Assistant Purchasing Manager

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust; Frimley; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Professional development program

Flexible working options

Job summary

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Pharmacy Assistant Purchasing Manager to supervise purchasing activities in our busy Pharmacy Department. You will drive invoice processing, KPI reporting and supplier collaboration while supporting medicines recalls and data analysis.

The role offers development towards a CIPS qualification and a structured pathway in a dynamic healthcare setting with opportunities for leadership and professional growth.

Qualifications

• Educated to GCSE or equivalent to include Maths and English above C/4.
• Formal qualification in accounts and ledgers (ACCA).
• Desirable: Formal purchasing qualification such as CIPS Certificate or Advanced Certificate.

Responsibilities

• Supervising the processing of invoices, credits and the resolution of supplier queries.
• Producing, validating and analysing financial data.
• Building and maintaining effective relationships with internal and external customers and suppliers.
• Supporting the receipts team with troubleshooting and resolving system or process errors.
• Assisting with medicines and product recalls.
• Contributing to the production and reporting of departmental performance data (KPI Data).
• Providing day-to-day supervision, line management, support and guidance to purchasing assistants.

Skills

Organised

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Time management

Teamwork

Education

GCSE Maths & English (or equivalent)

ACCA qualification

CIPS certificate/Advanced certificate (desirable)

Tools

E-commerce systems

Job description

Pharmacy Assistant Purchasing Manager

An exciting opportunity has arisen within the Purchasing Section of our Pharmacy Department. We are looking for an enthusiastic, organised and proactive individual to join our team in a supervisory role within a busy, dynamic and rewarding healthcare environment.

Job Overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen within the Purchasing Section of our Pharmacy Department. We are looking for an enthusiastic, organised and proactive individual to join our team in a supervisory role within a busy, dynamic and rewarding healthcare environment.

This position offers the chance to play a vital role in supporting the effective procurement of medicines and pharmacy supplies, helping to ensure the highest standards of patient care. For the right candidate, support towards achieving a CIPS (Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply) qualification may be available, providing an excellent opportunity for professional development.

About You

• Highly organised with excellent attention to detail.
• Able to work accurately under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Confident in the use of computer systems and data management tools.
• An effective communicator with strong interpersonal skills.
• Able to work both independently and collaboratively within a team.
• Skilled at prioritising workloads and managing their time effectively.

Main duties of the job

Key Responsibilities

• The successful candidate will be responsible for a varied range of duties, including:
• Supervising the processing of invoices, credits and the resolution of supplier queries.
• Producing, validating and analysing financial data.
• Building and maintaining effective relationships with internal and external customers and suppliers.
• Supporting the receipts team with troubleshooting and resolving system or process errors.
• Assisting with medicines and product recalls.
• Contributing to the production and reporting of departmental performance data (KPI Data).
• Providing day-to-day supervision, line management, support and guidance to purchasing assistants.

Essential Experience

• To be successful in this role, you will have:
• Previous experience working within a purchasing or procurement environment.
• Experience of e-commerce systems and processes.
• Experience managing a team.
• A proven ability to investigate and resolve queries effectively.

Working for our organisation

Visa Sponsorship

This position is not eligible for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. Applicants must already hold the right to work in the UK for the full duration of the contract.

Why Join Us?

• This is an excellent opportunity to develop your procurement career within a supportive pharmacy team, where your contribution will have a direct impact on the delivery of healthcare services.
• We offer a challenging and varied role, opportunities for professional development, and the chance to work alongside dedicated colleagues committed to excellence.
• Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust is committed to being an inclusive and disability confident employer and has been awarded the Gold for the Armed Forces Employment Recognition Scheme.
• We provide first class development opportunities for all staff and have a wide range of professional, management and leadership, and clinical skills training available
• Here at Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, we know how important it is to have a healthy work life balance;
• This benefits not only individuals but the patients we care for too.
• We encourage applications from people who wish to work on a flexible basis, recognising that flexibility may mean a range of different working patterns and hours, we do our utmost to work with our staff to meet their needs and the needs of our service and its users.

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

See attached Job Description for details of the scope and responsibilities of the role. Personal Specification also included.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Educated to GCSE or equivalent to include Maths and English above C/4
• Formal qualification in accounts and ledgers (ACCA)

Desirable criteria

• Formal purchasing qualification such as CIPS Certificate or Advanced Certificate

Experience

Essential criteria

• Experience of managing a team of staff including appraisal and performance management.
• Experience of training and supervision.
• Previous role in purchasing environment, for example as a junior buyer / buyer or equivalent.
• Experience of implementing contracts.

Desirable criteria

• Pharmacy purchasing experience
• Experience of working with ecommerce solutions.
• Experience of liaising with customers and suppliers.

Skills & knowledge

Essential criteria

• Attention to detail.
• Ability to prioritise personal and team objectives and delegate effectively.
• Able to work calmly and effectively under pressure and to strict deadlines.
• Implementation of change.Approachable and able to motivate others.

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust (FHFT) is proud of its strong reputation, record of achievement and ambition for the future. We serve a population of over 900,000 people across Berkshire, Hampshire, Surrey and South Buckinghamshire, and remain committed to improving the health and wellbeing of our communities.

Our new organisational strategy – FHFT 2030 – sets out our ambition to be the best place to receive care and the best place to work in the NHS. Underpinned by our Trust values – Committed to Excellence, Working Together, Facing the Future, and being a modern, compassionate, Healthcare Organisation – we are creating a culture where our people can thrive and patients always come first.

We continue to invest heavily in our services and facilities. This includes the development of a new hospital at Frimley Park, major expansion of diagnostics and inpatient capacity, and the continued transformation of services across our sites. We have already delivered a brand-new £100m state-of-the-art Heatherwood Hospital, a £49m Emergency Assessment Centre at Wexham Park, and a £10m upgrade to maternity services.

We are also committed to sustainability and the NHS Net Zero ambition. Our new hospital and estate developments are being designed to be environmentally responsible, energy efficient, and future-proofed, featuring on-site renewables energy and intelligent energy systems. Through our green plan, we are embedding sustainable practices across all areas of care and operations, ensuring we reduce our environmental impact while improving population health and wellbeing. Our staff are key to helps us deliver on our ambition and to ensure sustainability is a core component of care delivery and our operations.

Alongside estates’ investments, we are embedding a strong focus on digital innovation and quality improvement. Our electronic patient record (Epic), launched in 2024, is already enabling safer, more connected, and more effective care for patients, while giving staff the tools they need to do their best work. Our electronic patient record also supports safe and effective digitised care pathways, savings time and carbon, whilst delivering excellent quality of care.

Everything we do is guided by our values, shaping how we care for patients, support colleagues, and build a sustainable future for healthcare together.