Category Manager – 6 Month Contract (RFPs & Contract Management Focus)
FMCG / Production Sector 

Department: Procurement
Location: Isando, Johannesburg 
Salary: +/- R66k to 100k pm CTC depending on experience.
Contract Type: Fixed-Term (6 Months)

Job Purpose: 

The company is seeking an experienced and results-oriented Category Manager to support its Procurement team on a 6-month contract. This role is critical in driving strategic sourcing efforts with a strong focus on RFP development, execution, and contract management for key non-production spend categories.

The successful candidate will ensure governance, risk mitigation, and value-for-money through the execution of competitive sourcing events and robust supplier contracts, supporting operational and financial goals across the organization.

1. Requirements

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree or National Diploma in Procurement, Supply Chain, Law, Business Administration, or related field.

• Certification in procurement (e.g., CIPS, CPM, CPSM) will be advantageous.

Experience

• Minimum 5 years’ experience in strategic sourcing, RFP management, or contract negotiation roles.

• Proven ability to lead complex RFPs and negotiate terms for goods and services in indirect spend categories (e.g., Supply Chain, Packaging, Chemicals, Utilities).

• Experience in SAP or equivalent ERP systems and procurement platforms (e.g., Ariba, Coupa).

Knowledge & Skills

• Solid understanding of contract law, commercial terms, and procurement governance frameworks.

• Strong project management and stakeholder engagement skills.

• Excellent supplier negotiation capabilities.

3. Key Deliverables and Outputs

• Lead and manage end-to-end RFP processes: drafting scopes, evaluation criteria, stakeholder coordination, supplier briefings, and recommendation reports.

• Review and update contract templates with proper terms and risk mitigation clauses.

• Manage full contract lifecycle through to signature and renewal.

• Collaborate with internal stakeholders (e.g., Finance, Legal, Operations) to ensure alignment on RFP and contract deliverables.

• Ensure compliance with procurement governance and sourcing policies.

• Coordinate commercial and legal negotiations with vendors to ensure favourable, risk-managed agreements.

• Advise business owners on supplier performance clauses, SLAs, KPIs, and exit strategies.

• Track service delivery against contractual obligations and escalate non-compliance or performance issues as needed.

• Simultaneously manage multiple time-sensitive sourcing and contracting activities.

• Maintain a current RFP and Contract Register with key milestones and renewal dates.

• Contribute to performance reporting on sourcing cycle times, value delivery, and contract outcomes.

4. Key Stakeholder Interactions

Internal:

• Head of Procurement

• Executive: Supply Chain

• Executive: Finance and Operations

• Legal & Governance Team

• Operations and Technical Leads

• Business Unit Heads and Category Owners

External:

• Suppliers and Service Providers