Procurement Category Lead

PROCUREMENT CATEGORY LEAD 6-month contract, Full-tiime

Salary: 650 to 750 per day

Inside IR35

City of London 3 days a week on-site, 2 days from home

Keywords: procurement, category management, strategic sourcing, commercial negotiations, supplier relationship management, cost savings, governance frameworks, stakeholder engagement, process improvement, leadership

An exceptional opportunity has arisen for a Procurement Category Lead to join a highly respected global insurance organisation based in London. This role offers you the chance to take full ownership of a critical procurement category, driving strategic sourcing and commercial initiatives that directly impact business performance. You will be empowered to shape the vision and strategy for your category, lead complex negotiations, and deliver significant cost efficiencies while ensuring robust risk management and compliance. The organisation is committed to fostering a supportive and inclusive environment where your expertise will be valued, and your professional growth encouraged.

What you'll do:

• Lead the development and execution of the strategy and vision for your assigned global procurement category, ensuring alignment with overall business objectives.
• Negotiate all supply contracts and other critical agreements within your category, securing favourable terms that support long-term organisational goals.
• Identify, drive, and deliver targeted cost savings through effective sourcing strategies and supplier management initiatives.
• Champion procurement aspects of strategic change projects such as process automation or continuous improvement programmes, ensuring successful delivery of contracted outcomes.
• Develop robust governance frameworks to ensure adherence to internal policies, regulatory requirements, and industry best practices.
• Provide timely reports on progress against plans, budgets, and key performance indicators to senior leadership.
• Establish strong relationships with both internal stakeholders and external suppliers to facilitate innovation, manage contract obligations, and measure delivery performance.
• Create long-term supplier relationship strategies that add value to the business while managing risk effectively.

What you bring:

• Extensive experience in procurement category management within large-scale organisations, ideally in regulated industries such as financial services or insurance.
• Proven track record of leading complex commercial negotiations involving multi-million-pound contracts with outsourcing or BPO partners.
• Deep understanding of procurement processes across the full supplier lifecycle from initial sourcing through operational governance.
• Strong interpersonal skills enabling you to build trust-based relationships at all levels with internal customers as well as external suppliers.
• Excellent awareness of industry standards, legislative requirements, compliance environments, and best practice methodologies.
• Exceptional communication skills-both written and verbal-with the ability to produce detailed reports tailored for various audiences.

What sets this company apart:

This organisation stands out as an employer of choice due to its unwavering commitment to nurturing talent within a truly collaborative environment. As part of a global network renowned for its integrity and dependability in the market, you'll have the chance not only to influence key business decisions but also contribute meaningfully towards shared goals. The leadership team is approachable and genuinely invested in employee wellbeing; they actively seek feedback from staff at all levels so improvements can be made collectively. If you're seeking an environment where your expertise is recognised-and where your input helps shape future success-this is an outstanding place to advance your career.

What's next:

If you are ready to take ownership of a high-impact procurement category role within a supportive global team, this is your moment-apply now! Apply today by clicking on the link provided below. We are committed to creating an inclusive recruitment experience. If you have a disability or long-term health condition and require adjustments to the recruitment process, our Adjustment Concierge Service is here to support you. Please reach out to us at adjustments@robertwalters.com to discuss further.