AMS PSR

On behalf of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) we are looking for a Category Group Manager (Inside IR35) for a contract up to March 2026 working on a hybrid basis and with an expectation of 2 days attendance in the Abbey Wood, Bristol or London offices - minimal travel may be required (expenses will be paid for this)

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is a central government department with a mission to protect our country and provide the ultimate guarantee of its security and independence, as well as helping to protect its values and interests abroad.

The MOD is one of the biggest public procurement organisations in Europe and the single largest customer for UK industry. It currently manages approximately £20 billion of spend on capital investments in equipment and infrastructure every year.  Over the next decade the MOD is committed to spending over £190 billion on equipment and support. The MOD’s customers include both the armed forces and national security agencies, and it has a diverse range of requirements, including:

• military fighting vehicles
• education services
• nuclear submarines
• facilities management

The MOD’s aim is to provide its armed forces with the best capabilities to enable them to protect the UK’s security and advance national interests, both now and in the long term.

To do this the MOD has an annual budget of almost £53 billion and a workforce comprising 197,000 people. of which 54,000 are civilians working for the UK MOD.

The work really matters; the MOD offers a range of engaging roles which have a direct impact on the quality of services they provide, in many locations across the UK. We support teams working in HR, Primary Health Care, Corporate Services, and many others.

As Category Group Manager, you will:

• Develop and implement multi-year category strategies across a portfolio of goods and services (e.g., complex platforms, infrastructure, digital services).
• Collaborate closely with Portfolio Directors, delivery organisations, and supply chain teams to align category strategies with strategic priorities (e.g., availability, pace, lethality, innovation, value for money).
• Build deep market and category expertise to make the MOD an intelligent customer.
• Champion best practices, market insight, and innovation from industry and allied partners.
• Conduct opportunity assessments and annual category planning, identifying high-value commercial interventions.
• Oversee stakeholder engagement across senior military, civilian, and industry partners to drive buy-in and adoption.
• Manage category performance, track benefits realisation, and ensure integration into business-as-usual activity.
• Drive continuous improvement through lessons learned, governance, and quality assurance processes.

Essential: 

• SC Clearance is an essential requirement for this role, as a minimum you must be willing & eligible to undergo checks. Please note, due to the exceptional requirements of this position (short-term nature of this role and speed at which we require a postholder in situ) preference may be given to candidates who meet all of the essential criteria and hold active security clearance. 
• Deep category management experience within large scale contracts
• Experience of facilitating workshops
• Evidence and experience of strategic thinking
• Senior Stakeholder experience
• Experience of working with a high change environment
• Good communication and engagement skills     

Desirable:

• Desirable is Defence experience
• MCIPS / CIPS qualified

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas.

Disability Confident 

As a member of the Disability Confident Scheme, MOD guarantees to interview all candidates who have a disability and who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of candidates who have a disability who meet all the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group.

This scheme encourages candidates with a disability and/or neurodivergence to apply. In exceptional circumstances, we may also need to apply the desirable criteria in our shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

Armed Forces Covenant

MOD guarantees to interview veterans or spouses / partners of military personnel who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of ex-military candidates / military spouses or partners, who meet all of the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group. In exceptional circumstances, we may also need to apply the desirable criteria in our shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

In applying for this role, you acknowledge the following, this role falls in scope of the Off Payroll Working in the Public Sector legislation. Any rates of payment quoted will reflect the gross rate per day for the assignment and will be subject to appropriate taxes and statutory costs. As such the payment to the intermediary and your income resulting from this contract will be different.