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 these roles could be for you.

We are looking for two Category Managers 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 Workforce, Corporate Services, Consultancy, Estates, Facilities and Digital services. They are critical categories and vital to the NHS in supporting the ongoing service pressures across the NHS.

These are strategic roles 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 roles will include 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, and 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.

Main duties of the job

These positions will ultimately work across all procurement categories and will provide sourcing, contract management and consultancy services across a wide range of customers. You will be working as part of the team, including Specialist Category Managers and Lead Category Managers.

The roles will work across multiple procurement programmes to improve value and quality for trusts. These roles will provide advisory services, collaborative solutions, supplier market expertise and work with NHS Trusts to build and retain talent.

You will act as an ambassador for NHSCS working with Trusts on procurement, aligning with national strategies. 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 offices in Dorking, Surrey.

Job description
Job responsibilities
Job Overview

This is a full-time, permanent role for a Category Manager who will deliver procurement and contract support to our category teams. The role holder will work with the Specialist Category Manager and Lead Category Manager to deliver cost and efficiency savings to our customer trusts.

The role holder will be efficient and capable, providing exceptional category support to our procurement specialists. You will regularly liaise with stakeholders, suppliers, and category managers, 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 sourcing, procurement and contract management projects, and contribute significantly to their delivery across the region.
• Track savings and quality improvement benefits to NHS Trusts to deliver best value to the NHS.
• Use internal and external reporting information management tools, including project management, contract management, spend analysis and benefits tracking tools.
• Report data and information using presentations, charts, pivot tables using agreed formats and protocols.
• Support the project management of complex procurement activities from initial planning to contract award.
• Produce Tender Documents and upload to relevant tendering systems and portals.
• Develop contract renewal workplans within the Category.
• Co-ordinate contract compliance activities for each category project across all member Trusts to ensure long-term sustainability and safe compliance.
• Use organisations sourcing methodologies and procedures to ensure consistency and transparency of any projects, tenders and evaluations carried out on behalf of the organisation or Trusts.
• Update and develop new knowledge and skills and share relevant information with other Category Managers, Lead Category Managers, Specialist Category Managers and Associate Procurement Directors.
• Travel throughout the customer base to ensure that personal contact is maintained with stakeholders.
• Undertake supplier and customer market research to support the development of Strategic sourcing strategies such as collecting and collating information regarding supplier performance.

Suitable for someone who:

• Has experience and expertise of contract management and procurement projects, passionate about improving services, securing high-quality value for money goods and services.
• The post holder will enjoy working in a complex environment, demonstrate attention to detail, embrace change, be able to work without supervision, work to tight and varying timescales.
• The post holder will be able to build strong relationships with key contacts within the customer organisations, promoting the service being provided, initiatives underway, and future initiatives.
• Has strong persuasion and influencing skills.
• Has excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Enjoys being busy and having a very varied workload, with an ability to manage multiple tasks and achieve demanding deadlines.
• Strong IT skills with a good knowledge of Excel and familiar with analysing large amounts of data, spotting trends and anomalies, and with an exceptional eye for detail and accuracy.
• Works well in a team and shares knowledge supportively.

Key Relationships:

• Associate Procurement Director
• Specialist Category Manager
• Lead Category Manager
• NHSCS team members and stakeholders

NHS Commercial Solutions is an agency of Surrey & Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust acting as a host organisation for NHS Commercial Solutions. The host provides the legal framework and supporting services under which NHS Commercial Solutions operates.

Developing networks and communicating appropriately with stakeholders and key communication links which may include:

• NHS Commercial Solutions Executive Team
• Trust Heads of Procurement and procurement teams
• Project Stakeholders including Trust departmental Directors and finance teams.
• Integrated Care Systems and related Boards
• NHS and public sector collaborative procurement colleagues
• External partners including engagement with the public, NHS England, and other national bodies
• Suppliers and Supplier Trade/Professional Bodies

Key Responsibilities:

• Developing key relationships and working with other Category Managers, Lead Category Managers, Specialist Category Managers and Clinical Procurement Specialists, sharing information as relevant.
• Communicating with groups as part of the process of tender evaluation and contract award recommendation.
• Securing significant cash savings for customers through efficient procurement of products and services.
• Notify key personnel within trusts of contract awards and give guidance on contract implementation.
• Participate in relevant internal and external working groups/projects, services and initiatives to provide project information and analytical advice and expertise.
• Require applying their skills at the level as per the NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• oCIPS qualified, undergoing studies or equivalent relevant experience
• oDegree or A level education or equivalent relevant qualifications or experience

Experience
Essential

• oFunctional experience in procurement with a clear understanding of best practice techniques in a category management role
• oNHS or Public Sector experience including familiarity with UK and EU legislation/law within procurement is required
• oRelevant experience to Category Services procurement with a good history of successful delivery

Employer details
Employer name
Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Address
NHS Commercial Solutions
The Atrium Business Centre, Curtis Road
Dorking
RH4 1XA

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