Head of Direct Procurement

Head of Category - Direct

Salary: Up to £80,000 + Bonus
Location: Plymouth
Permanent | Full-Time

A leading manufacturing business is seeking an experienced procurement leader to join its senior team as Head of Category - Direct. This is a high-profile opportunity to take ownership of a substantial direct spend portfolio worth £130m-£160m annually whilst leading a team responsible for category strategy, supplier performance, commercial value delivery and risk management.

Reporting to the Procurement Director, you will play a critical role in shaping procurement strategy, driving commercial performance and ensuring the business remains supported by a resilient, high-performing supply chain.

The Opportunity

As Head of Category - Direct, you will lead the development and execution of category strategies across a broad range of direct materials and services. Working closely with stakeholders across engineering, production, planning, logistics, finance and commercial functions, you will deliver measurable cost savings, improve supplier performance and reduce operational risk.

Alongside category leadership, you will be responsible for developing people, processes and systems to create a high-performing procurement function capable of supporting future business growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead a direct procurement spend portfolio valued between £130m and £160m per annum.
• Manage, coach and develop the Direct Category Management team.
• Create and implement category strategies that deliver sustainable savings and commercial value.
• Lead supplier sourcing, selection and negotiation activities to achieve the best commercial outcomes.
• Increase contracted spend and drive robust contract lifecycle management.
• Develop strategic supplier relationships and supplier segmentation programmes.
• Identify and mitigate supply chain risks to ensure continuity of supply.
• Collaborate with planning, development and purchasing teams to optimise demand and supply activities.
• Support working capital improvement initiatives and operational efficiency programmes.
• Resolve escalated supplier, order book and master data issues.
• Drive continuous improvement across procurement processes, systems and ways of working.

What We're Looking For

• Significant category management leadership experience within a manufacturing, engineering or complex industrial environment.
• Proven track record delivering procurement savings, supplier performance improvements and risk reduction initiatives.
• Strong commercial acumen with excellent negotiation and contract management skills.
• Experience leading high-performing procurement or category management teams.
• Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence at all levels of the organisation.
• Experience working with ERP systems and source-to-pay (S2P) platforms.
• Data-driven approach to decision making and performance management.
• Knowledge of continuous improvement methodologies.
• Degree-level qualification in Business, Engineering or a related discipline.
• CIPS qualification or equivalent professional procurement accreditation.

What's on Offer

• Salary up to £80,000 DOE
• Annual bonus (discretionary)
• Permanent position
• Opportunity to lead a significant procurement spend portfolio
• Strategic role with senior stakeholder exposure
• Career development within a successful and growing manufacturing organisation

This is an excellent opportunity for a senior procurement professional looking to take ownership of a substantial direct spend portfolio and make a significant impact within a complex manufacturing environment.

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Butler Rose is committed to equality in the workplace and is an equal opportunity employer.
Butler Rose Ltd is acting as an Employment Business in relation to this vacancy.

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