Category Manager

Job Reference: HCC623401
Salary Range: £48,948 - £54,423 per annum
Work Location: Elizabeth II Court, Winchester (Hybrid Working)
Hours per week: 37
Contract Type: Permanent
Closing Date: 5 March 2026
Interview Date: w/c 16 March 2026

We are currently seeking a Procurement Category Manager to work in the Adults Health and Social Care Team.

The Strategic Procurement Team supports Hampshire County Council and Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire & Rescue Service. The team also provides procurement services to a number of other external clients including Local Authorities, National Park Authorities and Educational Establishments. The team delivers the procurement activity of both Adult Social Care and Public Health.

As part of the Strategic Procurement Team, your main tasks will be to plan, drive and deliver collaboration and effective stakeholder management to embed and apply a best practice commercial approach to in house spend, providing support and challenge across the Procurement lifecycle in order to deliver value for money outcomes.

You will be deployed to lead key initiatives across both Adults and Public Health by providing complex technical advice and guidance to clients on high value/complex projects, leading tender processes for services and delivering transformational savings through a commercial best practice approach.

In addition, you will be coaching and advising team members through the complexities of public sector procurement.

You will be a procurement professional with significant public sector procurement experience, across a range of categories, leading high value and complex tenders from market engagement through to contract award.

This experience will be supported by detailed working knowledge of the Procurement Act 2023, Procurement Regulations 2024; Public Contract Regulations 2015 and Provider Selection Regime (PSR) to be able to provide technical advice and guidance to clients and to demonstrate the ability to coach and advise team members through the complexities of public sector procurement.

To be successful in this role you will also have excellent stakeholder management skills, a positive 'can do' attitude and in-depth public sector strategic and operational procurement experience with knowledge of category management, sourcing methodologies and conflict resolution.

Hampshire County Council is nationally recognised as one of the highest performing local authorities in the UK. It is a forward looking local authority, and offers a pleasant working environment, flexible working, an excellent work/life balance and a central and well connected Head Office location in the heart of the city of Winchester.

If you think you have what it takes to make a real difference in Hampshire, get in touch!

Hampshire County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. We expect all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment.

In order to combat discrimination, no unnecessary conditions or requirements will be applied which could have a disproportionately adverse effect on any one group. All sections of the population will have equal access to jobs. No applicant or employee will receive less favourable treatment because of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage or civil partnership and pregnancy or maternity, unless a Genuine Occupational Requirement (GOR) applies.

We are a Disability Confident Employer - committed to ensuring that our recruitment and selection process is inclusive and accessible.