At Compass Group, we enrich people, communities, and our planet by serving a better future—because everyone deserves to be seen and nourished as a whole person. Through Foodbuy, our industry-leading procurement business, we create value for our clients by leveraging scale, expertise, and innovation.

We are looking for an experienced Category Manager to join our Foodbuy team on a permanent basis. Reporting to the Head of Procurement, you will lead strategic direction across Fruit & Veg, Bakery, Dairy & Eggs categories, driving efficiencies and sustainable partnerships that benefit our clients and suppliers.

This role is perfect for a self-starter who thrives in a fast-paced environment, can manage geographically dispersed stakeholders, and is passionate about optimising procurement strategies that align with long-term business goals.

The Role

• Develop and manage a portfolio of food categories, ensuring alignment with business objectives.
• Drive national strategic sourcing events, optimising cost, quality, delivery, and innovation.
• Execute category plans, including spend analysis, risk management, supply market analysis, and strategic partnerships.
• Establish supplier performance indicators and implement best-practice procurement processes.
• Provide leadership in environmental and sustainability initiatives within procurement.
• Build and maintain strong supplier relationships, managing negotiations at executive levels.
• Support business stakeholders with commercial marketplace insights and industry trends.

The Person

• Tertiary qualifications in Procurement, Supply Chain, Business, or a related field (CIPS, IFPSM, or AAPCM certification is an advantage).
• Proven experience in category management, strategic sourcing, and supplier relationship management.
• Background in Food or FMCG is preferred but not essential.
• Strong negotiation and stakeholder management skills, with experience engaging at senior levels.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and prioritise effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
• Exceptional communication and problem-solving abilities.
• Experience in change management within a complex organisation is a plus.

The Benefits

At Compass Group, our people are our greatest asset. We offer a competitive salary and incentive scheme, career development opportunities, and a range of benefits, including:

• Paid parental leave
• Recognition and rewards programs
• Team events and site-based benefits
• Discounts across retail, dining, and entertainment

We are committed to a fair and inclusive recruitment process. If you need adjustments or alternative methods of communication, please contact us at 1300TALENT or careers@compass-group.com.au.

Our people’s unique backgrounds, experience, and abilities are at the heart of our vibrant workforce. We strive to create workplaces that reflect the diverse communities that we serve, where everyone feels empowered and valued. By building diverse teams means we are creating inclusive environments for all our people and those we connect with through our day-to-day operation. We welcome & encourage applications from Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples, people of all backgrounds, ages, sexual orientation, gender expressions, gender identity and people with disability.