Category Manager

Job overview

At NHS Commercial Solutions (NHSCS), making a difference is central to our work. If you’re motivated by delivering meaningful impact across the NHS, this role could be for you. We are recruiting a Category Manager to join our team.

Why join NHSCS? You’ll work at the heart of public sector procurement, directly supporting the NHS. You’ll gain experience across diverse sectors, build strong commercial insight, and develop a deep understanding of how public sector organisations operate. You’ll collaborate on consultancy projects that deliver tangible value and help design high‑impact frameworks that drive efficiency and innovation.

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, estates, digital and corporate services. It is a critical role and vital to the NHS in supporting the ongoing service pressures across the NHS.

This strategic role 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 engagement with our member NHS organisations and other NHS and public sector customers, across a wide range of stakeholders, based locally, regionally and nationally.

Main duties of the job

The position 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 role will work across multiple procurement programmes to improve value and quality for trusts.

This role 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.

Key responsibilities include:

• 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.
• Track savings and quality improvement benefits to NHS Trusts to deliver best value to the NHS.

Our offices are in Dorking, Surrey.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see the attached job description for further details on the role, including key responsibilities, requirements, and expectations.