Strategic Category Manager - Procurement, Supply Chain & Health Technology Management

Strategic Category Manager - Procurement, Supply Chain & Health Technology Management Work from any Health New Zealand office location nationwide Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is the country's largest employer, delivering universal public healthcare to 5 million New Zealanders. We provide essential hospital, specialist, and community health services across 80+ locations — from large urban centres to rural towns and remote communities. Our goal is to improve health outcomes for all New Zealanders by delivering equitable, accessible and innovative care. About the Role As a Strategic Category Manager within our Commercial Directorate, you will play a key role in shaping and executing commercial strategies that support the delivery of high-quality healthcare across Aotearoa. This role is responsible for leading and overseeing the full commercial lifecycle of a designated category. You will lead the strategy development of a given category and ensure our Sourcing Managers and Supplier Performance Managers, deliver excellent value through procurement, contracting, and supplier performance management within those categories for HealthNZ. In this role, you will: Develop and implement national category strategies Lead complex commercial initiatives Analyse market trends, supplier performance, and commercial opportunities Build strong partnerships with stakeholders and suppliers to deliver strategic objectives Support standardisation and optimisation initiatives across Health New Zealand Contribute to better health outcomes through effective commercial decision-making This is a high-impact opportunity to influence procurement practices across one of New Zealand's largest and most complex organisations. Few commercial roles offer the same combination of scale, complexity, and purpose. Your work will help ensure patients, clinicians, and communities have access to the services and support they need every day. About the Team/Service The newly established Commercial Directorate sits within the Procurement, Supply Chain & Health Technology Management (PSC&HTM) group at Health New Zealand. PSC&HTM is a national function with a vast and complex scope, responsible for ensuring the availability, safety, and efficiency of clinical and non-clinical goods and services across the health system. Managing and influencing more than $9 billion in annual spend, the team plays a critical role in delivering high-quality patient outcomes and supporting consistent, value-driven procurement practices nationwide. We are seeking a Strategic Category Manager to join our Indirect Products & Services team, which manages a broad portfolio of non-clinical goods and services that support the day-to-day operation of healthcare services across Health New Zealand - from providing patient meals to ensuring clean, safe hospital environments. About You You are a commercially minded and strategic professional who thrives in complex environments and enjoys building strong relationships to deliver meaningful outcomes. You bring a collaborative approach, strong stakeholder engagement skills, and the ability to identify opportunities that create value for both the organisation and the communities we serve. You will bring: A tertiary qualification in business, commerce, procurement, supply chain, or a related discipline At least 5 years' experience in category management, strategic sourcing, procurement or a commercial role in a related field. Proven success in relationship management, contract negotiation, building strategies and delivering commercial outcomes Strong commercial and analytical skills, with the ability to assess markets, spend, and performance data Experience in a service-based category, such as foodservice, cleaning, or facilities services, would be highly regarded. Working at Health New Zealand Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of New Zealand. We embrace a workforce that is diverse and inclusive so that we are better positioned to understand and serve our communities. We welcome applications from our diverse Māori, Pacific, disabled, and rainbow communities. Job details Job Reference: Job Reference: 1908108 Location: New Zealand - All Locations - Work from where you are Job type: Job type: Permanent Full time Expertise: Non-clinical - Quality and Risk - All values Non-clinical - Procurement - Procurement Non-clinical - Management - Operations Specialties Managers #J-18808-Ljbffr