Senior Procurement Specialist

NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly and NHS Devon are responsible for planning, funding and improving NHS services for the people of Devon, Plymouth, Torbay, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. With an annual budget of around 5 billion, our purpose is to improve health, tackle inequalities and ensure services remain sustainable for future generations. Since 2025, our two organisations have been working together, with a shared board, leadership team and staffing structure. While both ICBs remain separate statutory organisations, we operate as a single team to address some of the biggest challenges facing health and care across the peninsula.

At the heart of our work is partnership. We work closely with NHS trusts, primary care, local authorities, universities, the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector, and many others to develop local services. We also involve people with lived experience to shape services around the needs of communities across Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Through these partnerships, we support innovation, improve access to care and help create healthier places where people can thrive. Covering a diverse geography of cities, towns, rural communities and island populations, we stand together with a shared purpose: to improve the health and wellbeing of the people we serve.

The clinical contracting and procurement team provide a comprehensive contract management (including performance management) and procurement function on behalf of the ICB across Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly for all clinical service contracts. The team supports all clinical procurements and provides advice, including advising on risk, for areas in their scope. They proactively manage the procurement workplan and ensure necessary governance is in place and is effectively managed for all areas of their responsibility, negotiating (including finance) contract details.

We're looking for people who share our commitment to improving health, reducing inequalities and making the best use of public resources. Whatever your role, you'll be working alongside colleagues, partners and communities to help shape how health and care services are planned and delivered. We offer the opportunity to work across a large and diverse geography, drawing on the expertise of colleagues from across the peninsula and collaborating with a wide range of NHS, local authority, voluntary sector and community partners. We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels respected, supported and able to contribute. We offer flexible and hybrid working arrangements, opportunities for personal and professional development, and access to a range of NHS employee benefits, wellbeing support and the NHS Pension Scheme.

Main duties of the job include:

• Leading on complex procurements on behalf of the ICB.
• Supporting the Head of Procurement in ensuring that all contracts promote services which meet the needs of service users and effectively protect the health of local populations.
• Providing supervision to Assistant Procurement managers.
• Working closely with Commissioners, Finance, Patient Safety & Quality (PSQ) and Performance colleagues, as part of a dynamic team, providing contract expertise and advice, which ensures the delivery and performance management of clinically commissioned service contracts.
• Analysing very complex contractual issues where material is conflicting and drawn from multiple sources.

Qualifications:

• Educated to degree level in relevant subject or equivalent level qualification or significant experience of working at a similar level in specialist area.
• Relevant post graduate degree or equivalent level of experience.
• Evidence of continued professional development.
• Qualification in procurement, ideally MCIPS level 5 or equivalent level of experience or significant experience of working at the same level in specialist area.

Knowledge:

• Ability to support the budget setting for a department and/or service.
• Standard keyboard skills, with the ability to learn/use a range of software.
• An ability to maintain confidentiality and trust.
• Professional calm and efficient manner.
• Strong and effective organiser.

Experience:

• Significant experience of successfully operating in a politically sensitive environment.
• Demonstrated experience of co-ordinating projects in complex and challenging environments.
• Experience of managing risks and reporting.
• Experience of drafting briefing papers and correspondence at SMT level.
• Experience of business planning processes.
• Experience of creating and giving presentations to a varied group of internal and external stakeholders.
• Used to working in a busy environment.
• Strong adaptability, flexibility and ability to cope with uncertainty and change.

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.

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.