Senior IT Category Manager

Wood Group

22h • Remote

About The Position

Wood is recruiting a Senior IT Category Manager to own the leadership and management of the IT category function across the group. You will drive and shape category strategies that deliver tangible and sustainable savings across the business as well as delivering value and exceptional service to internal customers. This is a UK-based remote role, and we welcome applications from candidates across the UK. In the role you will have responsibility for an annual spend in the region of $250M across the Group. You will sit as part of the Group Procurement leadership team and work closely with senior business and functional leaders, to develop and deliver category strategies, lead key strategic supplier relationships, and drive procurement excellence across the business. You will lead the IT procurement team in delivering value, reducing risk, and simplifying procurement processes across a complex technology environment. Working closely with strategic IT suppliers, you will manage diverse procurement requirements, drive sourcing and contract management activities, and develop strong commercial partnerships that support the organisation's technology objectives.

Requirements

• Educated to degree level or equivalent commercial experience in Supply Chain
• Experience negotiating with providers such as; Autodesk, AspenTech, Hexagon, AVEVA, and Bentley, alongside enterprise platforms like Oracle and Microsoft, and managed service / staff augmentation partners such as Wissen
• Extensive experience in IT category management, strategic sourcing, and procurement leadership, with the ability to develop category strategies, lead high-performing teams, and deliver measurable business outcomes.
• Demonstrated experience managing annual IT spend in excess of $150M
• Proven success negotiating complex technology agreements with global suppliers
• Exceptional communication, influencing, and presentation skills, with the ability to engage and build credibility at all levels of the organisation
• Strong relationship-builder with a well-established professional network across procurement, technology, and the wider business environment
• Proven ability to develop and maintain effective partnerships with suppliers, stakeholders, and cross-functional teams
• Strategic and commercially minded, with the ability to shape category direction and identify opportunities for continuous improvement and value creation
• Highly organised, with strong planning and prioritisation skills and the ability to manage competing demands in a fast-paced environment
• Proactive and collaborative leader who inspires high performance, drives engagement, and champions continuous development.
• Well-developed commercial acumen, with a strong understanding of market dynamics, supplier management, and value delivery

Responsibilities

• Manage the strategic direction of function and delivery of both near and long term business objectives for IT procurement across but not limited to: Software (SaaS, Enterprise Applications, Licensing), Cloud Services, Infrastructure and Data Centres, Hardware and End User Computing, Telecommunications and Networks, IT professional services, CyberSecurity Solutions
• Analysis of spend, market trends, supplier landscapes and technology developments to identify opportunities for cost optimisation and value creation
• Establish category governance, performance metrics and continuous improvement initiatives
• Lead complex sourcing projects, RFIs, RFPs, RFQs, and competitive negotiations
• Deliver measurable savings, cost avoidance, and commercial benefits while balancing quality, risk and innovation
• Negotiate enterprise-wide agreements, software licensing structures, cloud consumption models, and strategic supplier contracts while ensuring Commercial terms support the business objectives
• Be a core member of the Group procurement leadership team supporting broader business strategy and delivery of business objectives
• Act as role model and champion Woods vision, values and behaviours
• Act as a role model to embed the IT procurement and wider compliance frameworks into the business
• Develop and implement Group procurement across BUs with responsibility for embedding category principles and techniques that deliver tangible and sustainable value
• Development of the IT Procurement team including coaching, mentoring of existing and any future recruitment of new personnel to ensure a highly skilled and effective team

Benefits

• Flexible working arrangements that balance client, team and individual needs offering hybrid working arrangements
• 33 days annual leave (including public holidays)
• Generous contributory pension scheme
• Private medical cover
• 4x base salary life insurance
• Commitment to continued professional development; development plans that are tailored to your individual needs and interests

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Associate degree