Procurement Category Manager - Marketing (12-month FTC, Maternity Cover)

Responsibilities

• Please note: This is fixed-term contract opportunity.
• We want you to feel challenged and inspired. Here, you'll develop your skills across a range of responsibilities:
• You will lead the creation and implementation of go-to-market, agency and sourcing strategies (including agency models, roster strategy, media buying approaches), with robust negotiation strategies embedded into the category plan
• You will identify, assess and manage supplier and category risk including agency dependency, media transparency, IP ownership, usage rights, and regulatory compliance (e.g. advertising standards), ensuring resiliency and governance
• You will monitor market trends across marketing, media, digital and technology (AdTech, MarTech, AI) to continuously evolve category strategies and unlock competitive advantage
• You will be responsible for leading a multi-year cost efficiency and value optimisation programme, balancing cost control with creative excellence, brand impact and marketing ROI
• Using insights, analytics and marketing performance metrics (ROI, ROAS, CPM, CPA, brand metrics), you will create data-driven sourcing strategies aligned to business and marketing goals
• You will ensure benefits tracking is robust, incorporating both financial savings and marketing effectiveness/value outcomes from category and sourcing activities
• Beyond price, you will drive continuous improvement, supplier innovation, and sustainability across marketing services, including responsible media buying and sustainable production practices
• You will lead the negotiation of high-value, complex marketing and agency contracts (e.g. retainers, SOWs, production, media commitments), ensuring alignment with broader strategy
• You are accountable for ensuring execution of sourcing strategies through Category Specialists and GBS, including agency engagements and marketing suppliers, to the required quality and timelines
• You will ensure appropriate negotiation strategies are applied to marketing sourcing, supporting teams in complex agency and media negotiations where required
• Working closely with marketing, brand and digital stakeholders, you will build strategic supplier partnerships with agencies and partners, driving both performance and innovation
• Strong leadership and influencing is required to partner with senior marketing stakeholders, aligning procurement approaches with brand vision, customer strategy and campaign priorities
• You will act as a subject matter expert for Marketing & Communications procurement, advising senior leaders on market trends, agency models and commercial strategies
• You will lead change across marketing procurement ways of working, embedding governance while enabling agility required in a fast-paced campaign environment
• You will nurture strong collaboration with GBS partners ensuring alignment to marketing category needs and integration into ways of working
• Promote and adopt digital tools and analytics to drive insights, transparency and performance across marketing spend
• What You'll Get
• This role is a hybrid opportunity, with 3 days Working from Office.
• People are at the heart of what we do here, so it's essential we provide you with the right environment to perform at your very best.
• Let's talk lifestyle: Healthcare, pension, and potential bonus. 27 days of leave, plus bank holidays and if you want, you can buy 5 more. Because Primark is all about tailoring to you, we offer Tax Saver Tickets, fitness centre, and a subsidised cafeteria.

Requirements

• Here at Primark, we want everyone to feel valued - so please bring your authentic self to work, of course with some other key experience and abilities for this role in particular:
• 5+ years' experience in category management, with strong exposure to Marketing & Communications procurement or close partnership with marketing teams
• Proven ability to lead complex sourcing initiatives, including agency selection, media sourcing, and multi-market marketing engagements
• Demonstrated success in developing and delivering multi-year category strategies aligned to marketing and business objectives
• Strong commercial and negotiation expertise across agency contracts, media agreements, and intellectual property considerations
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills, with a track record of partnering with senior marketing and brand teams in fast-paced, crea

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