Global Category Manager - Indirect Procurement
Morgan Advanced Materials is investing in the future of its global procurement function. We're a business with a long history of solving complex engineering challenges through advanced materials, operating across 70 sites in 18 countries and supporting customers worldwide through innovation in ceramic and carbon technologies.
About the role
As part of our growing global procurement team, you'll take ownership of a major indirect spend category, partnering with senior stakeholders across multiple regions to drive value, manage risk, and build strong supplier partnerships. You'll manage global and multi-regional category strategies across spend portfolios ranging from £40m to £80m, reporting into the Head of Indirect Procurement (initially reporting to the Procurement Project Lead).
We're hiring across three specialist category areas:
- IT & Professional Services (also acting as HQ Procurement Business Partner)
- Logistics & Packaging
- Utilities, Travel & Fleet
Responsibilities
- Lead the development and execution of global category strategies aligned to business goals
- Build and implement supplier relationship management (SRM) strategies for key suppliers
- Deliver global and multi-regional sourcing programmes from strategy through to implementation
- Drive cost reduction, value creation, and continuous improvement initiatives
- Partner with senior stakeholders to challenge demand, influence specifications, and improve commercial outcomes
- Manage supplier, commercial, and operational risks across your category portfolio
- Lead cross-functional sourcing and category teams across multiple regions
- Negotiate complex global agreements and supplier partnerships
- Promote procurement best practice and support wider procurement transformation initiatives
- Support capability development, integration projects, and other strategic business activities
- Lead and develop direct reports where applicable
Qualifications
For all roles you'll need:
- 8-10+ years' experience in strategic sourcing, category management, and supplier relationship management
- Proven success managing significant indirect spend within complex global organisations
- Experience leading large-scale sourcing, transformation, or change programmes
- Strong commercial acumen and negotiation skills
- Advanced stakeholder management experience across matrix organisations
- Experience influencing senior leaders and driving change across multiple regions
- Strong analytical skills and a solutions-focused mindset
- Familiarity with procurement systems, spend analytics, eSourcing, and contract management tools
- Exposure to AI-enabled procurement tools would be an advantage
Category-specific expertise:
IT & Professional Services
- Several years' experience managing global IT and professional services categories
- Experience operating across large, geographically dispersed organisations
- Ability to partner closely with corporate and head office stakeholders
Logistics & Packaging
- Extensive category management experience across logistics spend
- Strong knowledge of freight operations including road, air, sea, warehousing, customs, and 3PL/4PL providers
- Packaging category experience would be advantageous
- Ideally based in Eastern North America, although other locations will be considered
Utilities, Travel & Fleet
- Significant utilities category management experience across both European and North American markets
- Experience managing energy procurement, utilities contracts, and associated risk strategies
- Knowledge of travel and fleet categories would be advantageous
Benefits
- The opportunity to help shape a growing global procurement function
- Exposure to complex international sourcing and supplier management challenges
- A highly visible role with influence across the organisation
- Genuine scope to create impact and drive long-term change
- Future leadership and progression opportunities within procurement
- Flexible location across the UK, Europe, or North America depending on category focus