Buyer

Integrated Care System; England; Hybrid; GBP 35,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

The North Midlands and Black Country Procurement Group is seeking a Buyer to manage strategic procurement contracts. This role supports the procurement team's objectives by ensuring compliance with regulations and managing a portfolio of significant contracts for NHS Trusts. Flexible working options and 27 days of annual leave are included.

Benefits

27 days annual leave

Flexible working policy

Qualifications

• Experience in negotiation and financial adjudication of complex contracts.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and prioritize effectively.

Responsibilities

• Lead on Strategic Procurement Contracts for NMBC.
• Ensure compliance and manage contracts over £20k.

Skills

Negotiation

Contract Management

Presentation Skills

Analytical Skills

Teamwork

Education

Minimum NVQ Level 3 in Procurement

CIPS degree level Membership

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Go back University Hospital of North Midlands NHS Trust

Buyer

The closing date is 15 July 2025

The North Midlands and Black Country Procurement Group (NMBC) is comprised of The University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM), The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (RWT) and Walsall NHS Trust (WHT), The Black Country Pathology Services (BCPS), North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust (NSCHT), The Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (MPFT), the Black Country Healthcare Foundation Trust, (BCHFT) and Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit (MLCSU).

The NMBC is responsible for the Strategic and Operational Procurement for UHNM (Royal Stoke University and County Hospitals), RWT (New Cross and Cannock Hospitals), WHT (Walsall Manor Hospital), and 36 partner NHS organisations within the Staffordshire, Shropshire, Cheshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Lancashire Health Economies.The NMBC is responsible for the management and control of expenditure in excess of £600 million across the Midlands and Black Country health economies.

This post sits in the Strategic Procurement team and is based at the Royal Stoke University Hospital site, reporting to the Contract Manager and Strategic Procurement Manager in the Non-medical contracts team. The role is directly responsible for a portfolio of contracts and all procurement requirements over £20k, primarily for the Central Functions Division.

Please note that we reserve the right to close the job advert earlier than advertised.

Main duties of the job

We operate under a flexible working policy & also offer partial working from home (typically 2 to 3 days per week) as part of the role.

The Trust offers 27 days annual leave on appointment, rising to 29 days after 5 years' of service and 33 days after 10 years' of service. In addition, there is also the potential to accrue hours towards flexi-leave in accordance with the flexible working policy.

The Buyer will lead on the Strategic Procurement Contracts & ensure compliance for revenue spend for the NMBC covering UHNM Central Functions & Non-Medical requirements,. This role is integral in supporting the Strategic Procurement team in the delivery of the Trust's Procurement objectives & savings targets.

Reporting in to the Contract Manager and Strategic Procurement Manager, as part of the non-medical strategic procurement team, the Buyer will manage a portfolio of Non-Medical Division contracts for University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM), & a vital member of the Strategic team, helping towards delivering the departments savings targets.

Supporting the Departments' national / regional obligations & the implementation of the local Procurement strategy to meet the needs of the host Trust's customer base requirements, and working collaboratively with other Group Trusts, maximizing value for money, minimising operational / commercial risk, ensuring compliance with EU Procurement Legislation, UK Law and the Trust's Standing Financial Instructions.

About us

University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM) is one of the largest and most modern in the country. We are proud to serve around three million people and we're highly regarded for our facilities, teaching and research. We are the specialist centre for major trauma for the North Midlands and North Wales.

UHNM covers Royal Stoke Hospital in Stoke on Trent and County Hospital in Stafford. Royal Stoke is a large acute teaching hospital with a turnover of £360 million. Located in Stoke on Trent and Stafford, UHNM is close to the M6, within commuting distance of culturally diverse major conurbations, such as Manchester and Birmingham and surrounded by rural pleasures including the Peak District National Park.

All of our employees make a valuable contribution regardless of role here at UHNM and we are proud of our wide range of development packages aimed at ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to fulfil their true potential.

UHNM create and encourage a culture of inclusion, providing equal opportunities for career development that are fair and transparent. We are committed to being a diverse and inclusive employer and foster a culture in which all staff feel valued and respected. In return we ask all of our employees to make a commitment to the values, co-created by or staff, patients and carers, and that unite us as a Trust.

Job responsibilities

For more information on working for the Trust, please see at the attached Job Description and Person Specification.

In the event of receiving adequate numbers of suitable applicants/candidates, we reserve the right to close the job advert earlier than advertised.

Please apply early as vacancies may close before the given closing date when sufficient applications are received.

Person Specification

Education and Qualifications

• Minimum NVQ Level 3 in Procurement
• CIPS degree level Membership or working towards this qualification with equivalent CIPS Knowledge and Experience Demonstrated
• Good Standard of general education

Experience

• Negotiation and financial adjudication of complex contracts. Sound commercial knowledge
• Contract management experience including ability to produce Tenders and Quotations in accordance with Trust Standing Financial Instructions.
• Excellent presentation skills with ability to disseminate essential and complex information to multidisciplinary groups.
• Excellent verbal and written skills (inc. report writing). Computer literate and detailed knowledge of basic computer packages e.g. Microsoft Office, Internet and Access based equipment scheduling and ordering systems.
• Can manage multiple projects simultaneously, can prioritise well and enjoys working on complex projects

Skills, Ability and Knowledge

• Strong purchasing skills and depth of experience across a broad range of commodities
• Ability to analyse complex information, interpret and/or present in a clear, comprehensive format

Personal Qualities

• Supervisory skills, Able to work independently with little supervision & Ability to lead and facilitate meetings.
• The ability to use own initiative and work under pressure.
• Ability to influence and gain credibility, in a clinical and management environment.
• Customer orientated & Resource management
• Team player
• Prioritisation skills which include being:- Methodical, numerate, problem solving, motivated, ability to use keyboard skills, written communication, presentation skills, negotiation, influential, assertiveness with tact and diplomacy.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

University Hospital of North Midlands NHS Trust

Full-time,Flexible working,Home or remote working