Senior Category Manager

Join Heathrow’s Engineering Procurement team and lead the sourcing and commercial management of critical engineering services that keep the airport safe, reliable and resilient. You’ll own complex, high-value activity from early market engagement through contract award and mobilisation, while shaping supplier partnerships that deliver long-term value, innovation and operational performance.

• Develop and deliver short and long-term category strategies, priorities and procurement pipelines aligned to engineering and operational needs.
• Lead end-to-end sourcing for complex, high-value spend, including market sounding, supply-chain assessment, RFI/RFP, evaluation, negotiation, contract award and mobilisation.
• Shape robust commercial agreements, including specifications, KPIs, service levels, pricing models.
• Provide clear commercial advice on route to market, contracting models, CAPEX versus OPEX options, affordability, interface risk and regulatory requirements.
• Lead strategic supplier relationships and governance, resolving material commercial or performance issues while driving continuous improvement, resilience, innovation and additional value.
• Build trusted relationships across Engineering, Operations, Legal, Insurance and Finance; challenge constructively, manage risk and ensure sourcing decisions meet Heathrow governance and competition-law requirements.

• Significant category management and strategic sourcing experience within engineering, infrastructure, FM or another operationally critical environment.
• A proven record of leading complex tenders from market engagement through to implementation, delivering measurable value while managing operational and supplier risk.
• Strong commercial judgement, including experience drafting and negotiating contracts and using different procurement and contracting models.
• Credible supplier relationship management, stakeholder influencing and problem-solving skills, with the ability to lead, coach and develop others.
• MCIPS qualification (desirable)

#LI-Hybrid 

There’s something so special about working at the world’s most iconic airport. Its sights. Its sounds. Its constant air of excitement. Heathrow is an amazing backdrop to a career filled with unique opportunities.

Every day, you’ll discover a world full of fresh possibilities and end the day buzzing with stories to tell, as you encounter people from all cultures, nationalities and experiences. A world full of pride for what we do and no end of exciting career prospects to explore.

It brings out the best in all of us. And inspires everyone to deliver on our ambitious plans. Together, we’re working to welcome millions more passengers while ensuring aviation can continue to be a force for good by leading global efforts in sustainability.

Join us on that journey and we'll help you achieve your ambitions too. Supporting you to learn, encouraging you to be yourself, backing you to achieve more than you might ever have imagined. Because there’s no place like Heathrow. 

Our rewards

We offer competitive salaries and excellent benefits that will support you now and in the future. As well as performance-based annual bonuses and our longer-term Share in Success Bonus plans, we also offer generous annual leave allowances and market-leading pensions. With family friendly policies, access to private health insurance and a wide range of wellbeing tools, we’ll support you to be at your best inside and outside work. And of course, we’ll provide varied learning and development opportunities too. Here you’ll find everything you need for a fulfilling career journey that can take you in exciting directions. 

Working Location

Our Hybrid working approach offers the opportunity for colleagues in some roles to work from home for an average of two days a week, providing the flexibility to work in an agile way whilst ensuring we deliver for the operational needs of Heathrow.  Working arrangements vary from team to team and will be confirmed during the recruitment process. You’ll need to be based in the UK and within a commutable distance to Heathrow. 

Sustainable Travel to work

Heathrow’s Sustainable Travel Guide sets out easy and sustainable travel options that everyone can access.
 
Equal Opportunities

As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applications from all. We believe that diverse talent makes us stronger – not least because we welcome passengers from all corners of the globe, every single day. Heathrow is an accessible place to work. With five diversity networks, we champion inclusivity and celebrate individuality.