Category Manager Support Services and Facilities Management

National Grid•Brooklyn, NY

13h•Hybrid

About The Position

The US Facilities Management & Support Services Category Manager is accountable for developing and implementing category strategies and managing sourcing delivery across a US and UK portfolio. The portfolio includes US Facilities Management and associated services such as Security, Facilities, Property and Real Estate, as well as Support Services categories across the UK and US, including Print and Subscriptions. The portfolio may evolve with business priorities. The role is based in the US and leads a team operating across both regions, setting priorities, providing commercial direction and assurance, and developing a collaborative team focused on value, service quality, compliance, sustainability and supply-chain resilience. The position owns category strategy development, approval, implementation and refresh; turns strategies into resourced sourcing and contract-management plans; and leads sourcing delivery in accordance with applicable US and UK governance, policies and regulatory requirements. It provides commercial assurance throughout sourcing and contracting, manages dependencies and risks, and ensures effective transition into mobilization and contract management. The role also leads strategic supplier engagement and manages, recruits, coaches and develops a geographically dispersed team. As a senior Procurement partner, it works with business stakeholders and cross-functional teams across both regions.

Requirements

Significant procurement experience with a strong record of developing and implementing category strategies and leading complex sourcing portfolios.
Demonstrable category management experience across Facilities Management, Property, Real Estate, Security, Support Services or comparable indirect-services categories.
Experience leading and developing geographically dispersed or cross-regional teams, including recruitment, onboarding, coaching and capability development.
Ability to build effective relationships and influence senior stakeholders across different businesses, regions and operating environments.
Strong program and portfolio-management capability, including managing multiple sourcing activities, priorities, dependencies and governance requirements.
Commercial expertise across sourcing strategy, tender design, evaluation, negotiation, contracting, supplier performance and value realization.
Strong analytical capability and ability to translate spend, demand, market and supplier information into clear category choices and recommendations.
Ability to identify and manage supply-chain, commercial, compliance, operational and delivery risks, including differences between US and UK market and regulatory contexts.
Experience in strategic supplier and contract relationship management, driving value, performance, resilience, innovation and continuous improvement.
Degree-level education, a relevant professional qualification such as CIPS, or equivalent experience.
Ability to work without a need for current or future visa sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

Relevant US procurement or supply-management accreditation is advantageous.

Responsibilities

Own the development, approval, implementation and ongoing refresh of category strategies across the assigned US and UK Facilities Management and Support Services portfolio.
Build category plans reflecting regional business requirements and identifying opportunities for cross-regional alignment, aggregation, standardization and transfer of best practice.
Define category scope, demand profiles, supply-market dynamics, commercial opportunities, risks and implementation roadmaps using spend, market and supplier intelligence.
Translate category strategies into prioritized and resourced sourcing and contract-management plans with clear outcomes, milestones, governance and ownership.
Lead the sourcing delivery portfolio, ensuring activity is prioritized, resourced and delivered in line with relevant US and UK governance, policies and regulatory requirements.
Provide commercial direction and assurance across sourcing strategy, market engagement, tendering, evaluation, negotiation, approval, contracting and award.
Review and assure key sourcing outputs, including requirements, evaluation methods, commercial models, contractual positions and recommendations.
Manage delivery dependencies, risks, issues and stakeholder decisions across regions, intervening and escalating where necessary to protect outcomes and timescales.
Ensure effective handover from sourcing into mobilization and contract management, with clear obligations, performance measures, governance and value-realization plans.
Lead strategic engagement with critical Facilities Management and Support Services suppliers to improve performance, unlock value, manage risk and drive innovation and continuous improvement.
Lead, motivate and develop a geographically dispersed team across the US and UK, establishing accountability, connected ways of working and a focus on delivery and stakeholder service.
Own recruitment and onboarding for team vacancies, including role definition, candidate assessment, selection and structured induction across both regions.
Set objectives and priorities, manage workload and capacity across time zones, and provide coaching, feedback, development and succession support.
Build team capability in category management, strategic sourcing, commercial analysis, negotiation, stakeholder engagement and supplier management.
Act as a senior Procurement partner to business stakeholders in both regions, providing commercial insight, recommendations, delivery updates and decisions required.
Collaborate with Procurement Business Partners, Legal, Finance, Risk, Sustainability, Contract Management and specialist Procurement teams across the US and UK.