Category Manager – Healthcare Services & Pharmacy

Job overview

Category Manager – Healthcare Services & Pharmacy

Specialising in Healthcare Services and Pharmacy Services categories

North of England Commercial Procurement Collaborative (NOE CPC) is a collaborative procurement organisation based in Sheffield and hosted by Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LYPFT). Our aim is to deliver best value procurement outcomes for the NHS through collaborative working. A wholly NHS owned organisation NOE CPC brings together a wealth of experience, understanding and knowledge, providing collaborative procurement and commercial solutions to the wider NHS and is one of the leading players in collaborative procurement within the NHS in England.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Category Manager to join the Category Procurement Team at NOE CPC. Reporting to the Associate Director of Procurement you will be responsible for developing our category management approach to assigned healthcare and pharmacy service related categories, and leading the associated public procurement and category management projects in this high profile growing category area to deliver best value outcomes for our NHS and wider public sector customers and patients.

Main duties of the job

As a Category Manager you will be responsible for building on an existing portfolio of framework agreements in the healthcare services & pharmacy category area and will work to ensure timely delivery of procurement and category projects against NOE CPC’s workplan in line with our NHS and wider public sector customer requirements and our growth strategy.. A pro-active focus on delivery of best value outcomes for NHS is essential. Working with the Associate Director of Procurement you will develop and grow NOE CPC’s impact in this category area through development of a category management approach including category strategy development and work-planning. Activity will include working in close collaboration with other procurement hubs, such as London Procurement Partnership (LPP), extensive engagement with NHS and other key stakeholders, based locally, regionally and nationally to support them in achieving cost reduction and efficiency targets.

We are looking for a highly motivated, enthusiastic individual wanting to make a positive difference in the NHS.  The successful candidates will be able to demonstrate strong personal skills, a sound understanding of public procurement, together with both experience and enthusiasm for the particular category area for which they are applying. They will also be an excellent communicator, have a strong customer focused ethos, and broad commercial acumen with the drive to self motivate to develop and deliver commercial opportunities.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

As part of the NOE CPC Category Procurement Team you will need to be able to:

• Lead the delivery of complex procurement projects, in line with relevant legislation such as Public Contracts Regulations, Procurement Act and Provider Selection Regime.
• Develop a category management approach in order to deliver cash releasing savings and sustainable total cost reductions for the wider public sector stakeholders in this category area.
• Support and lead category specific reviews within NHS and wider public sector customers to identify process efficiencies and cost reduction opportunities
• Have considerable knowledge and expertise within this specialist category area or an equivalent area.
• Have a strong customer focus, commercial acumen and a pro-active approach
• Have a sound approach to contract and supplier management in this category area
• Build excellent working relationships with peers, colleagues, customers and other external stakeholders at both operational and senior levels.
• Have a hands-on approach and a results focused mentality.

This role will work closely with and support the Associate Procurement Director and will be required to build strong individual and collaborative relationships with senior level expert stakeholders in this category area, to develop and manage a portfolio of agreements and to support new procurement activity in this field. The role will include extensive engagement with NHS and wider public sector organisations both individually and collaboratively, and supplier organisations in order to ensure procurement solutions are established and appropriate strategies are developed, which genuinely meet and continue to deliver against the needs of the NHS and wider public sector.

This role will include provision of expert category specific support and guidance to NHS and wider public sector organisations. Skills, experience and a passion for both procurement and this particular category area are highly desirable although not a necessity.

Location: Work base as stated above, however NOECPC adopts an agile working policy.