Our passion and purpose at Matrix is to ‘Connect people to work’. The more people we connect to work, the better it is for society and our business. Our technology, and over 400 exceptional people, make that possible by bringing together organisations that need solutions to meet their recruitment needs. We provide products and services that allow our customers to recruit temporary, contingent or permanent staff, procure consultants and statement of works, and manage the screening and compliance of all workers. We already do this for over 4,000 customers across the UK and as that number grows, we are continually looking for great people to join our team.
Our benefits
We are currently working in a hybrid fashion with the ability to work from home, however for a minimum of two days a week, typically Wednesdays and Thursdays, you will be required at our Head Offices in Milton Keynes. Occasional travel may be required to Clients/Suppliers/London offices as and when needed.
· Standard Pension – 3% Employers, 5% Employee
· 25 days annual leave (plus Bank Holidays)
· Birthday day off
· 2 Volunteer days a year (to volunteer in the local community)
· Employee Health Benefits (Westfield Health)
· Online discounts platform for major retailers (Westfield Rewards)
· Electric Vehicle Salary Sacrifice Scheme (Octopus EV) and Cycle 2 Work Scheme
· The salary for this role is up to £40,000 per annum. We pay within this range based on the skills, experience and qualifications you bring relative to the role's requirements.
About the role
The role of the Category Manager is to manage and lead one of three BAU agency supply categories (Professional Services, Industrial and Health) and the successful execution of procurement strategies. This includes managing supplier relationships, negotiating contracts, ensuring compliance, and optimizing cost-effectiveness and service quality. The role plays a critical part in supporting business growth by ensuring continued access to high-performing recruitment partners.
Duties and Responsibilities
Category Strategy Development
· Implement category strategies aligned with business objectives.
· Conduct market analysis to identify trends, risks, and opportunities in the category landscape with these presented back into internal stakeholders
Supplier Management
· Build and maintain strong relationships with recruitment agencies and staffing suppliers.
· Evaluate supplier performance using KPIs such as price, order response and acceptance, interviews requested, candidates rejected and speed of compliance.
Sourcing & Contracting
· Thoroughly pre-vet suppliers and onboard in accordance with specific category needs
· Support category management content for RFPs, RFQs, and tender processes.
· Negotiate commercial terms, SLAs, and compliance clauses with suppliers.
· Ensure contracts are aligned with legal, financial, and operational standards.
Stakeholder Engagement
· Collaborate with Customer Success, Business Management and Account Directors to understand category needs and agency performance measurement needs
· Provide guidance on agency selection, usage policies, and cost control.
Risk & Compliance
· Monitor supplier compliance with labour laws, data protection, and ethical sourcing standards.
· Mitigate risks related to contingent workforce management and agency engagement.
Continuous Improvement
· Identify opportunities for cost savings, process efficiencies, and supplier innovation.
· Benchmark agency performance and pricing against industry standards.
· Evaluate trends in supplier performance and proactively engage with suppliers to ensure a consistently high performing PSL
Success measures:
· Agency spend reduction through strategic sourcing and negotiation.
· Improved quality and speed of hires via high-performing suppliers.
· Enhanced compliance and risk mitigation in recruitment supply chain.
· Strong internal stakeholder, supplier and client satisfaction
Required knowledge, skills, education and experience
Essential:
- Proven experience in procurement, or vendor management within recruitment or HR services.
- Strong negotiation and contract management skills.
- Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication abilities.
- Analytical mindset with proficiency in data-driven decision-making.
- Proficient in using MS Office products and analysis tools
Desirable:
- Familiarity with recruitment agency models (Vendor Neutral, Contingent, RPO, MSP).
- Experience with e-sourcing tools and vendor management systems.
- Knowledge of employment law and compliance in staffing.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent in Business, Procurement, HR, or related field.
- CIPS qualification or equivalent (preferred but not essential).
At Matrix, we celebrate what makes us unique. We are passionate about building and sustaining an inclusive and equitable working environment for all staff. If you require any reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process, do reach out to our HR team who will be happy to help - [email protected]
Pay: Up to £40,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Bereavement leave
- Casual dress
- Company events
- Company pension
- Cycle to work scheme
- Employee discount
- Enhanced maternity leave
- Enhanced paternity leave
- Free parking
- Health & wellbeing programme
- Life insurance
- Private dental insurance
- Sabbatical
- Sick pay
- Work from home
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Milton Keynes MK5 8PP
