Assistant Category Lead - Food

Job Introduction

About us

Do you aspire to work in a welcoming, innovative, forward-thinking, inclusive and supportive organisation where you can also learn and develop?  YPO might be the perfect fit for you!

With 50 years of experience, YPO has been dedicated to supporting the public sector. Our journey began five decades ago when 13 local authorities united to streamline their purchasing needs and enhance efficiency, forming the organisation we know today.

As a 100% publicly owned entity by our 13 member authorities, we ensure that our profits are reinvested into our public sector customers, offering even greater value for money.  Discover more about our company and culture at Start a career at YPO | YPO.

YPO is committed to eliminating discrimination and encouraging diversity amongst our workforce. Our aim is that our workforce will be truly representative of all sections of society and each employee feels respected and able to give their best.

If this position is advertised as a full-time role (37 hours per week), YPO is pleased to consider requests for flexible working arrangements, including part-time hours and job-sharing opportunities. We are committed to supporting work-life balance and encourage candidates to discuss their preferred working patterns with us.

About the Role

As we continue to grow, we’re looking for a passionate and proactive Assistant Category Lead to join our Food, Beverage & Catering team.

This is a fantastic opportunity to work nationally with customers, suppliers, and partners, including through our involvement with LACA – The School Food People, to deliver innovative, sustainable, and customer-focused procurement solutions.

Shape the future of public sector catering with YPO.

“Our new positions aren’t just vacancies—they’re opportunities to create a lasting impact through more innovative, sustainable procurement.”

About You

As Assistant Category Lead, you’ll work closely with the Category Lead to shape and deliver the strategy for our Food, Beverage & Catering category. You’ll be the key customer-facing lead—building strong relationships, understanding sector needs, and ensuring our frameworks and services meet both current and future requirements.

In this role you’ll also:

• Lead on customer engagement across all sectors, acting as a trusted advisor and procurement expert
• Support the development and implementation of category strategies aligned to YPO’s wider procurement goals
• Manage sourcing initiatives across the full procurement lifecycle
• Collaborate with suppliers and internal teams to drive innovation, value, and sustainability
• Line manage and mentor Buyers within the team
• Represent YPO at national events and forums, including LACA, to stay ahead of market trends and customer needs

We’re looking for someone who is:

• Experienced in procurement, ideally within the public sector or food and catering environment
• A confident communicator with the ability to engage senior stakeholders and customers
• Strategic and commercially minded, with strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Passionate about delivering value, innovation, and great service
• A collaborative team player who thrives in a fast-paced, purpose-driven environment
• CIPS qualified

For a detailed description of the role and required skills, please refer to the job description attached below.

What’s in it for you?

We are proud to offer a fantastic range of benefits, including:

• Generous annual leave, from 24 days a year, plus 8 days statutory bank holidays and 3 discretionary closedown days at Christmas
• Local Government Pension through West Yorkshire Pension Fund 
• A comprehensive health and wellbeing package
• Flexi scheme and flexible working options available (please discuss your preferred working requirements with the manager at interview)
• Family friendly policies
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Subsidised canteen
• Free parking available

To have a confidential and informal discussion about this role, or any additional support, please contact Amy Shelley at amy.shelley@ypo.co.uk 

Interviews are planned to take place week commencing 1st September, in-person at our office in Wakefield.