Woolworths

Category Manager - Corporate Services

• Accelerate your career in a high-performing procurement team with strong focus on development, exposure, and progression
• Flexible hybrid working across Norwest and Surry Hills, 
• Lead high-impact, enterprise-wide categories, influencing strategic outcomes across a ~$1B spend portfolio

We Are Woolworths Group 

We are Woolworths Group. 200,000+ bright minds, passionate hearts and unique perspectives connected by a shared Purpose – ‘to create better experiences together for a better tomorrow.’ It’s that Purpose that fuels our ambition to explore new ideas, make brave commitments and innovate better ways to meet the food and everyday needs of more than 24 million customers every week. 

If you’re excited to turn today’s blue sky thinking into a better tomorrow for future generations, you’ll find yourself supported and enriched in an dynamic, inclusive and empowering workplace that reflects the diverse communities we serve. With a culture of genuine care, a flexible approach to work and opportunities across the group to grow your career and make a meaningful impact, the possibilities for what we can achieve together are endless. 

Welcome to the Procurement Team

We are an enterprise wide function and our job is to provide thought leadership, best practice advice and deliver a service that adds value to our business partners.

We operate in a fast paced, nimble environment with entrepreneurial-minded professionals who work collaboratively to build relationships to achieve outcomes to be the leaders in the market. Our point of difference is that we are part of Australia’s largest retailer allowing us to provide unparalleled career opportunities.

The team is positioned to drive change and continuous improvement across the business whilst continually focussed on providing excellent customer experiences to key stakeholders. The Group Commercial operating model ensures that we are a high performing team providing the best service to our customers.

Within Corporate Services Procurement, we partner with business leaders to drive value, manage risk, and enable operational effectiveness across a complex and evolving supplier ecosystem.

What you’ll do

In this full time, permanent role as the Category Manager for Corporate Services, you will Partner with senior stakeholders across Legal, Finance, People & Operations as a trusted commercial advisor and drive innovation and transformation in how the business engages suppliers, delivering value beyond cost. More specifically, you will:

• Develop & Execute Strategies: Lead the E2E sourcing lifecycle, from spend analysis and RFx creation to complex contract negotiations and award decisions.
• Drive Commercial Value: Deliver on annual productivity targets through cost avoidance, working capital benefits, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Advanced Governance: Manage contract compliance and supplier performance, ensuring all parties meet contractual SLAs and KPIs while adhering to Group policies.
• Innovate & Scan: Actively scan the global landscape for proactive solutions that enhance our competitive edge and bring value to our internal business units.
• Stakeholder Partnership: Build collaborative relationships with Legal, Finance, and Risk teams to gather specifications and evaluate sophisticated market solutions.

What you’ll bring

• You are a proactive, outcome-oriented leader with the ability to navigate ambiguity in a large-scale environment. You will have:
• 5–7+ years in Procurement or Category Management, with deep experience in Professional Services, Workforce/Labour, or Insurance categories.
• Strong commercial acumen with a track record of negotiating favourable terms and competitive pricing for $m+ portfolios.
• A sound understanding of contract law, commercial risk, and complex sourcing models like MSP, BPO, and panel management.
• Proficiency in spend analysis, strategic cost modeling, and procurement tools (e.g., Ariba, CLM systems).
• Exceptional stakeholder engagement and presentation capabilities, with the ability to tell a story through data.
• Experience in large, complex organisations if preferred.
• Experience managing consulting panels, recruitment panels, or insurance programs would be highly beneficial.

What you’ll experience

• Blend in-office engagement with work-from-home opportunities for a balanced work week.
• A global business with endless career possibilities around every corner and across every discipline – with valuable exposure to a vast and exciting business network.
• Team discounts across our range of Woolworths Group brands you know and love and a robust rewards program that celebrates and incentivises purpose-driven work.
• 12 weeks paid parental leave for primary caregivers plus paid superannuation for up to 12 months while the Team Member is on parental leave - eligible from the first day of employment

Everyone belongs at Woolworths Group 

As one of the largest employers in Australia and New Zealand, we aim to create a truly inclusive workplace where everyone feels that they belong, can be their best selves, and reach their full potential.

Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are key to realising our purpose of better together for a better tomorrow. We recognise the value our team’s diversity brings to our business, customers, and communities and that teams with diverse experiences and backgrounds enrich our group and are better able to innovate and solve problems.

Woolworths Group is an inclusive, team-first company and we value all skills and experiences. If you meet some, but not all of the requirements, we encourage you to submit your application.