Category Manager – Software & AI Full Time

Team: Procurement & Supply (Finance)

Salary banding: £43,610 – £62,801

Location: Hub based, London or Bristol preferred

Experience: Mid-level

Reporting to: Senior Category Manager, Technology

Sponsorship: Unfortunately we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role.

This role in 3 words: Analysis, Relationships, Commercial

Top 3 qualities for this role: Negotiator, Self-Solving, Entrepreneurial

Where you’ll work:

Depending on the needs of your business area, we expect hub based people to be in the office at least once a week, and to go to OVO Connection events in-person.

You’ll be assigned to the closest one of our three hub offices, however Bristol or London would be preferred. Each hub has accessible spaces to park your laptop, is designed to inspire people, help them connect and bring big ideas to life.

Everyone belongs at OVO

At OVO, we are on a mission to solve one of humanity’s biggest challenges, the climate crisis. And we know it takes all of us to change the world. That’s why we need diverse people from all gender identities, ethnicities, ages, sexual orientations, life experiences and backgrounds to join us.

Teamworking for the planet

Everything we do here spins around Plan Zero. So, naturally, the team you’ll be joining plays a gigantic role in making that happen. Here’s how:

As an enterprise business OVO’s supply chain presents large risk but great opportunity when it comes to sustainability and wider ESG initiatives. Procurement & Supply play a vital role when contributing to OVO’s wider Plan Zero aspirations ensuring we’re working with the right partners and managing risks appropriately.

This role in a nutshell:

We’re looking for an exceptional Category Manager to drive the strategic management of the Software procurement category supporting the Senior Category Manager. You’ll develop and execute category strategies, manage supplier relationships, and oversee procurement processes to deliver maximum value and mitigate risks. Your focus will align with OVO’s Plan Zero ambitions, ensuring sustainable and ethical sourcing practices while achieving commercial success.

You’ll be reporting to the Senior Category Manager and will play a critical role in supporting change, delivering results, and setting the bar for ‘what good looks like’ across the team. You’ll also be working closely with stakeholders across the business to drive projects and supplier performance forwards. Your key area of focus from a Category Management perspective will be Software, an essential underpinning of OVO’s business, enabling the delivery of a range of products and services to our customers. You will also be responsible for sourcing outside of the Software category as and when necessary as we manoeuvre to deliver critical business partnership for our Tech colleagues and beyond.

We’re looking for a strategic thinker to own the Software category, setting the strategic direction and managing its end-to-end execution. This role offers deep category engagement while fostering broad experience across the entire technology portfolio. You will be an essential, flexible team player, frequently collaborating on sourcing projects in other tech areas. If you’re looking for a role that combines deep category ownership with a flexible, collaborative team environment for exposure to other areas of tech, this is it.

The Team’s objectives include:

• Driving significant commercial benefits to support OVO’s EBITDA targets.
• Getting the end to end contract lifecycle right, reducing risks, and driving compliance while maintaining agility.
• Procuring goods and services in a sustainable manner, aligning with OVO’s Plan Zero.
• Becoming a knowledge base of relevant supply markets, products, technologies, and trends.
• Managing supplier relationships through the contract lifetime, ensuring delivery expectations are met, and rectifying any issues
• Continuously improving commercial value, process efficiency, and risk mitigation.
• Effectively partnering with internal stakeholders.
• Supporting the implementation of procurement systems that underpin opportunity execution while reducing risks and improving compliance.

Your key outcomes will be:

• Ensuring Software & AI tools are fit for purpose, aligned to OVO’s objectives and key results and wider business needs, representing the best value and quality (working in collaboration with the Senior Category Manager).
• Lead end-to-end procurement processes for assigned sub-categories in the technology space, ensuring efficiency and compliance.
• Negotiate contracts with suppliers to secure favourable terms and cost savings.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key suppliers to drive collaboration and innovation.
• Conduct market analysis to identify risks, opportunities, and trends for assigned sub-categories, feeding into the Technology Spend Category Strategy.
• Monitor supplier / agency performance and collaborate with the business on regular supplier performance reviews.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to align spend category objectives with organisational goals.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives across procurement activities.
• Support OVO’s sustainability goals through ethical and environmentally responsible sourcing.

