Category & Sourcing Manager

Closing Date

Job Title: Category & Sourcing Manager Business Services (Customer & Facilities)

Location: Worthing Hybrid (2 days in Worthing)

Contract Type: Permanent

Hours: 37 hours per week

Salary: Up to 60000 per annum depending on skills and experience plus excellent benefits including hybrid working and CIPS sponsorship for the right candidate

About the role

This is a highimpact role with ownership of complex serviceled categories across Customer Services and Facilities Management supporting a significant transformation agenda and a changing operating model. Youll play a critical role in ensuring our supply chain doesnt just keep pace with change but actively enables it.

Working closely with senior stakeholders across Customer Facilities Digital and Transformation youll bring commercial insight challenge and innovation to how we source contract and partner with suppliers driving value far beyond cost.

What you will be responsible for:

• Leading the endtoend category strategy and sourcing for key Business Services categories with a strong focus on Customer Services and Facilities Management
• Partnering with senior stakeholders to translate transformation ambitions into robust commercially sound sourcing strategies
• Shaping and influencing the supplier landscape moving towards outcomefocused and valueled commercial models
• Managing significant highprofile contracts and complex supplier relationships ensuring performance resilience and alignment to customer outcomes
• Driving value beyond cost including improved service quality customer experience sustainability and operational performance
• Acting as a trusted commercial advisor bringing insight challenge and clarity to complex and ambiguous sourcing decisions

This role offers genuine ownership visibility and influence at a time when commercial input is critical to the success of Southern Waters transformation journey.

What youll bring to the role:

Essential

• Proven experience in category management and strategic sourcing ideally within complex serviceled environments
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills with confidence operating and influencing at senior levels
• The ability to balance strategic thinking with practical delivery even in fastmoving or ambiguous environments
• Commercial confidence with the ability to develop justify and communicate sourcing strategies and recommendations
• A proactive deliveryfocused mindset comfortable taking ownership and shaping outcomes rather than waiting for direction

Desirable

• Experience across customerfacing services facilities management or other largescale outsourced service models
• Exposure to regulated or publicsector environments including awareness of the Procurement Act 2023
• MCIPS or working towards CIPS accreditation

About Southern Water

Southern Water is at the forefront of transforming Britains water industry investing significantly to enhance resilience sustainability and service excellence. With 7.8bn planned investment for 202530 this is an unparalleled opportunity to join a business committed to delivering a generational shift in how water services are managed.

Youll be joining at a time of significant change working alongside a highly skilled leadership team with a clear vision for the future. We offer an environment where professionals can make a meaningful impact influence major strategic decisions and drive longterm value for the communities we serve.

At Southern Water we believe diverse perspectives drive innovation. If youre passionate about making a positive impact and think you can bring value to our team wed love to hear from you even if you dont tick every box.

Our Commitment to Diversity

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds identities and experiences and do not discriminate based on race ethnicity gender sexual orientation age disability religion or any other protected characteristic. If you need any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process please let us know.

Additional information:

In line with Southern Waters security requirements successful candidates will be required to provide evidence of their identity eligibility to work in the UK a criminal record check (DBS) and verification of their employment and/or education history for the past three years. Appointment to this role is subject to the successful completion of all preemployment checks including security vetting.

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