Assistant Category Manager

Co-op; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A major UK retailer is seeking an Assistant Category Manager for their HR and Professional Services procurement strategy. This role is based in Manchester with a hybrid working model, allowing flexibility between remote and office tasks. You will manage categories end-to-end, ensuring value for services such as training and uniforms. The ideal candidate will have strong communication skills, procurement experience, and a knack for negotiation. In return, the company offers a competitive benefits package including a bonus and substantial holiday allowance.

Benefits

Annual bonus

28 days holiday

Pension with up to 10% employer contributions

Subsidised onsite gym

Career development coaching

Wagestream app

Qualifications

• Good communication skills with the ability to build relationships.
• Experience working across the procurement lifecycle.
• High level of attention to detail and data analysis capabilities.
• Ability to work under pressure and manage changing deadlines.
• Good negotiation skills and sound commercial thinking.

Responsibilities

• Own categories end-to-end, leading partner and supplier engagement.
• Analyse financial, supplier, and market data to identify trends.
• Execute sourcing activity in line with the category plan.
• Support sourcing projects across the wider category.
• Facilitate key supplier meetings and governance.

Skills

Good communication skills

Experience in procurement lifecycle

Attention to detail

Resilience and drive

Negotiation skills

Job description

Assistant Category Manager - HR and Professional Services

Manchester city centre (Hybrid working)

We're now working in a hybrid way, with colleagues dividing their time between home/remote working and the office

We're looking for an Assistant Category Manager to join us at Co-op and drive our procurement strategy within HR (Human Resources) and Professional Services. Our team looks after everything from consultancy and contingent labour through to uniforms and travel, so you can be sure there's a lot of variety. You'll play a key part in supporting our strategic activity, making sure we get the best value for money so we can give the best experience to our members, customers, and colleagues.

In this role, you'll focus on driving great value by building positive relationships with our internal and external partners. Your role will focus on our spend on key services such as training and uniforms. If you've got the skills and experience we need, we can offer you the opportunity to grow your career with a business that always puts people at the heart of its strategy.

What you'll do

• Own your categories end-to-end, leading partner and supplier engagement, planning, sourcing and supplier management
• Analyse financial, supplier and market data to identify trends, delivering value, service improvements and commercial benefits
• Execute sourcing activity in line with the category plan, including tendering, analysis, selection, negotiation and contracting with suppliers
• Support sourcing projects across the wider category
• Facilitate key supplier meetings and governance, protecting and generating value

This role would suit people who have

• Good communication skills with the ability to build relationships with internal and external partners
• Experience working across the procurement lifecycle, from category planning to sourcing and supplier management
• A high level of attention to detail and the ability to analyse and interpret data using intermediate Excel skills
• Resilience and drive, with the ability to work under pressure and prioritise, whilst managing changing deadlines and conflicting priorities
• Good negotiation skills and sound commercial thinking

Why Co-op?

• An annual bonus (based on personal and business performance)
• 28 days holiday (rising to 32 with service) plus bank holidays
• A pension with up to 10% employer contributions
• Access to a subsidised onsite gym (at our Manchester HQ)
• Coaching and training to support your career development
• Wagestream app - giving you access to a percentage of your pay as you earn

Building a diverse environment

We're actively building diverse teams and we welcome applications from everyone. If you have a

disability, we can make reasonable adjustments to our recruitment process according to your needs. We're also part of the Disability Confident scheme, meaning we'll always offer an interview to disabled candidates who apply through the scheme if they meet the minimum criteria for a job.

We'll ask whether you'd like to be considered under the Disability Confident scheme when you apply.

If we invite you to take part in the recruitment process for any of our jobs, we'll ask you if you need any reasonable adjustments to enable you to participate.

You can find out more about our recruitment process at jobs.coop.co.uk/apply-process

You can find out more about the Disability Confident scheme at Disability Confident Scheme - Co-op Colleagues and more about our commitments to diversity and inclusion at Diversity and Inclusion

Please note that we may close applications for this role early.

As part of your application, you'll need to complete an online assessment. This assessment typically takes up to 50 minutes. If you're a current Co-op colleague, this does not need to be completed.