Job summary
Working Full time: 37.5 hours per week
A new and exciting opportunity has arisen to join our dynamic team as a Category Buyer
As a Category Buyer you are accountable to the Senior Category Manager, supporting all aspects of the Trusts Cost Improvement Programme and Cash Releasing Savings Strategy.
The Category buyer has responsibility for contributing to the delivery of:
Obtaining the maximum benefits from Trust expenditure on goods and services, seeking best value, reliability, responsiveness, and innovation from suppliers.
Releasing additional cost savings, adding value, and ensuring probity through the contracting process and ongoing performance monitoring of contracts and suppliers.
The proactive management of Trust Procurement projects and initiative delivery.
Acting in an autonomous manner in making financial recommendations ensuring compliance with Standing Financial Instructions and the Scheme of Delegation.
Producing briefing papers for the Procurement Manager, and all Stakeholder groups to ensure actions are aligned to the corporate objectives of the Trust.
Main duties of the job
Below provides a selection of Duties. For a full list of duties please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification.
To Assist with the delivery of the Trusts Cost Improvement Programme Strategy through procurement projects and carrying out tendering processes up to and including above threshold.
To manage varied projects to support and contribute towards the department's annual work-plan in line with Trust Standing Financial Instructions, Standing Orders, and relevant legislation.
Ensuring all projects are completed in a timely, effective manner.
To engage customers at all levels within both the internal organisation and external client organisations and ensure the quality of service to both of a consistently high standard.
Provide professional advice and support to Trust clinicians and managers and all involved in commercial activity ensuring that there is a full appreciation of the complex stages involved and the legal requirements by which the Trust must abide.
Conduct complex procurement exercises that requires a full understanding of customer requirements and interpretation of specifications to ensure that contracts are awarded appropriately.
Deliver Procurement project process reports, ensuring that applicable Trust policies and Procedures and relevant legislation have been followed
About us
The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust provides services to West Cheshire and to Welsh patients covered by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. The Trust works collaboratively within the wider Cheshire and Merseyside Health and Care Partnership. Its services are provided from three locations:
o The Countess of Chester Hospital: providing 438 general and acute beds.o Ellesmere Port Hospital: providing 56 beds as a rehabilitation, intermediate and outpatient facility.o Tarporley War Memorial Hospital: a base for community services which serve the local rural population.
The Trust employs over 5916 staff (headcount) which includes temporary bank staff and provides acute emergency and elective services, primary care direct access services and obstetric services to a population of approximately 411,000. This includes 361,000 residents in Chester and West Cheshire which includes Ellesmere Port and Neston as well as the Deeside area of Flintshire which has a population of approximately 50,000.
The Trust is a busy district general hospital and in 2022/2023, there were more than 503,342 patient attendances (inpatient, outpatient and diagnostic) ranging from a simple outpatient appointment to major cancer surgery. This is an increase of nearly 10,000 compared to the previous year when there were 494,387 patient attendances.
Job description
Job responsibilities
See Job Description for further details.
Recruitment selection processes are based on competence (see Person specification) and values.
Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costswill be deducted from their salary over the first three months of employment.
You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee of £16per year applies.
New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.
Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.
Good luck with your application.
Job description
Job responsibilities
See Job Description for further details.
Recruitment selection processes are based on competence (see Person specification) and values.
Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costswill be deducted from their salary over the first three months of employment.
You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee of £16per year applies.
New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.
Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.
Good luck with your application.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Knowledge of procurement principles acquired through either, MCIPS accreditation Level 4 or actively working towards it, relevant degree, or experience.
- Evidence of continuing professional development through attendance of relevant courses
- Able to demonstrate the latest knowledge of Procurement Legislation.
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Experience of managing complex projects
- Significant experience in liaising with other parties within the public sector and private sector including suppliers
- Experience co-ordinating the production of all the documentation required for the procurement process in liaison with other parties
Desirable
- Experience of procurement processes including an awareness of how to undertake complex Tender processes above threshold.
- Significant experience of working with a range of stakeholders at all levels of different organisations
- Experience of service redesign within the NHS
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Data analysis and interpretation skills involving complex data, with outstanding problem-solving skills.
- Able to demonstrate impact and proactive customer relationship building, with the ability to respect, influence and motivate a range of stakeholders to deliver continuous improvement in services whilst achieving professional and personal credibility.
- Experience in developing/building effective working relationships with a range of stakeholders.
- Being forward looking, having a flexible and adaptable approach, maintaining a positive attitude and being solution focussed to deliver timely standards of work under challenging deadlines, conflicting demands, and pressures.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Knowledge of procurement principles acquired through either, MCIPS accreditation Level 4 or actively working towards it, relevant degree, or experience.
- Evidence of continuing professional development through attendance of relevant courses
- Able to demonstrate the latest knowledge of Procurement Legislation.
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Experience of managing complex projects
- Significant experience in liaising with other parties within the public sector and private sector including suppliers
- Experience co-ordinating the production of all the documentation required for the procurement process in liaison with other parties
Desirable
- Experience of procurement processes including an awareness of how to undertake complex Tender processes above threshold.
- Significant experience of working with a range of stakeholders at all levels of different organisations
- Experience of service redesign within the NHS
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Data analysis and interpretation skills involving complex data, with outstanding problem-solving skills.
- Able to demonstrate impact and proactive customer relationship building, with the ability to respect, influence and motivate a range of stakeholders to deliver continuous improvement in services whilst achieving professional and personal credibility.
- Experience in developing/building effective working relationships with a range of stakeholders.
- Being forward looking, having a flexible and adaptable approach, maintaining a positive attitude and being solution focussed to deliver timely standards of work under challenging deadlines, conflicting demands, and pressures.
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
