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About the Company 

At SA Water, our work sustains life. Every day, we deliver safe, reliable water and wastewater services to more than 1.8 million South Australians, supporting healthy communities across our state.

Behind this essential service are people who care. From engineering and science to construction, digital, operations and customer experience, every role plays a part. We bring our authentic selves to work, driven by purpose, supporting one another to deliver work that truly matters.

About the job  

The Category Specialist supports the delivery of sourcing, procurement, category management, and contract management activities across a diverse operations portfolio. You will work closely with stakeholders to understand their needs, provide expert procurement advice, and lead sourcing activities that deliver value, manage risk, and support business objectives.

This role offers plenty of variety, from supporting category strategies and undertaking spend analysis to running tender processes, managing supplier relationships, and supporting active contracts and panel agreements. You will also have the opportunity to identify new ways of working, drive continuous improvement, and contribute to broader supply chain objectives. Government procurement experience will be beneficial, although not essential.

This ongoing, full-time role is available immediately. 

About the Person

The successful candidate will be a relationship-focused procurement professional who enjoys partnering with stakeholders to solve problems and deliver practical outcomes. They will bring experience in procurement, category management, supply chain, or a related discipline, along with a strong understanding of sourcing and contract management principles. Naturally collaborative, they will be comfortable working autonomously while contributing to a supportive team environment where knowledge sharing and teamwork are highly valued. Their ability to build trusted relationships, and influence stakeholders at all levels will enable them to identify opportunities, manage risk, analyse spend and create value for the organisation.

About Our Supply Chain Team

We are proud to be an award-winning team, securing the ‘Procurement Team of the Year – Large Organisation’ award at the 2024 Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply Awards Australia and New Zealand. These awards are an opportunity to showcase and celebrate the best work and teams in the procurement profession. 

The award recognises high performing procurement teams who have made significant improvements to their performance and culture resulting in increased effectiveness, influence, efficiencies, savings or competitive advantage.

About Business Insights and Excellence

The Business Insights and Excellence business group turns data into trusted insights that help us make better decisions for our customers and community into the future.

Working in this team means analysing complex information, responsibly managing finance and procurement, building meaningful reports and dashboards, and partnering with the business to solve real problems. You’ll help shape strategy, improve performance, and ensure decisions are informed, evidence‑based, and aligned to what matters most for South Australians.

In addition, your responsibilities will include: 

Fostering trust with our people, customers and community by providing expert advice and service that ensure we effectively communicate and engage audiences with our business strategy and its delivery across South Australia, every day. 

You will: 

• Lead end-to-end tender processes for operational procurement requirements.
• Support the development and delivery of category management plans that drive value, efficiency, and risk mitigation.
• Build strong relationships with stakeholders and provide expert procurement advice and guidance.
• Undertake market research, benchmarking and spend analysis to identify opportunities for improvement, innovation and value.

Your success in this role will come from: 

• Formal tertiary qualification in Procurement, Law, Commercial or other relevant qualification, i.e. MCIPs or equivalent experience.
• Demonstrated procurement and contract management experience with strong negotiation and supplier relationship management skills.
• Highly developed interpersonal and relationship building skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work autonomously.
• Strong research and analytical skills.  

Further information can be found in the attached PD – Category Specialist.

To apply, click 'Apply'. Please submit and complete the application form, upload a cover letter and current resume. For enquiries, please contact Despina Livadiotis from the Talent Acquisition team despina.livadiotis@sawater.com.au.

Applications close 11:55pm, 14 October 2026.

A great customer experience is best achieved by having a diverse and inclusive team that reflects the community we serve. Applications are encouraged from everyone, including people living with disability, job seekers of all ages, members of the LGBTIQA+ community, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and people from culturally diverse backgrounds. 

Our Industry is like no other. Dive into the wonderful world of water and explore the boundless opportunities. Learn more about the water industry at careersinwater.com.au.

Please note: We request that recruitment agencies do not submit candidates for this position, as they will not be accepted.