Lead Category Manager

NHS; Dorking; On-site; GBP 57,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading health organization is seeking a forward-thinking Lead Category Manager to join their collaborative procurement team. The successful candidate will drive strategic sourcing, deliver high-value contracts, and lead category initiatives that support patient care and operational efficiency. The role involves managing complex procurements, building stakeholder relationships, and mentoring colleagues. Ideal applicants will have strong commercial acumen and at least 5 years of procurement experience.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years' experience in procurement.
• Understanding of best practice techniques in category management.
• NHS or Public Sector experience required.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end category management across allocated portfolios.
• Develop and deliver category strategies aligned with organizational priorities.
• Manage complex procurements following NHS best practices.

Skills

Excellent communication skills

Strong analytical skills

Ability to interpret complex data

Good organizational skills

Proactive mindset

Education

Degree

CIPS level 5

Working towards MCIPS

Job description

Lead Category Manager

The closing date is 11 January 2026

We are seeking an experienced and forward-thinking Lead Category Manager to join our dynamic collaborative procurement organisation.

In this senior role, you will drive strategic sourcing, deliver high-value contracts and frameworks, and lead category initiatives that support quality patient care and operational efficiency across the organisation.

If you're passionate about driving excellence in NHS procurement and making a tangible impact, we'd love to hear from you.

Main duties of the job

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading end-to-end category management across allocated portfolios
• Developing and delivering category strategies aligned to organisational priorities
• Managing complex procurements in accordance with PA23, PSR 24 and NHS best practice
• Building strong stakeholder relationships and providing expert procurement advice
• Delivering measurable savings, sustainability benefits, and improved service outcomes
• Supporting and mentoring procurement colleagues

About you: You will be an influential, solutions-focused procurement professional with strong commercial acumen, excellent communication skills, and proven experience managing high-value categories. MCIPS (or working towards) is required or a suitable equivalent.

About us

NHS Commercial Solutions (NHSCS) is a collaborative procurement NHS organisation providing strategic procurement services to NHS organisations within Kent, Hampshire, Surrey, Sussex and further afield. NHSCS has delivered savings in excess of £300 million working in partnership with trusts and with multiple stakeholders to deliver cash releasing savings, cost and quality improvements across a wide range of categories. NHSCS is hosted by SABP NHS Foundation Trust.

Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is the leading provider of health and social care services for people of all ages with mental ill-health and learning disabilities in Surrey and North East Hampshire. We also provide social care services for people with a learning disability in Croydon and ASD and ADHD assessment services in Hampshire.

We actively seek to engage people who use our services and our communities in improving the mental wellbeing of the local population. We work closely with other NHS and voluntary sector organisations who provide services and support people who use services and carers.

Our historic market towns and bustling districts are enveloped in wonderful countryside, and our excellent road and rail networks bring the rest of the country within easy reach.

Please note that we reserve the right to close posts as soon as sufficient applications are received.

We look forward to receiving your application!

Job responsibilities

My job makes better lives by

Supporting the category teams and customer Trusts by working with stakeholders and suppliers to build a reputation for procurement excellence within NHS Commercial Solutions (NHSCS). Leveraging new commercial opportunities and delivering procurement projects and frameworks. Maintaining relationships with existing clients and building new relationships by delivering a high-quality service, ensuring sourcing solutions are in place. Facilitating delivery of new contracts and monitoring contracts resulting in high-quality, value-for-money goods and services for customers. Helping to secure cash and efficiency savings for NHS Trusts across the country to release resources and ultimately improve patient outcomes.

Job Overview

This is a full-time role for an experienced Lead Category Manager who will lead a wide range of strategic sourcing, consultancy projects and category related initiatives for defined projects impacting all stages of the Procurement life cycle for NHS organisations.

You will take the lead on a portfolio of initiatives across a wide range of categories, contract compliance, sustainable cost improvements, and a range of other benefits associated with the commissioning of category services and products whilst maintaining NHS Commercial Solutions high standards.

