Imperial College London is seeking a Head of Category to play a leading role within its Real Estate Team, based at the White City Campus in London. This is an opportunity to shape procurement strategy across one of the UK’s most complex and ambitious university estates, with over 500,000 sqm spanning academic, research, commercial, residential and investment assets.
Imperial College London is a world-leading university for science, technology, engineering, medicine and business (STEMB), where scientific imagination leads to world-changing impact. Its estate is one of the largest and most complex in the UK Higher Education sector, comprising over 500,000 sqm of academic, research, commercial, residential, and investment assets.
The Head of Category will lead a broad procurement portfolio spanning maintenance and hard FM, soft FM, property, and construction, with a primary focus on maintenance and hard FM activity. The postholder will shape and deliver category strategies that drive value, performance, and compliance across the University’s diverse property estate.
A major early priority will be the re‑procurement of the hard FM provider (currently Dalkia) for the non‑residential estate, requiring strong commercial leadership, market insight, and the ability to run complex strategic procurement exercises. Soft FM will form the next key area of focus, followed by construction, supported by an already strong Category Manager in this area.
Working closely with senior stakeholders across Property Services and White City Development, the role will provide expert commercial guidance, lead high‑value end‑to‑end sourcing activity, and oversee best‑practice contract and supplier‑relationship management. The Head of Category will also line‑manage a Category Manager and play a key role on the Procurement Senior Leadership Team, driving excellence, operational efficiency, and continuous improvement across the portfolio.
This is a senior, influential role requiring professional expertise and the ability to manage complex stakeholder relationships, while also leading and developing professionally qualified team members and external advisers.
The candidate brochure can be viewed here.
This is an outstanding opportunity to play a central role in shaping Imperial’s procurement strategy across a broader ray of functions.
To arrange a confidential discussion, please contact our retained search advisor:
Nick Coppard - nick.coppard@mrgglobal.com
Imperial is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. We are proud to be an Athena SWAN Bronze Award holder, a Stonewall Diversity Champion, and a Disability Confident Employer