Senior Procurement Officer in North East

Are you ready to take the next step in your procurement career and make a meaningful impact on healthcare services? Synchronicity Care Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, is looking for an experienced and motivated Senior Procurement Officer to join our ambitious and forward-thinking Procurement Team. This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in delivering strategic procurement solutions that directly support the provision of high-quality healthcare services.

Working across a diverse portfolio of goods and services, you will lead and manage end-to-end procurement projects, partnering with both clinical and non-clinical stakeholders to achieve outstanding outcomes. As a Senior Procurement Officer, you will be instrumental in ensuring compliance with public sector procurement regulations, driving value for money, managing supplier relationships, and supporting service improvements that ultimately benefit patients and the wider community. If you are passionate about procurement excellence and want to contribute to an organisation that makes a genuine difference to people's lives, we'd love to hear from you.

Main duties of the job

We're looking for a proactive and experienced procurement professional with a strong track record in public sector procurement, including tendering, managing procurement projects, and developing strategic procurement plans. In this influential role, you will lead the successful procurement of a diverse range of goods and services, working closely with clinical and non-clinical stakeholders to ensure value-driven solutions that directly support the delivery of exceptional patient care.

You will manage complex procurement activities from inception to contract award, leading competitive tender exercises and maximising the use of framework agreements to achieve the best outcomes for the organisation. As a key member of the Procurement Team, you will champion continuous improvement, helping to shape and enhance procurement policies, documentation, processes, and ways of working. Your expertise will drive best practice, innovation, compliance, and efficiency across the organisation.

About us

SCL is a wholly owned subsidiary of County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust (CDDFT) set up to deliver a range of non-clinical services. The company is a separate legal body to CDDFT. SCL offers its own Terms and Conditions of employment which differ to the national NHS Terms and Conditions.

As an employee in the company you will benefit from:

• Access to a pension scheme - National Employment Savings Trust (NEST) CDD Services will pay a 3% contribution (this is over and above the minimum contribution rate at the present time)
• Night Shift Working Allowances (where appropriate)
• Bank Holiday Working Allowances (where appropriate)
• Bank work is offered on an 'as and when' basis with no guaranteed hours and will be paid on a pro-rata hourly rate for hours worked only

Job responsibilities

As a Senior Procurement Officer, you will play a pivotal role in delivering strategic procurement solutions that support the Trust's commitment to outstanding patient care. Leading and managing end-to-end procurement activities, you will oversee tendering exercises and contract negotiations across a diverse portfolio of goods and services, working in partnership with both clinical and non-clinical teams.

You will ensure full compliance with public sector procurement legislation and Trust governance requirements while driving value for money, innovation, sustainability, and service excellence. Through effective strategic sourcing and commercial expertise, your work will directly contribute to enhancing patient outcomes and organisational performance.

Working closely with stakeholders across the organisation, you will develop and deliver robust procurement strategies and forward plans that align with service requirements and Trust priorities. Your ability to build strong, collaborative relationships with colleagues, suppliers, and external partners will be key to identifying opportunities for improvement, driving efficiencies, and delivering lasting value.

A key focus of the role will be identifying opportunities to maximise value for money and deliver sustainable efficiencies across the organisation. Through robust market analysis, effective supplier engagement, and strong commercial negotiation, you will help ensure that procurement decisions deliver the optimum balance of cost, quality, and service.

By challenging existing practices, driving continuous improvement, and supporting innovative procurement approaches, you will contribute to achieving financial savings, operational efficiencies, and long-term value that supports the Trust's strategic objectives and the delivery of high-quality patient care.

You will mentor and support colleagues within the procurement team, sharing knowledge, building capability, and fostering a culture of continuous learning and high performance. Through your guidance and coaching, you will play an important role in developing future procurement talent and strengthening the overall effectiveness of the team.

Benefits working for SCL on behalf of CDDFT

• Hybrid and flexible working
• 6 monthly bonus scheme
• Free parking
• Up to 30 days holidays plus statutory days (based on fulltime)
• Training and development opportunities
• Health and Wellbeing support
• Salary sacrifice scheme
• Discounts at high street shops, restaurants and on line retailers
• Access to an on site gym.

Special Requirements

The ability to work from and travel between any SCL and Trust Sites across County Durham and Darlington locations on demand. The role is office based at Peterlee, operating against a hybrid working policy.

Experience

• Proven experience working within a large, complex UK procurement environment, with a proven ability to deliver successful procurement outcomes across diverse categories of spend.
• Comprehensive knowledge of public sector procurement legislation, regulations, and best practice, with the ability to apply these effectively to ensure compliance, transparency, and value for money.
• Demonstrable experience leading and managing complex procurement programmes and projects involving multiple stakeholders, competing priorities, and significant organisational impact.
• Proven ability to drive and support organisational change, influencing stakeholders at all levels to achieve successful outcomes and continuous improvement.
• Strong relationship management skills, with the ability to build credibility, foster collaboration, and develop productive partnerships with internal stakeholders, suppliers, and external organisations.
• Excellent project management capabilities, including planning, prioritisation, risk management, and the delivery of projects to agreed timescales and objectives.
• Highly developed analytical skills, with experience interpreting complex data and market intelligence to inform decision-making, identify opportunities, and deliver measurable benefits.
• Strong communication and presentation skills, with the confidence and ability to present complex information clearly and effectively to a range of audiences.
• Experience of coaching, mentoring, and developing staff, supporting individuals and teams to enhance performance, build capability, and achieve their full potential.
• Demonstrable track record of delivering strategic objectives, efficiency savings, and performance targets within a challenging and evolving environment.
• Experience of line managing staff, including performance management, workforce planning, employee development, and fostering a positive, high-performing team culture.

Qualifications

• MCIPS Qualified (or close to completion) (Member of Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply) or significant equivalent experience.
• GCSE Maths and English Grade A-C (or equivalent)
• Evidence of continued professional development including in the areas of procurement and contract management.
• Management / Leadership Qualification (CMI Level 5 Foundation Degree) or equivalent experience and academic ability for the post demands of the post.
• Project Management Qualification (such as, PRINCE2 practitioner) or equivalent experience.

Special Skills & Knowledge

• Working knowledge of Public Contracts Regulations 2015, Procurement Act 2023, Provider Selection Regime 2024 and their application within the public sector. This knowledge must be underpinned by theory and experience.
• Working knowledge of National Procurement Strategies and associated plans.
• Experience in the development of strong stakeholder relationships, with the skills to on-board and motivate stakeholders throughout programme of work.
• Working knowledge of project management and project forward planning underpinned by applied experience.
• Strong communication skills and persuasiveness in presenting, negotiating and resolving complex issues.
• IT skills literate in Microsoft packages, including Outlook, Word, Excel and Power point. Must be pragmatic, structured & adaptable.

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.