Lead Category Manager

At NHS Commercial Solutions (NHSCS), making a difference is important to us. If you're motivated and interested in delivering meaningful progress at the NHS, then this role could be for you. We are looking for a Lead Category Manager to join our team. This is an excellent opportunity to develop your career and category management experience as part of our strategic category teams.

This role will support a range of categories including Estates, Facilities and Digital. They are critical categories and vital to the NHS in supporting the ongoing service pressures across the NHS. This is a strategic role and will be a key driver of value for the NHS and wider public sector through delivering projects, frameworks and call off procurements for customers.

The role will include extensive engagement with our member NHS organisations and other NHS and public sector customers, across a wide range of stakeholders, based locally, regionally and nationally. Key stakeholders also include Integrated Care Systems and NHS England.

We are looking for a highly motivated, enthusiastic individual wanting to make a positive difference in the NHS. The successful candidate should be able to demonstrate strong personal skills, extensive experience and enthusiasm for category management and procurement. They will also be a good communicator, have a strong people-focused approach, and broad commercial acumen.

This role will provide sourcing, contract management and consultancy services across a wide range of customers. It will involve multiple procurement programmes to improve value and quality for trusts. This role will provide advisory services, collaborative procurement solutions, supplier market expertise and work with NHS Trusts to optimise value outcomes.

You will be an ambassador for NHSCS working with senior stakeholders up to Board and Executive level in member Trusts. Working closely with key stakeholders and internal and external customers, you will set up and support individual and collaborative project groups working at all levels of stakeholder seniority.

Skills, experience, and a passion for this subject area are essential, together with a need for strong practical implementation experience. This role is based at our office in Dorking, Surrey, with hybrid working 3 days in the office.

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.

This is a full-time role for an experienced lead category manager who will come in to lead specific strategic sourcing and category related initiatives for defined projects impacting all stages of the Procurement life cycle for a number of NHS organisations. You will be expected to take the lead on a portfolio of category initiatives ensuring contract compliance, sustainable cost improvements, and a range of other benefits associated with the commissioning of Category services and products whilst maintaining NHS Commercial Solutions high standards.

The Role Holder Will Support the development and delivery of a strategic and operational procurement service. Work with stakeholders to ensure that service specifications, procurement evaluation criteria and assessment processes are fit for purpose and will result in the effective procurement of individual services. Support delivery against an annual procurement delivery plan in line with the organisations objectives to support Acute, Community and Mental Health Trusts for collaborative and independent projects.

Drive Change And Innovation Within NHSCS, In Order To Deliver Commercial Excellence Across The Region. This Will Be Achieved By Focusing On: Improving stakeholder benefit and advantage through new solutions. Engaging with stakeholders to understand their strategic integrated business plans and developing solutions that meet the needs. Developing and implementing project solutions, both on a collaborative and bespoke project management basis. Engaging with supplier markets to maintain the highest standard of market intelligence.

Take the lead in individual procurements including responsibility for the preparation of tender documentation, undertaking briefings, assessment of bidder documentation according to financial viability, risk, sustainability and alignment with collaborative procurement strategies. Manage and build relationships within multi-disciplinary procurement project teams. Be responsible for maintaining communications around any current procurements and for preparing briefings for internal and external stakeholders.

Lead the process of evaluation and bid assessment, ensuring that the processes are equitable, transparent and defensible and ensure that the customer attains best quality and value. Be responsible for the assessment of bidder documentation according to financial viability, risk, sustainability and alignment with current strategies. Liaise with and manage external contractors, maintaining effective partnership working whenever external procurement resource is required.

Provide specialist procurement support and advice to Trust Stakeholders and other partners. Be responsible for maintaining communications around any current procurement and for preparing briefings for Directors and drafting Board papers as appropriate. Be responsible for maintaining the integrity of the overall approach and ensuring systems and processes for procurement are appropriate, fair transparent and non-discriminatory in line with national policy and relevant legislation.

Maintain accurate records in accordance with good commercial practice, Standing Orders and the relevant organisations Freedom of Information Policy. Work with the Heads of Procurement across the region to ensure the necessary information to make informed decisions regarding the best practice procurement approach. Advise on the impact of the procurements and the implementation of NHS policy or initiatives and service developments. Develop and contribute to procurement methodologies, policies and procedures. Advise on best practice procurement, working collaboratively with other agencies wherever possible.

Suitable for someone who has:

• Excellent communication skills; verbal, written, and presentational.
• Strong analytical skills.
• The ability to understand and interpret complex data and information and utilize it effectively to inform others and influence key decision makers.
• A keen eye for detail with good organisational skills.
• The ability to concentrate for long periods of time with frequent interruptions.
• The ability to multitask and switch tasks efficiently.
• A proactive mindset.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.

Key Responsibilities:

• Manage individual procurements as a project using appropriate project management principles.
• Liaise with and manage independent contractors, maintaining effective partnership working whenever external procurement resource is required.
• Provide specialist procurement support and advice to budget holders, commissioners and other partners.
• Ensure that procurements are conducted in line with the process required from the standing financial instructions, regional, and national rules.