonable adjustments at any stage during this process, including application stage, please email lqcareers@lqgroup.org.uk

About L&Q:

We’re one of the UK’s leading housing associations and developers. We were founded on a simple belief: high quality housing is vital for people’s health, happiness and security. Everyone deserves a quality home that gives them the chance to live a better life.

250,000 people call our properties ‘home’, and we’re proud to serve diverse communities across London, the South East and North West of England.

At L&Q, people are at the heart of our business and our success depends on employing the best people and getting the best from them. The foundation of everything that we are is built on our corporate values and behavioural framework, which outlines our core expectations and should be demonstrated at all times, and all levels, when representing L&Q.

L&Q strongly believe a diverse and inclusive workforce is important, and inclusion is part of our core values and everyday working practices. We make hiring decisions based on your experiences, skills and merits and we are recognised externally for our commitment to inclusion. We are a Stonewall Diversity Champion, a Disability Confident (Committed) employer and have signed the Time to Change Employer Pledge to demonstrate our commitment to end mental health discrimination in the workplace. Click here to read more.

At L&Q, sustainability is at the heart of what we do. We recognise the responsibility we hold as one of the UK’s largest housing associations.

Click here to find out more about L&Q and why you should join us!