Senior Category Manager, R&D

An established global life sciences organisation is looking to appoint an experienced procurement professional to lead strategic sourcing activities supporting research and scientific operations.

This is an opportunity to become a trusted commercial partner to research teams, helping shape supplier strategies, optimise external partnerships and support innovation within a fast-paced, science-led environment.

About the Role

Reporting into a global procurement function, you will be responsible for developing sourcing strategies across a portfolio of specialist research and scientific services. You'll work closely with technical stakeholders to understand future business requirements, identify opportunities to improve value, and build long-term supplier partnerships that support research programmes from discovery through early-stage development.

This role requires someone who is comfortable operating independently, influencing senior stakeholders and leading complex sourcing initiatives across a global business.

Responsibilities

• Develop category and sourcing strategies for research-related spend
• Partner with scientific and business stakeholders to understand current and future requirements
• Lead competitive sourcing activities, supplier evaluations and commercial negotiations
• Build strategic relationships with key suppliers while driving performance and continuous improvement
• Identify opportunities to improve cost, quality, service and supply resilience
• Collaborate with procurement colleagues across multiple business functions to ensure alignment of supplier strategies
• Monitor market trends and supplier capabilities to bring new ideas and best practices into the organisation
• Support procurement transformation and continuous improvement initiatives

The Ideal Candidate

We're interested in speaking with procurement professionals who have experience supporting technical or research-based organisations within the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device or broader life sciences sectors.

You'll ideally bring:

• Significant experience in strategic sourcing, category management or procurement
• Experience supporting research, laboratory, scientific or technical functions
• Strong commercial acumen with a proven ability to lead complex sourcing projects
• Experience negotiating high-value supplier agreements
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills
• A collaborative approach with experience working across global, cross-functional teams
• A degree in Business, Supply Chain, Life Sciences or a related discipline