Category Manager
Job Posted: 29 January 2026
Job Updated: 29 January 2026
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Job Title: Category Manager
Function: Commercial – Diagnostics
Location: Hybrid working – Wakefield
Contract type: FTC – March 2027
Salary: £46,524 with the potential to rise to £54,735 over 3 years
Closing Date: 12th February 2026
Our Category Manager roles are key category leadership roles with responsibility for transforming and leading nationally critical categories. You will, in collaboration with Category Lead colleagues, set the vision, direction and culture for the teams, supporting provision and growth whilst introducing best practice tools and processes for world class category management.
These roles will be a pivotal part in our future strategic delivery and will require agile thinking, a creative approach, and the ability to work under pressure and at pace to deliver our priorities within a changing demographic and enable excellent patient care.
The Category Manager will develop and implement a specific category to improve the supply chain, reduce risk, create competitive advantage and deliver savings. Through a focus on product range and how products are brought to market, and in close collaboration with key stakeholders, create product groups that maximise value both for NHS customers and NHS Supply Chain.
The Category Managers will have responsibility for building cross functional relationships with the wider organisation and externally with stakeholders, with the aim of identifying and implementing improvements in our ways of working that will create efficiencies for the organisation as well as improved value and service for our NHS customers.
Every day you will …
1. Manage a category plan/program in line with the organisations’ commercial strategyensuring realisation of synergies, like cost savings and risk-reduction, and optimisation of the category delivery,while reporting to senior colleagues.
2. Explore and develop a strong understanding of external developments or emerging issues and evaluate theirpotential impact on, or usefulness to, the organisation.
3. Resolve queries from internal or external customers or suppliers by providing information on complex processes and the related policies, referring to others where necessary for interpretation of policy.
4. Set clear objectives for each category; use standard materials to make a presentation to the customer; and ask relevant questions to evaluate the customer’s level of interest and to identify and respond to areas requiring further information or explanation.
5. Conduct research using primary data sources and select information needed for the analysis of key themes and trends.
6. Support senior leaders to build and optimise important relationships and interactions with external and internal stakeholders, including keydecision makers, regulators, public organisations, governmental institutions, suppliers, NHS providers,professional communities, and customer and patient groups. Work with guidance from senior colleagues.
7. Develop own capabilities by participating in assessment and development planning activities as well as formal and informal training and coaching; gain or maintain external professional accreditation where relevant to improve performance and fulfil personal potential. Maintain an understanding of relevant technology, external regulation, and industry best practices through ongoing education, attending conferences, and reading specialist media.
What can we offer you?
We want to reward you for your passion, enthusiasm, and hard work so we offer much more than a competitive salary:
8. Hybrid working opportunities, giving you the flexibility to work collaboratively in the office and remotely.
9. We recognise our employees’ hard work and contributions with annual bonus schemes, long service, and VIP colleagues awards.
10. 27 days holiday plus bank holidays, with the option to purchase an additional 5 days.
11. We are dedicated to your development, through in-house training, support, and access to external qualifications to maximise your potential.
12. A focus on your well-being offering 1 day of paid well-being leave and free access to the 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme
13. Generous pension scheme (with us contributing 12% when you contribute 6%)
14. Access to our Flexible Benefits Scheme, where you can choose from a variety of benefits such as Life Insurance, Critical Illness Cover, Income Protection, Health Cash Plan, Dental Insurance, and additional pension contributions that suit you.
15. 2 days of paid volunteering leave allowing you to give back to your community.
16. Access to many discounts from the Blue Light Card to NHS Discounts.