Head of Procurement and Contracts

Job overview

The Head of Procurement and Contracts (Contracts and Procurement Team Manager) is the operational lead for NELPP’s commercial contract management and procurement sourcing activity across partner NHS organisations. Reporting to the Associate Director of Contracts and Procurement, the post holder will lead the day-to-day delivery of the sourcing and contract-management pipeline, providing quality assurance and governance oversight to ensure activity is compliant, timely and of a high standard. The role includes line management of a team of Band 7 Procurement and Contracts Managers, acting as an escalation point for operational issues, and leading selected high-value/high-risk procurements, contract remediation and stakeholder engagement as delegated. The post holder will work closely with senior stakeholders, clinical and corporate teams, and suppliers to deliver best value outcomes that support safe, effective patient care, alongside measurable benefits such as savings, cost avoidance and service improvement.

Main duties of the job

Key responsibilities include leading and developing the procurement and contracts team (recruitment, supervision, appraisal, objectives, wellbeing and capability building), allocating and balancing workload, and ensuring consistent, high-quality service delivery. The post holder will oversee end-to-end procurement sourcing activity, ensuring robust documentation, evaluation governance, audit trails and compliance with Standing Financial Instructions and applicable procurement rules; provide expert advice on route-to-market, evaluation, negotiation and risk management; and lead complex procurements as required. The role will also lead operational contract management arrangements, ensuring contract registers, renewal plans and performance schedules are maintained; supplier performance is monitored through KPIs/SLAs and review meetings; and variations, extensions, novations, remediation and dispute/escalation processes are managed appropriately. We are seeking an experienced, credible commercial leader with strong NHS/public sector procurement and contract management expertise, excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, strong analytical and reporting ability, and a values-led, collaborative approach aligned to NHS values and EDI principles.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

We are dedicated to being an outstanding place to work and will work with you to get the best experience. We know flexible working is not a one size fits all and will mean something different to everyone. We are inclusive, so if you are interested in flexible working, please speak to the recruiting manager.

The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience, and knowledge required. For both documents, please view the attachment/s below.