Job Description

The Sizewell C Jobs Service supports local people into exciting, long-term careers across our Project.#SZCJobs

Category Manager – Professional Services
Sizewell C

Location: London, Bristol, Manchester, Suffolk, on a hybrid basis with periodic travel to Suffolk
Contract: Permanent, full-time. 
Closing Date: Thursday 28th May 2026

What’s in It for You

Salary: Starting £65,000, depending on experience
Bonus: 5% annual incentive
Pension: Up to 7.5% employee / 15% employer contribution
Leave: 28 days holiday plus bank holidays

Reporting to the Head of Procurement Practice & Indirects, you will operate within delegated authority to make commercial decisions across assigned categories. As the Category Manager for Professional Services, you will work proactively with stakeholders at all levels of the organisation to ensure business requirements are met through effective category strategy and contract delivery.

You will also take day‑to‑day responsibility for managing and developing Procurement colleagues within your category, supporting their growth and progression.

Your Impact

The Category Manager – Professional Services plays a critical role within the SZC Supply Chain Group, with primary responsibility for developing and delivering procurement strategies across the Professional Services spend category, alongside additional indirect categories such as Finance, Legal, and Insurance.

This role is central to ensuring SZC secures commercially robust, compliant, and value‑driven contracts that support one of the UK’s most significant infrastructure programmes. You will lead complex procurement activity, act as a trusted commercial advisor to senior stakeholders, and develop capability across the Procurement function.

Key Responsibilities

Category Strategy & Commercial Leadership

• Develop and deliver multi‑year category strategies aligned to business needs, SZC values, and governance requirements
• Analyse spending data, market intelligence, trends, and innovation to inform strategic and tactical decision‑making
• Lead complex, end‑to‑end procurement and tender activities from inception through to contract execution and implementation

Procurement Delivery & Governance

• Deliver robust, compliant ITTs, including evaluation, negotiation, and contract award
• Compete within frameworks and negotiate Statements of Work / Work Orders
• Ensure all procurement activity complies with SZC governance, regulation, and best‑practice procurement standards
• Secure internal approvals to enable timely contract execution

Contract & Supplier Management

• Lead commercial and contractual management across the Professional Services category
• Oversee contract administration including variations, claims, payments, risk, liabilities, and performance
• Interface closely with Legal on contractual terms and NDAs
• Implement reporting, dashboards, and periodic commercial reviews
• Manage supplier and contractor relationships to maximise value and minimise risk

Stakeholder Engagement & Collaboration

• Build strong relationships and act as a trusted commercial advisor to senior stakeholders
• Work collaboratively across functions to achieve balanced, “win‑win” commercial outcomes
• Lead by example in promoting collaborative behaviours and early commercial resolution

People Leadership & Development

• Manage and support Assistant Category Manager and Category Assistant
• Develop team capability, providing opportunities for growth and progression
• Support the wider Procurement function as required

Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications & Experience:

• MCIPS accredited or educated to relevant degree level is preferable.
• Effective commercial / contract management skills are essential, with clear knowledge of best practice contract methodologies.
• Able to demonstrate a noteworthy track record of administering successful contracts.
• Excellent commercial skills and ability to make sound decisions on both matters of financial value and service quality.
• Understanding of contract performance measurement, risk management and change.
• Excellent negotiating, influencing and communication skills to command professional respect at all levels.
• Proven experience in developing and leading Professional Services category, whilst ensuring compliance with company governance, UK Law and EU legislation/regulation.
• Experienced in digesting and interpreting contractual information.
• Familiar with the nuclear site licence conditions and the nuclear baseline philosophy would be advantageous but not essential.

Behavioural Competences

Humility

Recognise the value brought from different cultures and experiences.
Be open to other’s points of view and ideas, be willing to debate and to compromise.

Positivity

Positively challenge poor quality and performance.
Identify solutions at the lowest possible level.
Encourage others to bring new ideas forward.

Respect

Value the rules and environment in which we operate.
Give and receive feedback with respect.
Embrace and engage with new people and ideas.

Solidarity

One team, working closely together and helping each other.
Empowered teams always looking forward.
Shared responsibility for delivery the project outcomes.

Clarity

Communicate clearly and consistently.
Promote collaboration and team alignment.
Clearer and faster decision making.
Drive simplification at all levels.

If this sounds like the next step in your career, we’d love to hear from you. Apply today.

For this role you must have evidence of right to work in the UK. As a project, we do not discriminate on the grounds of age, gender, race, colour, religion, disability or sexual orientation, and we welcome applications from all sections of the community. Applications may close early due to high volume.