Additionally, you will:

• Use data to maintain a clear view of software category spend and suppliers.
• Support category savings opportunity analysis and future pipeline initiatives.
• Execute RFx exercises, guiding stakeholders and ensuring strong project management practices.
• Lead material commercial initiatives, presenting to the C-suite in line with OVO’s authority matrix.
• Deliver effective Supplier Management strategies. In life contract management, reducing risk, scope creep, supplier performance and contract exit
• Ensure adherence to procurement & contract policies and monitor compliance.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of procurement tools, processes, and customer journey management.
• Align sourcing activities with OVO’s Plan Zero objectives, demonstrating measurable contributions.

You’ll be a successful Category Manager at OVO if you…

• Are a strategic thinker with proven experience in procurement, supplier management or category management.
• Have strong negotiation skills with a proven track record of delivering material commercial benefits.
• Excel in managing supplier relationships, driving performance, and fostering innovation.
• Are analytical, capable of sourcing and interpreting data to inform decisions.
• Communicate effectively with stakeholders and build collaborative relationships.
• Demonstrate a commitment to sustainability and ethical procurement practices.
• Thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and manage multiple priorities efficiently.
• Are a team player, working collaboratively with a pragmatic approach.
• Have or are working towards a CIPS qualification (desirable).
• Show an understanding of procurement systems (e.g., Workday Strategic Sourcing).
• Bring experience in sourcing across key subcategories, with exposure to the energy sector being a plus.

You won’t like this role if you…

• Are uncomfortable leading on initiatives with high corporate exposure (Head of Departments and Directors)
• Are unable to effectively and constructively challenge the status quo.
• Are uncomfortable giving and receiving constructive feedback (radical candor).
• Do not possess technical understanding of Procurement best practice.
• Are unable to work effectively across a wider team and influence multiple stakeholders with disparate priorities.
• Do not possess strong commercial acumen and an eye for a deal.
• Are unable to effectively sell and promote the benefits of a robust procurement approach to your colleagues and peers.

Let’s talk about what’s in it for you

We’ll pay you between £43,610 and £62,801, depending on your specific skills and experience.

We keep our pay ranges broad on purpose to give us, and you, flexibility to match your experience to our zero carbon mission.

You’ll be eligible for an on-target bonus of 15%. We have one OVO bonus plan that focuses on the collective performance of our people to deliver our Plan Zero goal.

We also offer plenty of green benefits and progressive policies to help you feel like you belong at OVO…and there’s flex pay. We’ll give you 9% Flex Pay on top of your salary – 4% of this is auto enrolled into your pension, and the remaining 5% is yours to do what you like with. You can use this to buy from our extensive range of flexible benefits, including our green benefits which we’ve put at the heart of our offering, add to your pension or even take it as cash.

Here’s a taster of what’s on offer:

For starters, you’ll get 34 days of holiday (including bank holidays).

For your health

With benefits like a healthcare cash plan or private medical insurance depending on your career level, critical illness cover, life assurance, health assessments, and more

For your wellbeing

With gym membership, travel insurance, workplace ISA, will writing services, dental insurance, and more

For your lifestyle

With extra holiday buying, discount dining, home & tech loans, and supporting your favourite charities with give-as-you-earn donations

For your home

Get up to £400 towards any OVO Energy plan, plus great discounts on solar, smart thermostats and EV chargers

For your commute

Nab a great deal on ultra-low emission car leasing, plus our cycle to work scheme and public transport season ticket loans

Want to hear about our full range of flexible benefits and progressive people policies? Our People Team can tell you everything you need to know.

For your Belonging

To find better ways to support our people, we need to listen to each other’s experiences and find ways to build a truly inclusive and diverse workplace. As part of this, we have 8 Belonging Networks at OVO. Led by our people, for our people – so when you join OVO, you can play a part – big or small – with any of the Networks. It’s up to you.

Oh, and one last thing…

We’d be thrilled if you tick off all our boxes, yet we also believe it’s just as important we tick off all of yours. And if you think you have most of what we’re looking for but not every single thing, go ahead and hit apply. We’d still love to hear from you!

If you have any additional requirements, there’s a space to let us know on the application form; we want to make the process as easy and comfortable for you as possible.