Category Manager

Category Manager | Manchester | £49,000

The Situation 

Ford and Stanley are currently collaborating with a global company specialising in railway systems. The focus of the company is supplying and maintaining trains, providing technical support, commissioning and testing and operating a manufacturing facility.

The Category Manager will take ownership of key categories, drive strategic alignment with international teams, and directly impact business performance and reliability. A vital role that offers the chance to implement creative solutions, and the opportunity to influence processes in a business that values innovation and proactive problem-solving.

The Category Manager will be fully responsible for a defined range of categories in the UK market, aligning procurement strategies with the central team in Spain, managing supplier relationships, and supporting local projects.

 The Opportunity

• Manage assigned categories (e.g., structure, rubber components, rubber-metal, gearbox, electrical repairs, dumpers, couplers, communication and information equipment).
• Align category strategies with the central procurement team in Spain.
• Lead supplier relationship management, including quarterly business reviews, service level agreements, and performance monitoring.
• Participate in supplier audits and ensure compliance.
• Collaborate closely with demand planning and project teams to ensure timely delivery of parts and services.
• Maintain up-to-date reporting on category spend and supplier KPIs.

Responsibilities:

• Compress supplier lead times and ensure reliable, timely delivery of parts.
• Achieve alignment of UK category strategies with the central procurement team in Spain.
• Ensure accurate and up-to-date reporting on category spend and supplier KPIs.

Essential Criteria

• CIPS certification (Level 5 preferred) or equivalent.
• Strong negotiation, contract management, and supplier relationship management experience.
• Excellent analytical, organisational, and communication skills.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders and work cross-functionally.
• Experience in an engineering-related industry is highly desirable.

Salary:

£49,000 plus wider company benefits

About Ford & Stanley Group

Ford & Stanley Talent Services Group are in the business of people and performance. Our mission is to create one million better workdays through facilitating great recruitment, leadership, and occupational mental fitness. We support our clients in their most challenging business areas - recruiting, developing, and retaining the best talent from shop floor to boardroom.

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Ford & Stanley Talent Services Group Ltd is a Disability Confident employer that is committed to a policy of equal opportunities for all opportunity seekers. We shall adhere to such a policy at all times and will review on an on-going basis all aspects of recruitment to avoid unlawful or undesirable discrimination. We will treat everyone equally irrespective sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, age, disability, colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief or political beliefs and we place an obligation upon all staff to respect and act in accordance with the policy.