Category Manager

About Caf

Innovation is in our DNA - we thrive on pushing boundaries and adapting to new challenges with a flexible approach. Proud to be a global leader, our fast-paced growth provides exciting opportunities for our team and the community.

Committed to maintaining trains and trams, our mission is to enhance vehicle safety and reliability. Our ultimate goal is to deliver a comfortable, dependable, and sustainable commuting experience for all passengers.

Based out of multiple locations across the UK, our 24/7 operation means we’re always on hand to deliver reliable technical support. Utilising the latest digital technology, we strive to enhance dependability, helping people to get to where they need to be!

We wouldn’t be where we are without our people. Working together as a team, we strive to achieve great things while supporting each other to thrive along the way. We’re going places, so apply today and become part of our exciting journey.

Competencies

Serving Customers

Acting Decisively

Acting as a Champion for Change

Developing Talent

Managing Performance

Communicating Effectively

Acting with Integrity

Working Safely

What can you expect from CAF?

• Positive Work Environment: You will work in a positive environment, based on mutual respect and team spirit.
• Professional Development: Our projects are often measured in years, sometimes decades, giving you and the organisation a future.
• Learning and Autonomy: We will encourage you to work autonomously, being able to propose and decide 'what' and 'how'.
• Security and Reliability: CAF has been working for over 100 years on a path that stretches into the future, giving you the security you need.
• Cutting-edge technology: You will work with the latest technologies, facing the challenge of devising innovative approaches and solutions every day.
  
  

What will be your role in the company?

The role of Category Manager is responsible for managing purchasing categories at the UK level. This role requires close collaboration with the central Category Manager and the local Purchasing Manager to define and implement effective procurement strategies. The role supports and leads negotiations, manages supplier relationships, and ensures compliance with rail industry standards and expectations. This includes implementing contracts, Service Level Agreements (SLAs), and leading supplier performance initiatives. The role also includes providing procurement support for our UK projects, staff management, and the organisation and categorisation business expenditure to ensure that efficient purchasing practice, supplier selection and performance are implemented.

Your daily duties will include:

• Manage purchasing categories across the UK, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives.
• Define and implement local category strategies in coordination with central Category Manager and local Purchasing Manager.
• Deploy and execute both local and centrally defined procurement strategies and initiatives.
• Manage relationships with strategic and local suppliers to ensure quality, cost efficiency, and performance.
• Support negotiations with strategic suppliers and lead negotiations with local suppliers.
• Play a pivotal role in supplier performance management and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Conduct and lead Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) with key suppliers.
• Participate in supplier audits and evaluations in line with rail industry compliance standards.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of rail industry procurement standards, regulatory requirements, and market trends.
• Manage a category buyer to ensure adequate stock availability and replenishment of all line items.
• Ensure that internal materials and services requests are allocated and processed in a timely manner.
• Liaise regularly with the Demand Manager UK and local Project Material Managers to identify component usage trends and to mitigate risk to fleet availability and reliability.
• Collaborate with the Central Category Management based in Spain to ensure the supply base is optimised, efficient and provides best value.
  
  

What Salary will you be paid for this role?

As a Real Living Wage Employer, we are proud to pay competitively at CAF. For this role you will be offered a salary of between £50,000 - £58,000 per annum.

What will make you successful in this position?

• CIPS Qualified to Level 5 is preferred
• Proven experience in category management and strategic sourcing, ideally within the rail or transportation sector.
• Strong negotiation, contract management, and supplier relationship skills.
• Knowledge of UK procurement regulations and rail industry standards.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, and communication skills.
• Ability to influence cross-functional teams and senior stakeholders.
• Experience with procurement software and ERP systems (e.g SAP).
  
  

About What We Offer

A Real Living Wage employer and proud signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant, RSSB Mental Health Charter and Women in Rail EDI Charter, we’ve a lot to shout about at CAF.

Creating a culture of inclusivity and belonging is really important to us and we’re proud to offer our people a range of benefits to support wellbeing including 25 days annual leave, an excellent workplace pension scheme (with up to 10% contribution from us), not forgetting to mention our generous health care cash plan and Bike2Work scheme just to name a few!

Looking for career development? Our Professional Sponsorship scheme will help you to achieve your goals while our Flexible Working policy and Family Friendly culture mean everyone is supported to thrive at CAF.

As a socially responsible business, we offer paid volunteering days and promote a variety of social value initiatives, including tree-planting, company-wide donation drives, and providing support to the homeless community and refugees. We’re creating waves of positive change through delivering meaningful social value impact on and off the tracks!