Category Manager – Strategic & Non-Standard Categories – Cardiff

Your benefits at Unite

Flexible working hours

Continuous learning

30+ vacation days

Remote working

We are looking for a bold and visionary Category Manager – Strategic & Non-Standard Categories to take ownership of high-impact, undefined, and emerging spend areas that require innovation, strategic thinking, and commercial leadership. This is not your typical procurement role – you will shape supplier ecosystems, co-create market solutions, and unlock entirely new value streams that support business transformation. If you thrive in ambiguity, enjoy solving complex sourcing challenges, and are driven by opportunity, this role is made for you. Join us and redefine what category management means!

Your role

Lead strategic category development: You’ll build sourcing strategies for complex, non-standard, and evolving categories using market intelligence, stakeholder insights, and future-focused roadmaps.
Own strategic spend portfolios: You’ll manage high-value investments, optimise total cost of ownership, and act as a trusted business partner for budget forecasting and commercial decisions.
Co-create supplier innovation: You’ll drive supplier engagement beyond transactions – partnering on joint development, IP sharing, and sustainable go-to-market strategies.
Drive commercial excellence: You’ll lead structured negotiations, develop should-cost models, and manage contracts that secure the right commercial terms and long-term value.
Enable growth through alignment: You’ll work cross-functionally to align category roadmaps with customer needs, innovation potential, and wider business strategy.

Your qualifications

Decisive and forward-thinking: You bring clarity and confidence to ambiguous environments, turning complexity into actionable strategies.
Strategic and collaborative: You’re experienced in leading cross-functional initiatives and influencing stakeholders at all levels.
Customer- and supplier-centric: You understand how to build meaningful relationships across both sides of the value chain to co-create impactful solutions.
Commercially and contractually fluent: You’re well-versed in supplier negotiations, including TCO optimisation, exclusivity terms, rebates, and co-development agreements.
Curious and entrepreneurial: You’re always asking what’s next, challenging the status quo, and helping procurement become a source of innovation and business enablement.

Interested? Then apply directly.

Apply now

What you can expect from us

We offer a flexible work location: You can work in our modern Unite office in Cardiff or to choose a hybrid set-up.
We think long-term: That’s why we are great believers in offering creative freedom – you’ll also get access to our Academy training to grow your career.
We offer workations for new possibilities: You can work abroad for up to 2 months, which is a great way to extend your time away or visit your family and friends in other countries.
We operate at eye level: Join our fair corporate culture and work with helpful colleagues and experienced management.
We care about work-life balance: We offer flexible working hours and 30+ holidays so you can strike a good balance between your work and personal life.

We are Unite.

We connect the economy for sustainable business. Our trusted e-procurement platform with its integrated marketplace enables effortless sourcing and purchasing for B2B and public sector organisations.
Bringing buyers and suppliers together for mutual benefit, we’ve established a solid foundation of fair competition and trustworthy partnerships. Our platform’s scalable infrastructure supports connections, business stability and a robust supply chain.
We revolutionise e-commerce for B2B and the public sector by adding and sharing value for markets and communities. In 2022, we became the first platform business accredited with the Fair Tax Mark, representing the global standard for responsible tax conduct.

Would you like to become a part of Unite?
Our company was founded as Mercateo in 2000, and the headquarters is located in Leipzig, Germany. We operate in 12 European countries, with over 700 employees working both in the office and remotely. In 2024, we achieved revenue of €448.7 million.
For more information, visit unite.eu.

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Contact us

Anna Fussa
Recruiter | Human Resources

anna.fussa@unite.eu
+49 341 355 865 68