Category Manager

AWE is recruiting a Category Manager to be responsible for the implementation and delivery of Category Management, Strategic Sourcing and Supplier Relationship Management for the Equipment category within Research, Development, Materials and Equipment team.

Location: RG7 4PR, located between Reading and Basingstoke, with free onsite parking. Relocating to Green Park from October 2025.

Package: £47,760 to £65,000 (depending on your suitability, qualifications, and level of experience)

Working pattern: AWE operates a 9-day working fortnight. We will consider flexible working requests so that your work may fit in with your lifestyle. Just let us know your preferred working pattern on your application.

Let us introduce the role

As the Category Manager, you will focus on the strategic management of the Equipment category. This will include understanding business strategies, spend profiles, markets, business requirements, risks, opportunities, and economic factors, to develop a strategy that will underpin our long-term commercial decisions.

You will execute strategic sourcing activities and supplier relationship management in order to manage the direct procurement of Equipment, which includes anything from Laboratory and scientific equipment to machine tools, with the ultimate objective of leveraging and securing AWE's supplier base to support its current and future business requirements, whilst mitigating risks.

You will work closely with key internal and external stakeholders and supply partners, with key elements of the role including:

Developing and implementing category strategies to deliver robust commercial outcomes.

Supporting and executing strategic sourcing activities in line with approved category strategies and governance procedures, including the execution of the tender process, supplier evaluation and selection, contract negotiation, business award and contract handover to the business.

Support the execution of Supplier Relationship Management for key suppliers, including supplier segmentation, contract management, supplier risks identification and mitigation.

Who are we looking for?

We are ideally looking for Category Managers, Commodity Managers and/or Strategic Buyers who look at procurement with a strategic focus rather than through a tactical lens. Those who look at the bigger picture, providing commercially robust solutions to secure supply for the long-term, and deliver value for money.

Previous public sector experience or worked in a highly regulated environment and understands the importance of governance is advantageous, but not essential.

Whilst not to be considered a tick list, we'd like you to have experience in some of the following:

Drafting, reviewing and negotiating complex contractual arrangements.

Strategic category management.

Managing multiple stakeholders and priorities.

Pricing arrangements e.g. target cost incentive fee.

Intellectual Property Rights, Trade Controls and Earned Value Management.

Preparing tender packages, conducting tender conferences, developing evaluation criteria, analysing and evaluating proposals, negotiating subcontract provisions, subcontractor selection.

Working within a Commercial function.

Delivering change programmes.

Working in cross-functional teams across multiple programmes.

Some reasons we think you'll love it here:

AWE has wide range of benefits to suit you. These include:

9-day working fortnight - meaning you get every other Friday off work, in addition to 270 hours of annual leave.

Market leading contributory pension scheme (we will pay between 9% and 13% of your pensionable pay depending on your contributions).

Family friendly policies: Maternity Leave - 39 Weeks Full Pay and Paternity Leave - 4 Weeks Full Pay.

Opportunities for Professional Career Development including funding for annual membership of a relevant professional body.

Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health Services.

Life Assurance (4 x annual salary).

Discounts - access to savings on a wide range of everyday spending.

Special Leave Policy including paid time off for volunteering, public service (including reserve forces) and caring.

The 'Working at AWE' page on our website is where you can find full details in the 'AWE Benefits Guide'.

Hybrid working is available for this role on an informal, non-contractual basis. Typically 2 days onsite per week.

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