Senior Buyer

University Hospital Southampton NHS FT; Southampton; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous NHS pension scheme

NHS terms of service and annual leave

Access to employee benefits platform

Job summary

Wessex Procurement Limited (WPL) invites applications for a Senior Buyer to lead a team of Buyers across UHS & HHFT, delivering cost improvement programme benefits and ensuring compliant procurement practices.

Based at Royal South Hants Hospital and potentially working from Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital, you will manage requisitions, liaise with suppliers, and drive value through strategic sourcing and catalogue management in the NHS framework.

Qualifications

• Looking for experience in procurement and cost-improvement programmes.
• Experience leading a team of buyers and working with NHS Trusts.
• Knowledge of e-procurement and contract management.
• Understanding of public sector procurement processes is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of Buyers across UHS & HHFT to maximise CIP benefits.
• Ensure requisitions and orders follow established procedures.
• Liaise with customers and suppliers to ensure best value.
• Support procurement strategy delivery and reporting.

Skills

Procurement experience

Team management

Negotiation

Vendor management

Public sector procurement knowledge

Education

CIPS Foundation Diploma in Purchasing & Supply (level 3)

GCSE Mathematics and English

Tools

e-tendering

Contracts management tool

Purchase ordering system

Job description

Job Overview

Wessex Procurement Limited (WPL) is delighted to offer a fantastic opportunity to work with us.

Please see below for detailed job description of the role.

Job Title: Senior Buyer

Contact: Permanent

Under current Home Office rules, this role is not eligible for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship

Please note: This role is based at Royal South Hants Hospital but may also require you to work from Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital.

Main duties of the job

This is a great opportunity for a person starting a career within Procurement, you will have a good IT and Communication skills, keen to learn, enthusiastic and outgoing in a professional manner. Our aim is to work closer with the Procurement Managers and Specialist’s developing negotiation skills, identifying items that could be catalogued so the buying process can be actioned more efficiently saving time & expense. As a Senior Buyer, you will manage a team of Buyers across UHS & HHFT to maximise cost improvement programme (CIP) benefits. You will also ensure all goods and services are ordered in accordance with laid down procedures including the processing of requisitions, orders and liaising with customers and suppliers to ensure best practice and best value. Supporting the Procurement Operations Lead, Buyers, and Strategic Procurement team in the delivery of work-plans arising from procurement strategy.

Working for our organisation

At WPL, we play a key role in supporting the NHS in Hampshire, delivering end-to-end procurement and supply chain services for University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust and Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. As a wholly owned subsidiary of both Trusts, WPL offers the opportunity to contribute to the wider NHS family and improve healthcare services across the region. Our services include strategic sourcing, value creation, tendering, contract management, inventory oversight, distribution, and materials management across Southampton, Basingstoke, Winchester, and Andover. Joining WPL means being part of a dynamic, forward-thinking team, working alongside stakeholders to drive innovation, efficiency, and value.

Southampton offers an excellent quality of life, located on the south coast with an international airport and direct train links to London. The area boasts the stunning New Forest National Park, beautiful beaches along the Jurassic Coast, and living costs around 20% lower than London. With 14 Ofsted-rated “Outstanding” schools, it’s a great place to live and work.

Employee Benefits

• Generous NHS pension scheme
• NHS terms of service and annual leave
• Access to an employee benefits platform offering discounts on groceries, high street shopping, family outings, holidays, and more

For more information, visit: www.wessexprocurement.nhs.uk

Main Duties

• Responsible for the Operations team to deliver a customer-focused and efficient service in the purchasing of goods and services.
• Day to day to management of a team, including a range of HR procedures which may include attendance, performance and appraisals.
• Undertaking training for the team in relevant procedures and processes. Ensuring procedures and processes are kept up to date.
• Plays a key role in the induction and training of new staff.
• Plans own workload and team’s workload to ensure all order requests are processed, queries resolved, and catalogues reviewed as required
• Ensures all reports are produced for line manager within specific time frames

Budget and Resource management.

• Support the team with CIP opportunities and catalogue management.
• Responsible for recording savings made using appropriate procedures
• Responsible for sourcing suppliers for goods and services in line with user department requirements.
• Training of Trust staff on e-procurement tools.

Communication

• Negotiates with suppliers and other external organizations to maximize value for money and cost improvement opportunities
• To communicate with suppliers to provide specific information in the form of a pre-purchase questionnaire in relation to procedures for purchasing medical equipment
• Establish, maintain, and manage supplier relationships where appropriate
• Provide support and assistance for charity / donation purchases and work with Finance and Charity departments to ensure all purchases are aligned with Trust protocol
• Communicate delays and discrepancies with customers, ensuring they are handled efficiently and appropriately

Analytical And Judgemental Skills

• To assess customer requirements for appropriate method of ordering and distribution (i.e., urgency/quality/price/supply route etc)
• Analyses financial and purchasing data to determine best value for money option
• To assess problem situations and determine in conjunction with customer or supplier the most appropriate method of resolution
• To understand and analyse spend information on specific products or services and relay the information to customers
• Identifies opportunities for contracting or tendering.
• Work closely with user departments to review goods and services purchased

Policy and Service Development

• Works according to laid down policies and procedures, suggesting amendments where feasible.
• Monitors supplier performance against contract KPI’s (costs, quality, delivery timescales etc) and standing orders in conjunction with user departments.
• Assists the procurement lead with the development and implementation of departmental policies and procedures

Information Resources

• Enters data onto purchase ordering system and ensures orders are processed as per procedures
• Produces data on pricing information for comparison and informs customers
• Checks stock and availability information, ensuring goods are ordered using the appropriate method
• Ensure contract documentation compliance using the contracts register
• Uses e-tendering, contract and supplier management tool to undertake and manage mini competitions
• Facilitates and supports continuous improvement in Catalogue system

Research and Development

• Audits and surveys operations team work activities to ensure compliance with targets
• Undertakes market analysis to identify alternative suppliers which are able to offer the trust cost efficiencies with no detrimental clinical impact.
• Guides customers with regards to obtaining value for money within financial and purchasing procedures
• Discusses and agrees solutions to order/delivery queries with customers and suppliers
• To communicate any discrepancies in relation to products and services ordered with customers and category leads
• Establish, maintain and manage internal stakeholder relationships to ensure effective service delivery

Person specification

Qualifications / Training Required

Essential criteria

• CIPS Foundation Diploma in Purchasing & Supply (level 3) or able to demonstrate equivalent knowledge skills and experience
• Passed GCSE Mathematics and English

Desirable criteria

• Member of CIPS or equivalent

Previous or relevant experience necessary

Essential criteria

• Previous experience of buying in a procurement environment
• Market and supplier / product knowledge including Procedures, catalogue management and contract law
• Track record of achieving cost reductions
• Previous experience in a customer service environment
• Experience in supporting the management of team members

Desirable criteria

• Procure to Pay system knowledge
• Vendor management
• Supply chain knowledge

Requirements

Desirable criteria

• Training experience
• Working knowledge of public sector procurement processes
• Experience supervising or line managing staff