Category Leader – Fire and Security

Job Description

Job Title: Category Leader– Fire and Security

Location: Various locations considered- Preston; Lancashire, Portsmouth; Hampshire, Glascoed; Wales, Frimley; Surrey or Scotstoun; Glasgow. We offer a range of hybrid and flexible working arrangements – please speak to your recruiter about the options for this particular role

Salary: Circa £52,000 depending on experience

What you’ll be doing:

• Support sourcing and strategic activities for the Fire and Security category, including negotiating pricing and contractual terms to ensure value for money
• Develop and influence category supply strategies through continuous improvement, delivering affordable, innovative and sustainable solutions
• Onboard new suppliers and support resourcing solutions to improve resilience and mitigate supply risk
• Build and maintain effective supplier relationships, acting as the primary point of contact for all commercial and contractual matters
• Engage effectively with internal and external stakeholders to manage expectations and resolve supplier-related issues
• Monitor supplier performance to ensure compliance with contractual and service requirements
• Travel to supplier sites, exhibitions and conferences as required

Your skills and experiences:

• Experience in procurement, purchasing, supply chain or vendor management (category experience can be from any area)
• Negotiation, contract and category management experience
• Supplier management and performance tracking including creating and monitoring KPIs and SLAs
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel including data analysis and reporting
• CIPS qualified or working towards CIPS is highly desirable, with willingness to progress to MCIPS
• Ability to liaise with senior stakeholders

Benefits:

As well as a competitive pension scheme, BAE Systems also offers employee share plans, an extensive range of flexible discounted health, wellbeing and lifestyle benefits, including a green car scheme, private health plans and shopping discounts – you may also be eligible for an annual incentive.

The Procurement Team:

This is an exciting opportunity to join a dynamic team reporting to the Procurement Manager for Fire and Security within a global organisation. Fire and Security is a particularly interesting category as it combines innovative technology, critical safety solutions, and high-stakes risk management, giving you the chance to make a real impact on the organisation’s resilience and operations. You will gain exposure to senior stakeholders and contribute to shaping supplier strategies and sourcing initiatives. The role requires someone who can work independently and manage their workload effectively, with a very flexible approach to working. Occasional travel to the nearest base site is expected, along with trips to supplier sites, exhibitions and conferences, offering a varied and hands-on role with real influence over supplier and category decisions.

Why BAE Systems?

This is a place where you’ll be able to make a real difference. You’ll be part of an inclusive culture that values diversity of thought, rewards integrity, and merit, and where you’ll be empowered to fulfil your potential. We welcome people from all backgrounds and want to make sure that our recruitment processes are as inclusive as possible. If you have a disability or health condition (for example dyslexia, autism, an anxiety disorder etc.) that may affect your performance in certain assessment types, please speak to your recruiter about potential reasonable adjustments.

Please be aware that many roles at BAE Systems are subject to both security and export control restrictions. These restrictions mean that factors such as your nationality, any nationalities you may have previously held, and your place of birth can restrict the roles you are eligible to perform within the organisation. All applicants must as a minimum achieve Baseline Personnel Security Standard. Many roles also require higher levels of National Security Vetting where applicants must typically have 5 to 10 years of continuous residency in the UK depending on the vetting level required for the role, to allow for meaningful security vetting checks.

Closing Date: 19th January 2026

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

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