Senior Procurement Business Partner

Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust; Milton Keynes; Hybrid; GBP 49,000 - 57,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Job summary

Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Senior Procurement Business Partner to lead the procurement strategy within the NHS Trust. The role focuses on compliant, value-driven procurement and strong supplier relationships across clinical and operational stakeholders.

You will drive cost improvements, manage complex contracts, and provide expert advice on procurement issues, with emphasis on social value and regional collaboration.

Qualifications

• Degree level or equivalent qualification in a commercial based subject.
• MCIPS membership or working towards the qualification.
• Knowledge of Public procurement processes and regulations.
• Knowledge of contract law.
• Knowledge of e-procurement tools.
• Evidence of continuing Professional development.
• Knowledge of the Carter Report in to efficiencies within the NHS.

Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery of the Trust's procurement strategy, ensuring compliance with procurement legislation, regulations, and organisational objectives.
• Build relationships with clinical, operational, and commercial stakeholders to secure best-value procurement solutions and ensure contractual requirements are met.
• Lead strategic sourcing, supplier management, and contract management activities within designated spend areas.
• Monitor procurement and supply chain performance, contributing to reports for Trust committees and boards, providing specialist procurement advice.
• Support compliance with legislative requirements, facilitate stakeholder meetings, and represent the Trust at regional and national forums.
• Conduct supplier and market research, evaluate supplier performance, and drive continuous improvement initiatives.
• Embed social value within procurement processes and maintain strategic partnerships with key suppliers for long-term value.

Skills

Negotiation skills

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

Presentation skills

Influencing

Supplier relationship management

Education

Degree level or equivalent in a commercial subject

MCIPS membership or working towards MCIPS

Job description

Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Senior Procurement Business Partner

The closing date is 12 November 2026

Senior Procurement Business PartnerDepartment: ProcurementBand 7 £49,387 - £56,515 per annumHours: Full-time 37.5 per week, all MKUH roles will be considered for flexible working

We are looking to recruit a dynamic individual to join our Procurement team in delivering a high-quality procurement service to the Trust. The successful candidate will have experience of conducting tendering processes within a public sector organisation and therefore have good knowledge of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.

You will be a skilled negotiator, able to influence and manage internal customer expectations as well as maintaining good supplier relationships. You will have excellent communication and presentation skills, be results focussed with a track record of savings and benefits delivery. To find out more about this exciting opportunity please contact Lisa Johnston - Head of Procurement by email [e-mail]

Please note that we are not able to offer sponsorship for this role.

Previous applicants need not reapply

Interview date: 20 November2026

Main duties of the job

Leads the delivery of the Trust's procurement strategy, ensuring compliance with procurement legislation, regulations, and organisational objectives. Manages high-quality procurement and materials management services, supporting Cost Improvement Plan (CIP) targets and delivering value, savings, and quality improvements.

Builds effective relationships with clinical, operational, and commercial stakeholders to secure best-value procurement solutions and ensure contractual requirements are met. Leads strategic sourcing, supplier management, and contract management activities within designated spend areas.

Works with the Head of Procurement to monitor procurement and supply chain performance, contributing to reports for Trust committees and boards. Provides specialist procurement advice, supports compliance with legislative requirements, facilitates stakeholder meetings, and represents the Trust at regional and national forums.

Conducts supplier and market research, evaluates supplier performance, and supports continuous improvement initiatives. Ensures social value is embedded within procurement processes and maintains strategic partnerships with key suppliers to support effective contract delivery and long-term value.

About us

Milton Keynes University Hospital, in proud partnership with the University of Buckingham, is a University Teaching Hospital committed to advancing patient care through cutting‑edge research and education. With a "Good" rating from the CQC and significant investment underway, this is an exciting time to join our team and grow your career.

As a medium sized general hospital, we provide a full range of general medical and surgical services, including a busy Emergency Department, Maternity, and Paediatrics. As the population of our city and surrounding areas continues to grow rapidly, we are expanding and enhancing our facilities to meet rising demand and improve access to care for all our communities.

We are also proud to offer a growing portfolio of specialist services. In January 2025 we opened our state‑of‑the‑art Radiotherapy Centre, bringing advanced cancer treatment closer to home. Our services also include neonatology, specialist surgical care, and a wide range of diagnostics, supported by the new Community Diagnostic Centre at Whitehouse Health Centre. We have just opened the Oak Wards - a new ward block featuring two 24-bed wards.

