Lead Category Manager

Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust; Dorking; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

NHS Commercial Solutions (NHSCS), hosted by Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, is recruiting two Lead Category Managers to join our team. The roles focus on strategic sourcing, delivering high‑value contracts and frameworks, and driving category initiatives to support patient care and operational efficiency.

Based in the South East, you will engage NHS organisations and wider public sector bodies while leading end-to-end category management across portfolios.

Responsibilities

• Leading end-to-end category management across assigned portfolios
• Developing category strategies aligned to organisational priorities
• Managing complex procurements in line with PA23, PSR and NHS best practice
• Leading tenders for national/regional Framework Agreements, including NHS England Framework Accreditation and Cabinet Office Spend Controls
• Managing live frameworks and provider performance
• Delivering measurable savings, sustainability benefits and improved service outcomes
• Building strong stakeholder relationships and providing expert procurement guidance
• Supporting and mentoring colleagues
• These strategic roles support our Corporate Services, Estates and Facilities, Digital and Workforce Specialist Category Managers

Job description

At NHS Commercial Solutions (NHSCS), making a difference is central to our work. If you’re motivated by delivering meaningful impact across the NHS, this role could be for you. We are recruiting two Lead Category Managers to join our team.

Why join NHSCS?

You’ll work at the heart of public sector procurement, directly supporting the NHS. You’ll gain experience across diverse sectors, build strong commercial insight, and develop a deep understanding of how public sector organisations operate. You’ll collaborate on consultancy projects that deliver tangible value and help design high‑impact frameworks that drive efficiency and innovation.

This is an excellent opportunity to develop your career within our strategic category teams, supporting key areas such as Consultancy, Corporate Services, Estates, Facilities and Digital categories which are vital to helping the NHS manage ongoing system pressures.

These strategic roles will drive value through delivering projects, frameworks and procurements for customers. They involve extensive engagement with NHS organisations, wider public sector bodies, Integrated Care Systems and NHS England.

We are seeking highly motivated individuals who want to make a positive difference. You should bring strong communication skills, broad commercial acumen, and enthusiasm for procurement and category management.

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

Key Responsibilities Include

• Leading end‑to‑end category management across assigned portfolios
• Developing category strategies aligned to organisational priorities
• Managing complex procurements in line with PA23, PSR and NHS best practice
• Leading tenders for national/regional Framework Agreements, including NHS England Framework Accreditation and Cabinet Office Spend Controls
• Managing live frameworks and provider performance
• Delivering measurable savings, sustainability benefits and improved service outcomes
• Building strong stakeholder relationships and providing expert procurement guidance
• Supporting and mentoring colleagues

These strategic roles support our Corporate Services, Estates and Facilities, Digital and Workforce Specialist Category Managers. They focus on category management, sourcing, contract management and consultancy services for a wide range of NHS and public sector customers.

As an NHSCS ambassador, you will engage senior stakeholders up to Board and Executive level, leading and supporting project groups across all levels. Strong practical procurement experience, skills and passion for the subject are essential.

Our offices are in Dorking, Surrey.

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.