Category Manager - Directs

Are you experienced in sourcing direct materials and negotiating with global suppliers?

Do you thrive in a fast-paced manufacturing environment where strategic procurement drives performance?

Ready to take ownership of key raw material categories and influence long-term supply decisions?

If this sounds like you, click apply to take the next steps!

The Opportunity

An exciting opportunity has become available to join one of our key clients in the manufacturing sector. As a Direct Category Manager you’ll oversee raw materials and packaging procurement, ensuring best-practice purchasing, robust supplier performance, and cost-effective sourcing strategies. This role plays a key part in how the site manages commercial decisions, supplier networks and long-term procurement planning.

This role would suit candidates working as a Procurement Specialist, Category Buyer, Senior Buyer, Strategic Sourcing Specialist, Direct Materials Buyer, Supply Chain Specialist, Procurement Manager, Raw Materials Buyer, Sourcing Manager, or Commodity Manager.

Your duties and responsibilities will be

• Building strong strategic partnerships with suppliers across designated raw material and packaging categories.
• Providing stakeholders with market, pricing and cost-trend insight while ensuring purchasing data in SAP remains accurate and up to date.
• Tracking supplier performance, driving improvements, and presenting regular reporting to key internal teams.
• Coordinating core purchasing activity across the site, supporting global agreements, and contributing to procurement-related improvement projects.
• Leading negotiations, supplier quality assessments, and the development of new relationships with future strategic suppliers.

You will have the following qualifications & experience

• Proven purchasing or procurement experience within an industrial, manufacturing or similar environment.
• A degree-level qualification.
• Strong negotiation skills with the confidence to engage international suppliers and support global sourcing strategies.
• Experience using SAP and strong process management capabilities, ideally including auditing exposure.
• Industry experience in chemicals or related sectors is advantageous, alongside the ability to build effective cross-functional relationships; CIPS certification is beneficial but not essential.

It’s great if you also have the following

• Chemical industry/manufacturing experience.
• Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS) qualifications.

Millbank Holdings Ltd is an equal opportunities employer committed to creating an inclusive and diverse workforce. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified individuals, regardless of background, and encourage candidates from underrepresented groups to apply.

We are proud to be a member of the Disability Confident Scheme, and we are committed to ensuring an accessible and supportive recruitment process for everyone. If you require any adjustments at any stage, please let us know and we’ll do our best to accommodate.

Millbank operates as both an Employment Agency and an Employment Business.

#J-18808-Ljbffr