You will work closely with all teams across the organisation to ensure cohesive strategies in the delivery of categories, products and services.

The Role Holder Will

Support the development and delivery of a strategic and operational procurement service

Work with stakeholders to ensure that service specifications, procurement evaluation criteria and assessment processes are fit for purpose and will result in the effective procurement of individual services

Support delivery against an annual procurement delivery plan in line with the organisations objectives to support Acute, Community and Mental Health Trusts for collaborative and independent projects

Manage a rolling workplan capturing and managing procurement intentions for a range of NHS organisations.

Drive change and innovation within NHSCS, to deliver commercial excellence across the region. This will be achieved by focusing on:

• improving stakeholder benefit and advantage through new solutions.
• engaging with stakeholders to understand their strategic integrated business plans and developing solutions that meet the needs.
• developing and implementing project solutions, both on a collaborative and bespoke project management basis.
• engaging with supplier markets to maintain the highest standard of market intelligence

Take the lead in individual procurements including responsibility for the preparation of tender documentation, undertaking briefings, assessment of bidder documentation according to financial viability, risk, sustainability and alignment with collaborative procurement strategies

Manage and build relationships within multi-disciplinary procurement project teams

Be responsible for maintaining communications around any current procurements and for preparing briefings for internal and external stakeholders

Lead the process of evaluation and bid assessment, ensuring that the processes are equitable, transparent and defensible and ensure that the customer attains best quality and value

Be responsible for the assessment of bidder documentation according to financial viability, risk, sustainability and alignment with current strategies

Liaise with and manage external contractors, maintaining effective partnership working whenever external procurement resource is required

Provide specialist procurement support and advice to Trust Stakeholders and other partners

Be responsible for maintaining communications around any current procurement and for preparing briefings for Directors and drafting Board papers as appropriate

Be responsible for maintaining the integrity of the overall approach and ensuring systems and processes for procurement are appropriate, fair transparent and non-discriminatory in line with national policy and relevant legislation

Maintain accurate records in accordance with good commercial practice, Standing Orders and the relevant organisations Freedom of Information Policy

Work with the Heads of Procurement across the region to ensure the necessary information to make informed decisions regarding the best practice procurement approach

Advise on the impact of the procurements and the implementation of NHS policy or initiatives and service developments

Develop and contribute to procurement methodologies, policies and procedures.

Advise on best practice procurement, working collaboratively with other agencies wherever possible

Suitable for someone who has

• Excellent communication skills; verbal, written, and presentational.
• Strong analytical skills
• The ability to understand and interpret complex data and information and utilize it effectively to inform others and influence key decision makers
• A keen eye for detail with good organisational skills
• The ability to concentrate for long periods of time with frequent interruptions
• The ability to multitask and switch tasks efficiently
• A proactive mindset
• Excellent interpersonal skills

Key Relationships

The candidate will be required to maintain strong relationships with:

• Trust Heads of Procurement and procurement teams
• NHS Commercial Solutions Executive Team
• Project Stakeholders
• NHS and public sector collaborative procurement colleagues
• External partners including engagement with the public
• Existing providers
• Potential new entrants to the provider market

Key Responsibilities:

Manage individual procurements as a project using appropriate project management principles

Liaise with and manage independent contractors, maintaining effective partnership working whenever external procurement resource is required

Provide specialist procurement support and advice to budget holders, commissioners and other partners

Ensure that procurements are conducted in line with the process required from the standing financial instructions, regional, and national rules

Require applying their skills at the level as per the NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework

Person Specification

Qualifications

• has a degree as a minimum
• is CIPS level 5
• working towards MCIPS

Experience

• oMin 5 years' experience in procurement
• oDemonstrates understanding of best practice techniques in category management.
• oNHS or Public Sector experience
• oHas procurement legislation knowledge
• oAbility to read and interpret data and apply the findings

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.

Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

£57,888 to £64,880 a yearPer annum, includes Fringe HCAS