Senior Buyer

Job summary

This vacancy is currently only open to Herefordshire and Worcestershire NHS staff (including PCN/GP Practices).

The Procurement Directorate is seeking a motivated and forward thinking individual to play a key role in delivering a cost effective, efficient and responsive procurement service for the Trust.

This is an exciting opportunity for an exceptional person with the vision, drive and skills to help strengthen the impact of procurement across the organisation. Working closely with colleagues, you will support the team in raising the profile of procurement and ensuring it continues to add real value to patient care and the wider Trust

Main duties of the job

The post holder will carry out secure and compliant procurement processes to obtain best value for money in the procurement of all goods and services in support of the achievement of the agreed procurement savings targets.

To lead the procurement requirements for the assigned projects within the Procurement work plan by negotiating a range of complex, high value contracts, providing best value across the range of products and services contracted.

Analyse procurement activity recorded by internal systems in order to identify procurement opportunities.

To assist in the provision of a procurement service that supports customers in developing opportunities and achieving value for money.

About us

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust is a large acute and specialised hospital trust that provides a range of local acute services to the residents of Worcestershire and more specialised services to a larger population in Herefordshire and beyond.

The Trust operates hospital-based services from three sites in Kidderminster, Redditch and Worcester

Our workforce is more than 7,000 strong, and our caring staff are recognised as providing good and outstanding patient-centred care. You could be one of them.

We are committed to recruiting the best people to work with us. Our values, which we ask all staff to demonstrate, underpin our everyday work and remain firmly at the heart of all we do.

Being open and honest

Ensuring people feel cared for

Showing respect to everyone

We are committed to developing a culture of continuous improvement by embedding the principles of our Improvement System.

We are proud to have achieved Timewise accreditation - this means we are committed to embedding flexible working within our organisation as a flex positive employer.

DBS Checks and Costs

Any applicants who are offered posts requiring a DBS check as part of their employment check will have the cost of this check (at the current rate) deducted from their salary. Please see link in Supporting Information section for more details on DBS checks and costs.

Details

• Date posted: 03 June 2026
• Pay scheme: Agenda for change
• Band: Band 5
• Salary: £32,073 to £39,043 a year
• Contract: Permanent
• Working pattern: Full-time, Flexible working
• Reference number: C9365-26-0369-S2
• Job locations: The Alexandra Hospital, Woodrow Drive, Redditch, Worcestershire, B98 7UB, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

Support the Head of Procurement or Senior Category Manager in ensuring all non-pay spend is governed by and subject to proficient procurement.

Liaise with budget holders/departmental managers to gain authority to formulate Trustwide contracts.

To lead on a defined portfolio of projects within one or more Categories under the direction of the Head of Procurement or Senior Category Manager.

Undertake quotation/tender exercises where appropriate to obtain best value for requirements in accordance with the Trusts standing financial instructions.

Under the direction of a senior member of the team, undertake tenders in accordance with the guidelines of the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU).

To support other members of the team with any formal tenders as and when necessary.

To use the electronic tendering system and contracts finder portals.

To work in conjunction with collaborative procurement organisations including, but not limited to NHS Supply Chain, Crown Commercial Services etc.

Review non-pay spend and complete cost comparisons on available alternative products to identify and report potential savings.

Manage contracts to ensure the compliance of suppliers to terms specified within contracts to ensure the Trust in obtaining best value.

Lead, manage, evaluate and report the findings of product trials.

To assist with the development of specifications for requirements.

To assist with the development of robust evaluation criteria for all accreditation processes to ensure that they are transparent and capable of withstanding legal challenge.

To produce a project plan for each procurement to highlight the key milestones, identify any barriers and alternatives to circumnavigate these problems to deliver the projects on time.

Report any barriers to the progression of any projects following the departmental procedures after making every effort to progress prior to escalating.

Ensure the timely provision of project progress and savings delivery to feed into workplan and monthly reporting timescales.

Report agreed savings to the Head of Procurement or Senior Category Manager as per department procedures to ensure timely reporting to the PMO.

Reviews with Suppliers the most appropriate route for product delivery to obtain maximum benefit for the Trusts Supply Chain.

Attend meetings on behalf of the department and follow up on actions in a timely way.

To communicate clearly and succinctly, using the appropriate language for the audience in a way which motivates and supports other members of the team. Communications will involve complex information where persuasive, negotiating skills are required and will be:

• Face to face, MS Teams and Telephone
• Within formal and informal meetings
• Written. Letters, memorandum, e-mail, and reports
• Through presentations

To respond to local clinical staff and potential or existing provider enquiries, either written, email, face to face or telephone using empathy and judgement in an efficient and effective way.

To advise customers and implement and legal or financial changes within EU, Public Contracts Regulations and Guidance and procurement thresholds.

To liaise with other Procurement specialists and other team members on a daily basis in order to ensure accurate and up to date information related to the procurement plan is disseminated.

The post holder will work closely with a number of Clinical Management Teams to assist them in meeting their Cost Improvement plans.

To assist the Head of Procurement or Senior Category Manager with implementation of Departmental policies, procedures and strategies.

To be responsible for the delivery of a number of strategic objectives within the Trusts Procurement Strategy document.

Implement and support devolved purchasing order processing for particular supplies customers ensuring that purchasing is undertaken within the agreed parameters and in accordance with the Trusts Standing Orders and Standing Financial Instructions.

Actively pursue further use of the purchasing systems and the use of those systems for monitoring the financial influence of supplies.

Carry out research and contributes advice on the introduction of new products and ensures that appropriate trials are undertaken and recorded and assist with the standardisation programme.

The post holder will work closely with user departments, usually as part of a Multi-Disciplinary Team, in order to understand their need and interpret these through to the appropriate commercial agreements.

Undertaking any other assignments or duties allocated by the Head of Procurement or Senior Category Manager. The work pattern is unpredictable due to the requirement to respond to urgent requests from Trust Managers and Suppliers.