Category Manager

Thales
United Kingdom
Workplace: HybridFull timeFunction: Procurement & SourcingSkills: ["Supplier relationship management","Cost savings delivery","Commercial negotiation","Stakeholder management","Risk identification"]

Own strategic supplier relationships and implement Group category strategies across Thales UK. Drive cost savings through negotiations, supplier performance improvement, and demand management, while optimizing the supplier landscape through consolidation and rationalisation. Lead governance, executive reviews, KPI management, and risk identification/mitigation. Act as the lead procurement advisor to senior stakeholders and support sourcing, renewals, and tendering activities for assigned categories.

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FursaFursa
Thales
Thales
3 hours ago

Category Manager

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Canonical indexed version, validated from employer's careers page.

Source: Company careers pageValidated by: Fursa AI
Last checked: 3 hours agoStatus: Live

Job Summary

Own strategic supplier relationships and implement Group category strategies across Thales UK. Drive cost savings through negotiations, supplier performance improvement, and demand management, while optimizing the supplier landscape through consolidation and rationalisation. Lead governance, executive reviews, KPI management, and risk identification/mitigation. Act as the lead procurement advisor to senior stakeholders and support sourcing, renewals, and tendering activities for assigned categories.
Location: United Kingdom
Workplace: Hybrid
Employment Type: Full time
Job Function: Procurement & Sourcing

Key Responsibilities

  • •Act as the commercial owner for key strategic suppliers, leading governance, executive reviews, and performance management.
  • •Deliver annual cost savings and value targets through commercial negotiations and supplier performance improvements.
  • •Drive supplier accountability using KPI management, continuous improvement plans, and robust governance.
  • •Build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders and act as lead procurement advisor for assigned categories.
  • •Implement Group category strategies in the UK, optimize the supplier landscape, and lead sourcing/renewals/tendering where required.

Pay and Benefits

Perks:Health InsurancePensionPaid LeaveGym Membership

Key Requirements

  • •Significant experience managing strategic suppliers and complex service-based contracts.
  • •Proven track record delivering cost savings and commercial value.
  • •Extensive experience of supplier governance and supplier performance improvement programmes.
  • •Strong senior stakeholder management and influencing capability.
  • •Experience managing supply base optimisation initiatives; CIPS qualification or equivalent experience desirable.
Skills:Supplier relationship managementCost savings deliveryCommercial negotiationStakeholder managementRisk identification

Eligibility

Security Clearance:SC

Company Brief

Thales
Designs and delivers advanced systems and services for aerospace, defence, security, and digital identity and cybersecurity markets, serving government and commercial customers worldwide.
Industry: Defense Technology
Company Size: Enterprise (1,001+ employees)
Revenue: USD 1B+
Growth: Public Company
Valuation: Public Company (Market Cap in USD)
Funding: IPO / Publicly Listed
Headquarters: Paris, France
Founded: 2000
WebsiteLinkedIn