Category Manager – Electronics

Job Description

Job title: Category Manager – Electronics

Location: Rochester

Salary: £55,000 – £60,000 depending on skills and experience plus bonus

What you’ll be doing:

• Create and drive category strategies for the Electronics product area

• Report to the functional leadership team on progress of the supply chain and the procurement team in achieving the functional objectives

• Liaise at a senior level with suppliers and partners and influence relationships to achieve or exceed business goals

• Work closely with engineering and the business area leads to ensure the future technology requirements of the supply chain are understood and drive sourcing strategies to identify supplier capability to meet those needs ahead of program requirements

• Work with other BAE Systems sites, both in the US and the UK, to ensure procurement strategies are aligned and that the leverage of the corporation is utilised in driving down cost and influencing suppliers

• Line manage and work with their team members on Personal Development Plans that ensure the potential of the employees is fully realised through coaching, training and development

Your skills and experiences:

Essential:

• Robust understanding of the Electronics product category and proficiency in discerning global and competitive influences, coupled with adeptness in navigating the competitive market landscape

• Proficiency in procurement and operational management best practices, encompassing lean methodologies and advanced supply chain management techniques

• Proven ability to negotiate and manage supplier relationships

Desirable:

• Experience in leading or coaching multi-functional teams

• Experience of working within the aerospace/ manufacturing industry would be advantageous

• MCIPS/Degree level qualification desirable or equivalent

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:

As a Category Manager, you will be managing the electronics supply chain building effective supplier relationships and working collaboratively to develop strategies and leverage our spend.

This position will provide you with a unique opportunity to perform in a leadership role engaging with the business at a senior management level and influencing internal and external stakeholders.

At BAE Systems Rochester, we design and deliver cutting-edge commercial and defence electronics, including high-integrity controls, inceptor systems, head-up and head-mounted displays, power and propulsion solutions, and avionics support. With a global supply chain spanning the UK, Europe, the USA, Canada, South Africa, Australia, Japan, and Sri Lanka, we operate across the entire product lifecycle, from advanced research to in-service support.

Now is an exciting time to join us! With significant growth and increasing demand for our mission-critical projects, we are investing in the future—transforming our site with a new 20,000m² factory and extensive refurbishments already underway.

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: 15th August 2025

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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