Procurement Category Manager

Salary: £59,000 to £64,000 per annum

Job Type: Permanent, Full Time (40hrs per week)

Company – SYNLAB

Area – Procurement

Job overview

Shape the future of how we source and manage the services that keep our organisation running.

We're looking for an experienced Procurement Category Manager to lead our Facilities, Estates and Logistics category portfolio. This is a high-impact role where you'll influence strategic decisions, work closely with senior stakeholders and drive measurable value across a diverse range of services, from hard and soft facilities management through to property services, transport and logistics solutions.

You’ll develop and deliver category strategies, lead complex sourcing projects, negotiate significant commercial agreements and build strong supplier partnerships that improve performance, resilience and sustainability. Working across multiple business functions, you’ll provide market insight, challenge requirements and help shape long‑term procurement plans that support operational and organisational priorities.

This role offers the opportunity to work on a varied portfolio with genuine visibility across the organisation, giving you the autonomy to influence outcomes and the platform to make a lasting contribution. Whether your background is in Facilities Management, Estates, Property Services, Logistics or a combination of these areas, you’ll bring strong commercial judgement, stakeholder management skills and a track record of delivering value through strategic procurement.

If you’re looking for a role where your expertise can directly influence business performance, supplier innovation and sustainability outcomes, we’d love to hear from you.

Main duties of the job

As our Procurement Category Manager for Facilities, Estates & Logistics, you’ll be responsible for shaping and delivering category strategies across a diverse portfolio that supports critical operational services. This includes Hard and Soft Facilities Management, Property and Estates Services, Capital Projects, Workplace Services, Transport, Fleet, Warehousing and Logistics.

You will lead end-to-end procurement activity, from market analysis and category planning through to tendering, negotiation, contract award and supplier relationship management. Working closely with senior stakeholders across Facilities, Estates, Operations and Supply Chain functions, you’ll influence decision‑making, challenge requirements and identify opportunities to improve value, service performance and operational resilience.

The role requires a commercially focused procurement professional with proven experience of managing complex sourcing projects and strategic supplier relationships ideally within Facilities Management, Property Services, Estates or Logistics categories. You’ll use spend analysis, market intelligence and supplier performance data to develop innovative procurement solutions that deliver measurable business outcomes.

Working within a collaborative procurement team, you’ll have visibility across a broad portfolio of spend and play a key role in supporting sustainability, social value and continuous improvement objectives. MCIPS or equivalent experience is desirable, alongside the ability to operate confidently with senior stakeholders and suppliers in a complex organisational environment.

This role offers the opportunity to influence strategic procurement decisions, deliver meaningful value and help shape the future direction of key operational services.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The Procurement Category Manager, Facilities, Estates & Logistics, is responsible for developing and delivering category strategies that optimise cost, quality, service, sustainability and risk across Facilities Management, Estates, Workplace Services and Logistics spend categories. The post holder will act as the strategic procurement lead for the category portfolio, working in partnership with senior stakeholders to drive value creation, supplier performance, operational resilience and continuous improvement.

The role will lead strategic sourcing programmes, manage key supplier relationships and ensure category strategies support both operational requirements and organisational objectives.

What You Will Do

You will lead the development and implementation of category strategies across a diverse portfolio including Facilities Management, Estates, Property Services and Logistics. Working closely with stakeholders across Operations, Facilities, Estates, Property and Supply Chain functions, you will provide commercial leadership, procurement expertise and market insight to support informed decision-making.

You will manage end-to-end sourcing activities, from opportunity assessment and market analysis through to tendering, negotiation, contract award and supplier mobilisation. In addition, you will support the delivery of sustainability, social value and continuous improvement objectives through effective supplier engagement and innovation.

The role provides significant opportunity to influence strategic business decisions, improve supplier performance, deliver value for money and strengthen supply chain resilience across critical operational services.

Key Responsibilities

Category Strategy & Planning

• Develop, implement and maintain category strategies across Facilities, Estates and Logistics categories.
• Create category roadmaps aligned to organisational priorities, operational requirements and procurement objectives.
• Analyse spend, market intelligence and supplier capabilities to identify opportunities for savings, cost avoidance, innovation and service improvement.
• Drive supplier rationalisation, category standardisation and demand management initiatives.
• Monitor market developments, emerging technologies, regulatory changes and supplier risks.

Strategic Sourcing & Commercial Management

• Lead end-to-end sourcing projects from strategy development through to contract implementation.
• Design and deliver sourcing strategies that maximise commercial value and service performance.
• Manage competitive tender exercises, supplier evaluations, negotiations and contract award processes.
• Deliver annual savings, cost avoidance and value creation targets
• Manage contract renewals and re‑procurement activities in line with category plans.

Category Portfolio

• The role will have responsibility for procurement and supplier management activities across:

Facilities Management

• Hard FM services including Mechanical & Electrical, HVAC, Building Fabric, Utilities, Fire & Life Safety Systems, Asset Maintenance and Statutory Compliance Services.
• Soft FM services including Cleaning, Security, Catering, Waste Management, Grounds Maintenance, Reception and Workplace Services. Estates.
• Property Management, Real Estate Services, Capital Projects, Construction Services, Minor Works, Space Planning and associated professional services.

Logistics

• Courier and Distribution Services, Fleet and Transport Services, Warehousing, Storage, Records Management, Freight and Specialist Logistics Solutions. Supplier Relationship Management.
• Develop and maintain strategic relationships with key suppliers.
• Establish and operate supplier governance and performance management frameworks.
• Lead supplier business reviews and performance assessments.
• Drive supplier innovation, continuous improvement and value creation initiatives.
• Manage supplier performance issues and support remediation and escalation activities where required.

Stakeholder Management & Business Partnering

• Build effective relationships with stakeholders across Facilities, Estates, Group Procurement and others as required.
• Support business planning activities and organisational transformation programmes.
• Challenge specifications and business requirements to achieve optimal commercial outcomes.
• Provide procurement expertise and market intelligence to support strategic decision‑making.
• Promote procurement as a trusted business partner across the organisation.

Working for SYNLAB UK & Ireland

At SYNLAB UK & Ireland, we make a positive difference to people’s lives, health and wellbeing through science, innovation and high‑quality diagnostics. As one of the UK’s leading laboratory diagnostics organisations, we work in partnership with the NHS and other healthcare providers to deliver services that support millions of patients every year.

With more than 3,000 colleagues across our UK services and over 65 million tests performed annually, our teams play a vital role in supporting clinical decision‑making and improving patient outcomes. Our network of accredited laboratories delivers thousands of diagnostic tests, ranging from routine investigations to advanced molecular and genetic analysis.

Joining SYNLAB means becoming part of an organisation that places people, quality and innovation at the heart of everything it does. We are investing in the future of diagnostics, embracing new technologies and working collaboratively across healthcare partnerships to deliver resilient, efficient and sustainable services.

For procurement professionals, this means the opportunity to influence strategic decisions that directly support critical healthcare services. You’ll work with engaged stakeholders, manage complex and diverse supply categories, and contribute to programmes that drive value, sustainability, innovation and operational excellence across the business.

In return, you’ll join a collaborative and supportive environment where expertise is valued, professional development is encouraged and your contribution can have a tangible impact on patients, colleagues and the wider healthcare system

You will be close to the vibrant the South Bank, which are exceptional London locations; perfect places to work and relax next to such iconic venues as The Tate museum, Big Ben, The London Eye and The Shard!

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