Principal Category Manager
CompanySopra Steria
Location
Manchester, England, United Kingdom
Employment TypeFull-time
Posted At6/4/2026
UK Visa Sponsorship Analytics
Analytics are greyed out due to low classification confidence (46.0%).
Occupation TypePurchasing managers and directors
Occupation Code Skill LevelHigher Skilled
Sponsorship Salary Threshold
£54,700
(£28.05 per hour)
Occupation rate applies
Above analytics are generated algorithmically based on job titles and may not always be the same as the company's job classification. You can also check detailed occupation eligibility, and salary criteria on our UK Visa Eligible Occupations & Salary Thresholds page.
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Description
Do you have experience of procuring or delivering Clinical Managed Services with the public sector?
Join our NHS Shared Business Services health family as a Principal Category Manager where your expertise in public procurement, managed service delivery and category management will have a real impact. Supporting customers with front line service delivery, better patient outcomes and identifying opportunities for efficiency and savings!
This is a pivotal role in the Health team, managing several live Frameworks, including the contract management and re-procurement of a highly strategic framework - Advanced Wound Care and Lymphoedema Products and Services. The role also supports the wider category team to achieve NCIS targets, by managing and renewing the framework pipeline. You will contribute to effective contract management and ensure suppliers retain the standards determined at award. You will have direct line management responsibilities for 2 Category Managers.
We recognise that work-life balance isn’t a luxury – it’s a necessity. We give employees the flexibility to perform at their best. There will be an expectation to attend our engaging collaborative team meeting onsite in our iconic Salford office once a month. You will also be required to conduct supplier visits, attending exhibitions and conferences to support framework delivery.
What you will be doing:
Join our NHS Shared Business Services health family as a Principal Category Manager where your expertise in public procurement, managed service delivery and category management will have a real impact. Supporting customers with front line service delivery, better patient outcomes and identifying opportunities for efficiency and savings!
This is a pivotal role in the Health team, managing several live Frameworks, including the contract management and re-procurement of a highly strategic framework - Advanced Wound Care and Lymphoedema Products and Services. The role also supports the wider category team to achieve NCIS targets, by managing and renewing the framework pipeline. You will contribute to effective contract management and ensure suppliers retain the standards determined at award. You will have direct line management responsibilities for 2 Category Managers.
We recognise that work-life balance isn’t a luxury – it’s a necessity. We give employees the flexibility to perform at their best. There will be an expectation to attend our engaging collaborative team meeting onsite in our iconic Salford office once a month. You will also be required to conduct supplier visits, attending exhibitions and conferences to support framework delivery.
What you will be doing:
- Working closely with stakeholders to ensure effective management and delivery of portfolio framework agreements. Using effective techniques to strengthen relationships with key suppliers and stakeholders.
- Leading and developing a small team of Category Managers and/or Buyers, supporting them in the delivery of their portfolio framework agreements.
- Pursuing and sharing best practice and procurement excellence through the implementation of efficient and effective procurement strategies to support the delivery of targets.
- Supporting the Senior Category Manager with framework and category management, supporting customers with calling off from our agreements and providing advice and support to colleagues both internally and externally.
What you will bring:
Employment Type: Full-time Permanent
Location: Nationwide with an expectation to attend our Salford office monthly
Security Clearance Level: DBS
Internal Recruiter: Rachel
Salary: Up to £50,000
Benefits: £5,400 car allowance, 25 days annual leave with the option to buy additional days, private medical, life assurance, pension, and generous flexible benefits fund
We support different ways of working and can offer a range of flexible working arrangements. So, if you’re interested and need to work flexibly, we encourage you to apply and talk to us about what might be possible.
Loved reading about this job and want to know more about us?
NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS) was created by the Department of Health and Social Care to deliver corporate services to the NHS. A unique joint venture with Sopra Steria, a European leader in digital services and software development, we make life easier for NHS employees, patients, and suppliers, and deliver value for money to the taxpayer. Proud members of the NHS family, we provide finance & accounting, digital, procurement and workforce services to more than half the NHS in England, and our solutions are underpinned by cutting-edge technologies and our teams’ expertise, in-depth understanding of the NHS, and dedication to service excellence.
We share common values and unity of purpose with the rest of the NHS family, are committed to being a force for good, and are dedicated and empowered to act responsibly and sustainably at organisational, team and individual level.
Come and Join us on our journey.
- Experience of working within the UK public sector procurement profession (ideally in Health) and knowledge of PCR2015, Provider Selection Regime and the Procurement Act 2023.
- CIPS Level 5 or working towards and/or experience of managing complex clinical managed services.
- Strong experience of supplier/customer relationship management and contract management.
- Experienced in project management, with the ability to interpret and analyse complex data.
- Team leadership and management experience.
Employment Type: Full-time Permanent
Location: Nationwide with an expectation to attend our Salford office monthly
Security Clearance Level: DBS
Internal Recruiter: Rachel
Salary: Up to £50,000
Benefits: £5,400 car allowance, 25 days annual leave with the option to buy additional days, private medical, life assurance, pension, and generous flexible benefits fund
We support different ways of working and can offer a range of flexible working arrangements. So, if you’re interested and need to work flexibly, we encourage you to apply and talk to us about what might be possible.
Loved reading about this job and want to know more about us?
NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS) was created by the Department of Health and Social Care to deliver corporate services to the NHS. A unique joint venture with Sopra Steria, a European leader in digital services and software development, we make life easier for NHS employees, patients, and suppliers, and deliver value for money to the taxpayer. Proud members of the NHS family, we provide finance & accounting, digital, procurement and workforce services to more than half the NHS in England, and our solutions are underpinned by cutting-edge technologies and our teams’ expertise, in-depth understanding of the NHS, and dedication to service excellence.
We share common values and unity of purpose with the rest of the NHS family, are committed to being a force for good, and are dedicated and empowered to act responsibly and sustainably at organisational, team and individual level.
Come and Join us on our journey.
We embrace difference as a source of creativity, innovation and competitive advantage and are striving to become a more diverse organisation. We welcome applications from people with a diverse variety of backgrounds and identities. We are committed to equality of opportunity for all and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation or marital status. We have partnered with Vercida, the UK's largest diversity and inclusion focused careers site, where all our vacancies are available in an accessible format.
If you require any adjustments to the recruitment process, to enable you to perform to the best of your ability, please let us know when completing your application. We participate in the Disability Confident scheme and are committed to offering an interview to any candidate with a disability, who meets the minimum criteria for the role. If you believe this could apply to you, please let us know when completing your application.
If you require any adjustments to the recruitment process, to enable you to perform to the best of your ability, please let us know when completing your application. We participate in the Disability Confident scheme and are committed to offering an interview to any candidate with a disability, who meets the minimum criteria for the role. If you believe this could apply to you, please let us know when completing your application.