Category Manager

NHS; Plymouth; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional healthcare provider in Plymouth is seeking two experienced Category Managers to join a new procurement service. The successful candidates will lead procurement strategies, oversee supplier relationships, and ensure compliance with UK procurement laws. Ideal candidates will have significant experience in category management and relevant professional qualifications. This role offers a chance to create a centre of excellence in procurement within the NHS.

Qualifications

• Demonstrable experience in a Category Management or related procurement role.
• Experience of business case development and tender processes.
• Experience of line management of a single function or department.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement category strategies with stakeholders.
• Lead a team of procurement professionals.
• Monitor usage trends and oversee supplier performance.

Skills

Category Management

Stakeholder Management

Project Management

Compliance

Education

Relevant qualification to degree level

Professional procurement qualification (MCIPS)

Job description

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust is excited to be recruiting for a new NHS Devon Procurement Service (DPS), that will become a single procurement service for Partner Trusts in Devon.

The roles that are being recruited for this service are 2 x WTE Category Managers (Band 8A) who will operate across the Corporate and Clinical areas of spend.

This is a great opportunity for experienced procurement managers to join a new service that is focussing on the following core objectives and creating a procurement centre of excellence across the NHS in Devon:

• a consistent user experience and quality of service
• spend transparency and key performance indicator (KPI) reporting
• supplier performance and innovation is enhanced
• supply chain risk reduction
• transactional purchase order and invoice volume reduction through supplier consolidation
• an improvement in social value and sustainability
• improving procurement compliance and efficiencies across business areas interacting regularly with procurement.

Main duties of the job:

• Category and Sourcing Strategy: responsibility for developing, agreeing on, and implementing multi-year category strategies and annual work plans with stakeholders across the Partner Trusts.
• Leadership and Management: leading a team of procurement professionals, providing strategic direction and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
• Stakeholder and Supplier Relationships: build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including senior management, suppliers and other NHS and government bodies.
• Financial and Commercial Oversight: monitoring usage trends, manage contracts, and overseeing supplier performance against Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to ensure value for money and achieve cost savings.
• Compliance and Policy: ensuring all procurement activities comply with procurement policies, regulations, and relevant UK law, such as the Procurement Act.
• Project Management: leading complex sourcing activities, developing and overseeing detailed project plans to ensure timely delivery of procurement projects within budget.

About us:

We are a people business - where every member of staff matters and can make a difference. Patients are at the heart of everything we do. Joining University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust means becoming part of a team of dedicated staff, who are committed to leading the way through innovation, clinical excellence and great customer care.

Person Specification:

Knowledge & Experience:

Essential:

• Demonstrable experience in a Category Management or related procurement role.
• Demonstrable experience of business case development and tender processes
• Demonstrable experience of line management of a single function or department

Desirable:

• Demonstrable experience of being responsible for policy implementation and/or supporting discrete policy or service development

Qualifications:

Essential:

• Relevant qualification to degree level or equivalent demonstrable experience.
• Professional procurement qualification (MCIPS) or vocational level 4, plus MBA or equivalent demonstrable experience
• Proven evidence of continuing professional development at postgraduate / masters level or equivalent

Desirable:

• Post Graduate Diploma or Corporate member in Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) or other appropriate professional institute or relevant experience
• Prince2 or other relevant project management qualification

Aptitude & Abilities:

Essential:

• Ability to interpret policies and procedures and act on own initiative without reference to line manager
• Leads by example and instils a professional and team-based approach to workload

Desirable:

• Proven knowledge and awareness of NHS or wider healthcare sector operating models and policy developments would be advantageous, although not essential.
• Leading and Managing Others: Strong project leadership and management capabilities and experience, with capacity to manage multiple small and medium sized projects

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship:

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications.