Procurement Business Partner

NHS; Grays; On-site; GBP 37,000 - 53,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a passionate procurement professional to join their dynamic team. This role involves leading strategic procurement initiatives, managing high-value contracts, and ensuring compliance with NHS standards. The successful candidate will thrive in a fast-paced environment, fostering strong relationships with stakeholders while delivering value for money. With opportunities for career progression and professional development, this position is perfect for those eager to make a significant impact in the healthcare sector. Join a supportive team dedicated to delivering high-quality services and improving procurement practices.

Benefits

Season Ticket Loans

NHS discounts for staff

Excellent Training facilities

Buying and Selling annual leave scheme

Salary Sacrifice schemes

Flexible working options

Qualifications

• Experience in procurement, tendering, and contract management.
• Ability to manage projects and lead multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong customer service and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic and operational procurement for defined categories.
• Support the development and implementation of procurement strategies.
• Manage high-value contracts and ensure compliance with standards.

Skills

Procurement Management

Contract Negotiation

Stakeholder Engagement

Project Management

Data Analysis

Supplier Management

Communication Skills

Customer Service

Education

Relevant first degree

MCIPS qualification

Management qualification

Tools

Procure to Pay (P2P)

eSourcing systems

Excel

Job description

Job summary

We are looking to recruit a passionate, commercially astute procurement professional, for an exciting opportunity within our Procurement team. The successful applicant will provide a customer focused service to enable the delivery of compliant procurement processes and contract monitoring to evidence value for money and high standards of quality.

The successful applicant will be a dynamic individual with an ability to build strong collaborative relationships, internally and externally, supporting the vision and values of the Trust and system partners. A critical requirement is a willingness to learn and thrive in a fast paced environment within a small and supportive team. An interest in career progression and training and development is strongly encouraged

Main duties of the job

The post holder will support on the development, implementation and delivery of the Trust Procurement Strategy

1. Taking lead responsibility for the internal delivery of strategic and operational procurement for defined Categories of Expenditure by delivering a portfolio of high value and/or strategic contracts.

2. Supporting the Associate Director of Procurement (and deputising in their absence) in developing the interface between the care units, corporate support functions and the procurement team, to drive change, innovative procurement practice and contract compliance, in pursuit of high quality and value for money.

3. Through sourcing, to deliver aspects of a strategic procurement work plan and participate in relevant regional and national Procurement hub work-streams. This will include the achievement of annual efficiency targets, compliance with all relevant legislation, identifying areas for future investigation and bringing added value for the benefit of the Trust.

4. To support with achieving and maintaining the NHS Procurement & Commercial Standards accreditation by leading on a key area of strategic delivery.

5. Provide supervision, leadership and develop staff ensuring individual professional development in line with requirements.

6. Provide procurement advice for complex, contentious products/contract negotiations

About us

EPUT are looking for motivated staff who shares our Trust values of Care, Learn and Empower. In return, EPUT can offer you a range of benefits and development including;

• Season Ticket Loans
• NHS discounts for staff
• Excellent Training facilities and opportunities
• Buying and Selling annual leave scheme
• The opportunity to work bank shifts and expand knowledge and experience in other areas
• Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars and Cycle to Work
• Day One Flexible Employer

The Trust supports and actively encourages flexible working for all employees. We offer many options and you are encouraged to ask the recruiting manager what is possible for this role. If appointed, you will have the opportunity to apply for a flexible working request from the first day of your employment

Join our Staff bank

What is Staff Bank?

Our EPUT NHS staff bank is an entity managed by the trust that hires clinical and non-clinical healthcare professionals to take on shifts at our trust hospitals and community settings. Here at EPUT we maintain our own bank of specialist staff to ensure that we are able offer safe and effective care at all times.

All our permanent staff are automatically enrolled onto the staff bank however this does not mean you have to work any additional shifts, but the option is there for you if you wish.

If you are joining our Trust in a fixed term role, please indicate on your New Starter Paperwork that you wish to join our staff bank.

Date posted

29 April 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£37,338 to £52,809 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

364-A-8832-A

Job locations

Thameside House, Thurrock Hospital

Long Lane

Grays

RM16 2PX

Job description Job responsibilities

Category Management & Sourcing

Use specialist category and procurement knowledge and expertise to produce and implement 3-5 year procurement strategies for assigned product/service areas of the strategic procurement plan and ensure that performance management systems and operating effectively to meet governance and achieve goals.

Project manage and co-ordinate all activities, agencies, suppliers and personnel to successfully undertake a number of strategic and tactical sourcing projects, from initial scoping through to contract award, and ongoing contract management.

Gather and analyse comprehensive data available on national benchmarking systems, on products, services and suppliers to support portfolio and category analysis.

Manage high value strategic sourcing projects which impact on stakeholder organisations service delivery and beyond.

Establish the immediate and future procurement requirements of stakeholder organisations and produces strategies and solutions to these.

Identify and manage risk throughout the procurement process.

Maintain work-plan and contracts database to ensure it is always up to date and effective reports are available as and when required.

Proactive responsibility for the development and review of strategies, policies and procedures based upon best practice.

Deliver Cash Releasing Savings, Added Value Benefits and Value

Manage projects effectively to ensure the savings within the Trust are delivered in line with the work plan.

Consistently deliver value for money through the effective sourcing of goods and services.

Undertake benefits tracking/compliance to monitor the levels of savings being achieved within the Trust.

To initiate and develop new ideas and methods in consultation with end users and within the procurement team.

Enables and encourages others to suggest change and share good practice with other areas of the Trust.

Evaluates the changes made and suggests further improvements where needed.

Strategy & Organisation

To act as the support for Procurement workstreams and systems. This will include implementation and design responsibility and also the maintenance and management of the systems.

To support with other areas of strategic development, in line with the NHS Procurement & Commercial Standards and any central or regional mandate.

Stakeholder Management

Use highly developed persuasion and influencing skills to engage with and influence key stakeholders at all levels within all parts of the organisation in order to facilitate participation in high value and strategic procurement activity.

Provide advice and expertise in all aspects of procurement activity to stakeholders across the Trust. This advice and expertise can be in highly complex areas and involve detailed knowledge of areas such as Procurement legislation.

Manages the interface for a number of Trusts, including regular face to face meetings.

Supplier Management

Regularly reviews strategic and high value contracts with the Trusts stakeholders and suppliers in order to deliver the appropriate procurement solution.

Undertake contract management and reviews with stakeholders to ensure contracts deliver against agreed strategies and continue to meet Trusts requirements.

Lead effective contract management and provide high level contractual advice

Maintains effective supplier and provider partnership and relationship strategies.

Legislation & Policy

Undertake all procurement activities in full accordance with legal (EU legislation, commercial and contract law), environmental and sustainability requirements.

Be responsible for ensuring that accurate legible records are kept in accordance with Trust policies and legal requirements.

Participate in research, audit reviews and other initiatives in accordance with Procurement and financial governance policies across the Trust

Communication

Communicate with individuals and groups and prepare and deliver presentations throughout the procurement process (e.g. tender award process; contract award; briefing suppliers of stakeholder requirements).

Responsible for organising, facilitating and participating in regular meetings with key Trust stakeholders and suppliers. These include fact finding, problem solving, negotiations, contract performance and service delivery meetings.

Leading in (and obtaining support where required) communications that will involve highly complex and sensitive information where persuasive, negotiating skills are required and will be:

v Face to face and by telephone

v Within formal and informal meetings

v Written, letters, memorandum, e-mail, and reports

v Presentations

Personal and Team Development

Ensure that own knowledge and skills are constantly updated.

Actively takes part in own and others appraisal and PDP process, suggesting ideas for personal and career development opportunities.

Contributes to development in the workplace as a learning environment.

Actively creates opportunities to enable everyone to learn from each other and from external good practice.

Uses a coaching approach to encourage others to develop.

Raise quality issues and related risks with senior manager.

Evaluate the quality of own work, making improvements when necessary.

Service Improvement

To initiate and develop new ideas and methods in consultation with end users and within the procurement team.

Participate in research, audit reviews and other initiatives in accordance with Procurement and Financial Governance policies across the Trust

Actively contribute to the development and review of policies and procedures based upon best practice.

Presents a positive role model in times of service improvement supports and works with others to help them understand the need for change and to adapt to it

Enables and encourages others to suggest change, challenge tradition and share good practice with other areas of the Trust

Evaluates the changes made and suggests further improvements where needed

Participates in the evaluation of policies and strategies and feeds back thoughts on impacts on users and the public.

Responsible for applying departmental procurement policies and implements procurement procedures across the organisation.

Quality

To understand and practice all relevant Trust and local policies and procedures

Raise quality issues and related risks with senior manager.

Evaluate the quality of own work, making improvements when necessary.

Have a good understanding of the Trusts Service User Led Standards and how it impacts on the performance of the ward.

Be responsible for ensuring that accurate legible records are kept in accordance with Trust policies and legal requirements.

Report all complaints and or incidents in accordance with Trust procedures and ensure that the line manager is informed.

Cooperate with any investigation within the Trust.

Initiates, implements, supports and monitors quality and governance systems andprocesses

Enables others to understand, identify and deal with risks to quality and actively promotes quality in all areas of work

Job description Job responsibilities

Category Management & Sourcing

Use specialist category and procurement knowledge and expertise to produce and implement 3-5 year procurement strategies for assigned product/service areas of the strategic procurement plan and ensure that performance management systems and operating effectively to meet governance and achieve goals.

Project manage and co-ordinate all activities, agencies, suppliers and personnel to successfully undertake a number of strategic and tactical sourcing projects, from initial scoping through to contract award, and ongoing contract management.

Gather and analyse comprehensive data available on national benchmarking systems, on products, services and suppliers to support portfolio and category analysis.

Manage high value strategic sourcing projects which impact on stakeholder organisations service delivery and beyond.

Establish the immediate and future procurement requirements of stakeholder organisations and produces strategies and solutions to these.

Identify and manage risk throughout the procurement process.

Maintain work-plan and contracts database to ensure it is always up to date and effective reports are available as and when required.

Proactive responsibility for the development and review of strategies, policies and procedures based upon best practice.

Deliver Cash Releasing Savings, Added Value Benefits and Value

Manage projects effectively to ensure the savings within the Trust are delivered in line with the work plan.

Consistently deliver value for money through the effective sourcing of goods and services.

Undertake benefits tracking/compliance to monitor the levels of savings being achieved within the Trust.

To initiate and develop new ideas and methods in consultation with end users and within the procurement team.

Enables and encourages others to suggest change and share good practice with other areas of the Trust.

Evaluates the changes made and suggests further improvements where needed.

Strategy & Organisation

To act as the support for Procurement workstreams and systems. This will include implementation and design responsibility and also the maintenance and management of the systems.

To support with other areas of strategic development, in line with the NHS Procurement & Commercial Standards and any central or regional mandate.

Stakeholder Management

Use highly developed persuasion and influencing skills to engage with and influence key stakeholders at all levels within all parts of the organisation in order to facilitate participation in high value and strategic procurement activity.

Provide advice and expertise in all aspects of procurement activity to stakeholders across the Trust. This advice and expertise can be in highly complex areas and involve detailed knowledge of areas such as Procurement legislation.

Manages the interface for a number of Trusts, including regular face to face meetings.

Supplier Management

Regularly reviews strategic and high value contracts with the Trusts stakeholders and suppliers in order to deliver the appropriate procurement solution.

Undertake contract management and reviews with stakeholders to ensure contracts deliver against agreed strategies and continue to meet Trusts requirements.

Lead effective contract management and provide high level contractual advice

Maintains effective supplier and provider partnership and relationship strategies.

Legislation & Policy

Undertake all procurement activities in full accordance with legal (EU legislation, commercial and contract law), environmental and sustainability requirements.

Be responsible for ensuring that accurate legible records are kept in accordance with Trust policies and legal requirements.

Participate in research, audit reviews and other initiatives in accordance with Procurement and financial governance policies across the Trust

Communication

Communicate with individuals and groups and prepare and deliver presentations throughout the procurement process (e.g. tender award process; contract award; briefing suppliers of stakeholder requirements).

Responsible for organising, facilitating and participating in regular meetings with key Trust stakeholders and suppliers. These include fact finding, problem solving, negotiations, contract performance and service delivery meetings.

Leading in (and obtaining support where required) communications that will involve highly complex and sensitive information where persuasive, negotiating skills are required and will be:

v Face to face and by telephone

v Within formal and informal meetings

v Written, letters, memorandum, e-mail, and reports

v Presentations

Personal and Team Development

Ensure that own knowledge and skills are constantly updated.

Actively takes part in own and others appraisal and PDP process, suggesting ideas for personal and career development opportunities.

Contributes to development in the workplace as a learning environment.

Actively creates opportunities to enable everyone to learn from each other and from external good practice.

Uses a coaching approach to encourage others to develop.

Raise quality issues and related risks with senior manager.

Evaluate the quality of own work, making improvements when necessary.

Service Improvement

To initiate and develop new ideas and methods in consultation with end users and within the procurement team.

Participate in research, audit reviews and other initiatives in accordance with Procurement and Financial Governance policies across the Trust

Actively contribute to the development and review of policies and procedures based upon best practice.

Presents a positive role model in times of service improvement supports and works with others to help them understand the need for change and to adapt to it

Enables and encourages others to suggest change, challenge tradition and share good practice with other areas of the Trust

Evaluates the changes made and suggests further improvements where needed

Participates in the evaluation of policies and strategies and feeds back thoughts on impacts on users and the public.

Responsible for applying departmental procurement policies and implements procurement procedures across the organisation.

Quality

To understand and practice all relevant Trust and local policies and procedures

Raise quality issues and related risks with senior manager.

Evaluate the quality of own work, making improvements when necessary.

Have a good understanding of the Trusts Service User Led Standards and how it impacts on the performance of the ward.

Be responsible for ensuring that accurate legible records are kept in accordance with Trust policies and legal requirements.

Report all complaints and or incidents in accordance with Trust procedures and ensure that the line manager is informed.

Cooperate with any investigation within the Trust.

Initiates, implements, supports and monitors quality and governance systems andprocesses

Enables others to understand, identify and deal with risks to quality and actively promotes quality in all areas of work

Person Specification Education/Qualifications Essential

• High standard or general education including English and Mathematics
• Relevant first degree, equivalent relevant vocational qualification, training or equivalent demonstrable experience.
• Must have or be prepared to work towards the completion of becoming a Qualified member of the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (MCIPS). Evidence of Continuous Professional Development; post education learning, or post graduate equivalent accreditation

Desirable

• Management qualification
• Project / Change Management qualification
• Higher level of competency with Excel and procurement Systems

Knowledge Essential

• Procurement, tendering and contract management experience
• Extensive experience of competitive tenders/quotations
• Reviewing and negotiating with suppliers and stakeholders across an organisation and a track record of achieving cost reductions and cost avoidance
• Demonstrable knowledge of public sector procurement
• Experience and training in contract & category research and source planning
• Specialist day to day procurement knowledge relating to a range of categories of non-pay spend
• Understanding and experience of how business case development and approvals add value to the procurement function and inform investment decisions
• Expertise in public sector procurement and contract management obtained via further training and experience or the equivalent.
• A working knowledge of contract law

Desirable

• Knowledge of products and services relative to the NHS

Skills/Experience Essential

• Experience of a customer service environment
• Managing projects to time and budget, using appropriate tools and methodologies
• Experience of managing staff and/or resources
• Experience of leading projects within multidisciplinary teams to deliver significant change
• Training and mentoring experience
• Basic awareness of IT and IT skills
• Understanding and ability to apply project management tools and techniques to procurement activities where appropriate
• Clearly manage priorities for self and others in order to meet specific deadlines
• Encourage and provide feedback to staff to aid their development
• Willingness to develop additional technical and specialist knowledge and skills in operational and procurement functions
• Communicate effectively and confidently across all clinical and non- clinical disciplines
• Proactively manage stakeholder requests in a timely manner, and manage expectations
• Learn and develop self and others

