Senior Category Manager

Go back Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trusts

Senior Category Manager The closing date is 21 June 2026

In addition to the below summary you need to familiarise yourself with full Job Description and Person Specification documents attached to this advert.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced procurement professional to join the Procurement team at NUH and really make a difference. We are one of the largest teaching Trusts in England and have an ambitious forward thinking procurement and supply chain strategy.

Reporting directly to the Deputy Head of Procurement you will lead a team of Category Managers to successfully deliver the NUH work plan.

Main duties of the job As a Senior Category Manager you will support and lead on a number of improvement projects across the department to ensure we continually improve the service we offer.

The relationships that you build with stakeholders will be key to your success, which is why we are seeking someone with well-developed interpersonal skills that can quickly gain credibility.

You will be responsible for developing and leading a procurement work plan, as well as managing a range of complex procurement projects. You will work closely with senior managers and stakeholders to develop, deliver and manage contracts for goods and services of high value and of a complex nature.

You will be MCIPS qualified (or similar appropriate professional institute or relevant experience) with a strong background in delivering commercial success, as well as being a great team player, strong communicator, experienced negotiator, innovative thinker and a patient and motivational leader.

You will be experienced in delivering complex FTS tenders and have a sound knowledge of EU/UK procurement legislation.

Previous NHS experience is not essential but a strong track record in delivering savings in a stakeholder driven organisation will be.

This is an excellent opportunity to develop your procurement career in a dynamic, challenging and high profile environment.

About us With over 19,000 staff, we are one of the biggest employers in the city with a central role in supporting the health and wellbeing of our local population. We play a leading role in research, education and innovation.

Come and join our wonderful team at NUH. We are big believers in diversity and welcome new ideas to help develop our team in order to deliver world class healthcare to the vast patient populations we serve. With endless personal development opportunities available, at NUH we will endeavour to turn your job into a career!

We particularly welcome applications from people who identify as Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic, or Disabled, as we are striving to be better represented at NUH.

Job responsibilities The post holder will be responsible for leading a specific strategic sourcing programme for defined categories, across the Trust and other NHS organisations as required.

Additionally, the post holder will be expected to take a wider customer service role and champion Procurement as Business Partners throughout the Trust.

KEY JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

• Running complex above threshold procurements, managing multiple senior stakeholders and reporting and presenting as required in both written and verbal formats.
• Implementing a category management strategy, delivering effective procurements and supporting the management of key supplier relationships to deliver breakthrough performance in cost, service and quality.
• Leading large and often complex procurement activities, delivering savings and other optimal outcomes of a tactical (cost reduction) and strategic nature in a challenging healthcare environment. Accordingly you will be able to demonstrate change management and stakeholder management skills across decentralised business units. Gaining competitive advantage for NUH by identifying best practice and leveraging the Trust spend within a category.
• Seeking out and engaging appropriate internal and external stakeholders at or up to Board level to provide the information and insight to support the development of the strategic options for the category.
• Where appropriate, working closely with a central support team to ensure the contracts you let deliver best value to NUH through effective supplier management.
• Leading the negotiation and completion of contracts often of a complex nature to support the category strategy.
• Promote procurement outside the procurement function and promoting change and development as required. Working under your own initiative and being responsible for making confident decisions for the benefit of the Trust.
• To be a member of the Procurement Senior Management Team delivering a coordinated work plan in a timely manner across the Trust and ensuring that procurement best practices are fully represented and best value achieved at all levels; advising and supporting the Divisional Management Teams on service design and provision.
• To ensure contract compliance across the NUH, pursuing procurement excellence through implementation of efficient and effective procurement projects.
• To chair or be a member of groups and committees as required by the Deputy Head of Procurement or the needs of the post.
• To take ownership for unresolved problems/queries that are escalated and assure they are resolved in agreed timescales.
• Imparting skills and transferring knowledge to the category and buying teams in order to assist in skills development.
• To produce regular capacity and performance reports, verbal and written to the Deputy Head of Procurement.
• To undertake any other duties that may reasonably be required.

Person Specification Training & Qualifications

• Member of Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) or similar appropriate professional institute or relevant experience
• Evidence of Continuous professional development (CPD)
• Advanced IT Skills
• Experience of implementing procurements through the use of e auctions

Experience

• Experience at a senior level
• Extensive hands on experience of current EU procurement directives and UK legislation.
• Experience in people management - ability to influence and lead people in a complex and dynamic organisation
• Experience of providing strong leadership in a complex, dynamic environment with a high level of ambiguity
• Previous commercial experience in the private and/or public sectors (local and central) and excellent account management skills
• Demonstrable experience of purchasing within key category areas
• Experience in whole life contract management delivering best value
• Demonstrable experience of: advanced negotiation skills, knowledge of strategic sourcing methodologies, contract law and dispute resolution, statistical and data analysis skills, knowledge of market areas related to specific work categories, finance and leasing knowledge or risk assessment/analysis
• Experience in NHS senior management.
• Experience of managing complex projects to time and on budget.
• Experience of applying principles of change management
• Experience of working with the NHS Terms and Conditions of Supply

Communication and Relationship skills

• Ability to communicate effectively at senior level.
• Well developed interpersonal skills, e.g. influencing and negotiating, team member.
• Ability to have an impact and credibility
• Ability to delegate and empower
• Demonstrates experience of working with senior staff and clinicians.
• Awareness of Freedom Of Information act and similar policies

Analytical and Judgement skills

• Demonstrates the ability to analyse complicated requests and determine the urgency of a situation and appropriately
• Ability to reach timely and effective decisions based on the appropriate use of information.
• Ability to interpret, analyse, communicate and present complex information and evidence based data
• Able to determine the appropriate method to present new and/or complex information to internal and external stakeholders sometimes in a hostile environment
• To make an appropriate judgement for the change of product within Trust and assess the cost/quality benefits to patients
• Ability to undertake option appraisals and trials and evaluations, making recommendations based on findings

Planning and organisation skills

• Ability to develop and implement associated organisational strategy and policy
• Ability to project manage several complex projects with competing deadlines
• Experienced in making cases of need and recommendations for future requirements.
• Evidence of ability to prioritise and plan own work and work of others effectively.

Physical skills

• Ability to concentrate for long periods of time
• Able to work in a climate of change
• Able to work across both hospital campuses and elsewhere in the Health Community as required.

Other requirements specific to the role

• Has a customer focused perspective
• Has managed a budget and has knowledge and understanding of budget management issues.
• Knowledge of the healthcare sector

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 . click apply for full job details