Procurement Category Manager The Opportunity
A well-known name in food manufacturing is looking for a seasoned procurement leader to own their packaging and commodities category. You'll be the go-to person for sourcing, negotiating, and managing supplier relationships across a network of manufacturing sites, distribution centres and third-party partners — with real influence over how the business buys and who it buys from.
This isn't a back-office procurement role. You'll be working shoulder-to-shoulder with Planning, Operations, Quality, Finance and the Executive team, and your negotiations and category strategies will directly shape the bottom line.
What You'll Be Doing
- Running the sourcing process from strategy through to negotiation, landing deals that balance cost, quality and service
- Building out category plans for packaging materials and commodities (think sugar, cocoa, vegetable oils, dairy, plastics, paper)
- Keeping supply risk in check — financial, operational and service-related — and having a plan when things go sideways
- Partnering with Planning on forecasts and purchase orders, and with Accounts Payable when invoicing hiccups crop up
- Owning supplier performance: regular reviews, relationship management, and holding vendors accountable on quality
- Keeping data clean and current in Dynamics 365
- Feeding into Finance's budgeting and reporting cycles
- Championing sustainability initiatives where you can
What You'll Bring
- 10+ years in procurement, ideally with FMCG experience under your belt
- A track record of end-to-end category ownership — packaging and/or commodities specifically
- Confidence negotiating and managing contracts with suppliers of all sizes
- Comfort operating in a multi-site, complex business
- Hands-on ERP experience (Dynamics 365 highly regarded)
- The communication chops to talk shop with a site operator and an executive in the same day
- A degree or CIPS qualification in procurement, supply chain, business or project management
- Genuine curiosity about how AI tools can sharpen your reporting and decision-making
Why This Role
You'll get autonomy, a seat at the table with senior leadership, and a category that genuinely matters to the business. If you like owning outcomes rather than just processing purchase orders, this is built for you.
Procurement Category Manager - Food & Ingredients employer: Hydrogen UK Ltd
Join our dynamic team as a Financial Accountant, where you'll not only manage core finance functions but also lead the charge in ERP implementation and optimisation. Located in a collaborative environment, we offer a culture that values innovation and continuous improvement, providing you with ample opportunities for professional growth and development while working closely with senior stakeholders. With exposure to cutting-edge technology like Microsoft Dynamics 365, this role is perfect for those looking to make a meaningful impact in both finance and business systems.