Desirable

• Working knowledge of NHS and the issues facing procurement teams

Personal Qualities Essential

• Good Communication: written & oral at senior manager level
• Interpersonal, able to work as part of a large team
• Able to use initiative and work independently
• Well organised, able to prioritise workload
• Strong customer service skills
• Create, develop and maintain working relationships with client managers to achieve corporate
• Perform as a good team player and demonstrate interactive working with financial managers
• Ability to understand and operate effectively within potential political sensitivities of an organisation
• Demonstrable skills in managing and optimising procurement systems such as Procure to Pay (P2P) and eSourcing systems
• Ability to travel across sites and across Trust boundaries to attend meetings, etc.

Desirable

• Stakeholder analysis, engagement and management
• Understanding of NHS procurement landscape

Person Specification Education/Qualifications Essential

• High standard or general education including English and Mathematics
• Relevant first degree, equivalent relevant vocational qualification, training or equivalent demonstrable experience.
• Must have or be prepared to work towards the completion of becoming a Qualified member of the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (MCIPS). Evidence of Continuous Professional Development; post education learning, or post graduate equivalent accreditation

Desirable

• Management qualification
• Project / Change Management qualification
• Higher level of competency with Excel and procurement Systems

Knowledge Essential

• Procurement, tendering and contract management experience
• Extensive experience of competitive tenders/quotations
• Reviewing and negotiating with suppliers and stakeholders across an organisation and a track record of achieving cost reductions and cost avoidance
• Demonstrable knowledge of public sector procurement
• Experience and training in contract & category research and source planning
• Specialist day to day procurement knowledge relating to a range of categories of non-pay spend
• Understanding and experience of how business case development and approvals add value to the procurement function and inform investment decisions
• Expertise in public sector procurement and contract management obtained via further training and experience or the equivalent.
• A working knowledge of contract law

Desirable

• Knowledge of products and services relative to the NHS

Skills/Experience Essential

• Experience of a customer service environment
• Managing projects to time and budget, using appropriate tools and methodologies
• Experience of managing staff and/or resources
• Experience of leading projects within multidisciplinary teams to deliver significant change
• Training and mentoring experience
• Basic awareness of IT and IT skills
• Understanding and ability to apply project management tools and techniques to procurement activities where appropriate
• Clearly manage priorities for self and others in order to meet specific deadlines
• Encourage and provide feedback to staff to aid their development
• Willingness to develop additional technical and specialist knowledge and skills in operational and procurement functions
• Communicate effectively and confidently across all clinical and non- clinical disciplines
• Proactively manage stakeholder requests in a timely manner, and manage expectations
• Learn and develop self and others

Desirable

• Working knowledge of NHS and the issues facing procurement teams

Personal Qualities Essential

• Good Communication: written & oral at senior manager level
• Interpersonal, able to work as part of a large team
• Able to use initiative and work independently
• Well organised, able to prioritise workload
• Strong customer service skills
• Create, develop and maintain working relationships with client managers to achieve corporate
• Perform as a good team player and demonstrate interactive working with financial managers
• Ability to understand and operate effectively within potential political sensitivities of an organisation
• Demonstrable skills in managing and optimising procurement systems such as Procure to Pay (P2P) and eSourcing systems
• Ability to travel across sites and across Trust boundaries to attend meetings, etc.

Desirable

• Stakeholder analysis, engagement and management
• Understanding of NHS procurement landscape

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. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Additional information 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. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details Employer name

Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Thameside House, Thurrock Hospital

Long Lane

Grays

RM16 2PX

Employer's website

https://eput.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details Employer name

Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Thameside House, Thurrock Hospital

Long Lane

Grays

RM16 2PX

Employer's website

https://eput.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)