Further investment is underway, including the recently approved Women and Children's Centre, set to open by 2030.

Visit our website to explore the latest news and opportunities at MKUH - News - Milton Keynes University Hospital -

For further information about Milton Keynes please visit - Visit Milton Keynes

Job responsibilities

Sourcing:

• Effectively lead management and stakeholders to develop sourcing strategies for products and services within allocated division, and ensure delivery of established savings targets within the portfolio.
• Collaborate with other government agencies and NHS Trusts in identifying and establishing joint procurement initiatives that will deliver enhanced value for money.
• The Trust is required to act in accordance with The Public Contracts Regulations 2015. It is a requirement of this role to ensure the Trust is compliant with all legislative and regulated requirements relating to contracting and procurement within the sector.
• To provide advice and guidance on procurement issues to all staff, ensuring that appropriate procurement processes are adopted in all cases and that published tender documentation is compliant with law, is fair and transparent, and promotes fair competition.

Contracts:

• To ensure that the Trusts contracts register is managed and maintained in a timely manner, ensuring that data records are current and accurate.
• Ensure that all contracts entered into by the Trust are well drafted fair and balanced, ensuring that risks are appropriately mitigated and/or apportioned appropriately and that any limitation in suppliers liability does not expose the Trust to unreasonable levels of risk.
• Delivery of procurement savings in line with agreed targets defined in annual work plans and in-line with identified timelines.

Person Specification

Qualifications and knowledge

• Degree level or equivalent qualification in a commercial based subject
• Registered full membership of the chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (MCIPS) or equivalent experience or working towards the qualification
• Knowledge of Public procurement processes and regulations
• Knowledge of contract law
• Knowledge of purchase to pay systems and other e-procurement tools.
• Evidence of continuing Professional development
• Knowledge of the Carter Report in to efficiencies within the NHS

Experience

• Worked within a procurement environment
• Developed procurements that comply with EU Procurement law
• Significant experience of successfully operating in a politically sensitive environment
• Managing complex procurement projects including business case, options appraisal, tender documentation, tender evaluation and contract award processes
• Experience of setting up and implementing internal processes and procedures
• Experience of managing risks and reporting
• Supplier Relationship Management, including supplier performance, continuous improvement and management of supplier expectations
• Customer Relationship Management, support to internal clients and delivery of agreed outcomes
• Experience of consistently delivering savings and benefits targets
• Demonstrable Market Analysis to support project decisions business case and options
• Understanding of confidentiality and Data Protection Act
• Experience of creating and giving presentations to a varied group of internal and external stakeholders
• Spend analysis and development of workstreams with identified priorities
• Experience of using e-procurement tools including e‑tendering, e‑sourcing and reverse auctions
• Experience of creating and managing e‑catalogues to facilitate corporate discipline within procurement activity
• Experience of interacting with senior executives, providing advice and guidance on procurement issues

Skills

• People management skills, able to resolve issues in a positive and productive manner
• Excellent negotiation skills, ability to deliver commercial advantage for the Trust, and resolve contractual disputes in an advantageous manner
• Excellent Commercial awareness, able to spot opportunities and ensure these are exploited to the benefit of the Trust
• Excellent IT skills able to use Microsoft office products to a good standard
• Excellent communication and presentation skills. Ability to engage at all levels within the Trust
• Ability to use some informed persuasion to influence others
• Ability to identify risks, anticipate issues, create some solutions to projects and service delivery
• Excellent time management skills able to identify priorities and ability to delegate effectively
• Ability to work without supervision.
• Excellent knowledge of contract law and ability to influence contract documentation to minimize risk for the Trust
• Knowledge of Public Contracts Regulations and experience of managing procurement projects within closely defined processes
• Interpreting national policy for implementation
• Numerate and able to understand complex financial issues combined with deep analytical skills

Personal and people development

• Positive and enthusiastic approach
• Inclusive Team focused supportive approach
• Desire to learn, seeks continuous improvement
• Leads by example and inspires others to achieve

Communication

• Excellent written and oral communication Skills , able to engage at all levels within the Trust
• Ability to use visual communication tools such as Microsoft Office Applications

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.

Employer name

Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust