Category Manager

Hello. We’re Severn Trent and we think water is wonderful. And we’re pretty keen on people, too.

We have an opportunity within our Procurement and Contract Management team for a Category Manager to lead the Energy & Renewables category strategy in a critical business area.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

The Energy & Renewables category at Severn Trent is a fast‑paced and dynamic environment that has a significant impact on our operational performance and delivery. This role sits at the heart of shaping future demand, delivering sourcing events that drive value, embed sustainability, and mitigate supply risks in one of our most important areas of spend.

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone ambitious and driven, looking to build a career in a FTSE100 company that prides itself on growth and talent development. You will be creating, delivering, and managing complex agreements that reflect our core values while ensuring value for money and resilience in our supply chain.

As a Category Manager for Energy & Renewables, you will be responsible for sourcing and implementing optimum deals with suppliers to deliver our business requirements. You will research supply markets, assess trends, opportunities, and risks, and develop category strategies that recommend strategic sourcing options, tactics, and implementation plans. You’ll act as the subject matter expert for best‑in‑class procurement, partnering with stakeholders to lead tender preparation, supplier selection, and contract implementation. You will ensure suppliers are effectively managed, continuously improving their performance, and developing their capabilities to meet our requirements in the short, medium, and long term.

Key Responsibilities:

Managing tenders and contracts within the regulated Procurement framework, while developing and implementing short‑ and long‑term category strategies that contribute to departmental savings and wider business objectives.
Monitoring spend within the category, engaging stakeholders to increase spend under management, and ensuring contracts have renewal plans in place ahead of expiry.
Building strong supplier relationships, understanding capabilities, and driving performance improvements aligned with Severn Trent’s strategic objectives.
Proactively engaging stakeholders to understand future demand and influence early commercial involvement in operational planning.
Monitoring external markets to identify risks and opportunities, developing mitigation and contingency plans.
Embedding Severn Trent’s sustainability commitments into category and sourcing strategies, and working closely with suppliers to enhance their sustainability performance.
Ensuring compliance with Severn Trent operating procedures and ethical procurement practices.
Contributing to departmental initiatives and continuous improvement activities.
Championing health, safety, and wellbeing across supplier interactions.

WHAT YOU’LL BRING TO THE ROLE

The skills and experience required to be successful include:

CIPS Level 5 (or equivalent, or willingness to work towards).
Strong knowledge of the procurement lifecycle, with proven ability to deliver successful commercial outcomes.
Excellent negotiation and influencing skills.
Confident communicator with stakeholder engagement experience.
Strong analytical skills, able to turn data into actionable insights.
Technically confident, with experience of e‑procurement systems.
Self‑starter with initiative, problem‑solving skills, and the ability to deliver outcomes on time and budget.
Experience in regulated procurement environments is desirable.
A passion for driving change, continuous improvement, and delivering value.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU

Working here isn’t just a job. You can build a career at Severn Trent. We’ll reward you for it, too. We have a range of benefits that recognise great work, and award-winning training to help you reach your potential. And we’ll also help you play your part in looking after the environment and the communities where we live.

With that in mind, here are just some of our favourite's perks that you’ll get being part of the Seven Trent family:

28 days holiday + bank holidays (and the ability to buy/ sell up to 5 days per year)
Annual bonus scheme (of up to £2,250, which is subject to eligibility)
Leading pension scheme – we will double your contribution (up to 15% when you contribute 7.5%)
Sharesave – the chance to buy Severn Trent Plc shares at a discounted rate
Support for your CIPS Studies
Dedicated training and development with our Academy
Electric vehicle scheme and retail offers
Family friendly policies
Two paid volunteering days per year

WHATS NEXT?

We can’t wait to hear from you.

Have an updated CV ready and spare five minutes to apply. We'll let you know the outcome after the closing date, so keep an eye on your phone and emails. 