Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for four Trainee Category Assistants/Category Assistants (dependent upon experience) to join our Category Management Teams across our newly formed group Procurement function.
Working across the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire (UHN), which encompasses Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, and Northampton General NHS Trust, you will be an integral part of one of our four specialist category areas, delivering a first class procurement service across UHN.
This is a great opportunity for a developing procurement professional to join the Procurement team at UHN and really make a difference. We currently have vacancies in our clinical, estates & facilities and digital category management teams. Base can be discussed, but noting the requirement will be to travel between sites when required.
You will be joining a large, friendly and supportive team which offers great opportunities for career progression.
We are recruiting to either band 4 Trainee Category Assistants, or band 5 Category Assistants, dependent upon experience. The Trainee Category Assistant roles offer a guaranteed progression to the Category Assistant, once competencies have been achieved.
If you would like to progress your career in procurement, please review the job descriptions and person specifications in the advert, and if you feel you match those requirements we'd love to hear from you.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will be responsible for undertaking specific sourcing projects for defined categories, across UHN and other NHS organisations as required.
Additionally, the post holder will be expected to take a wider customer service role and champion Procurement throughout UHN, whilst offering expert procurement advise to stakeholders.
You will be responsible for working on a wide range of procurement projects, working closely with trust managers and stakeholders to develop, deliver and manage contracts, ultimately carrying out end to end procurements.
The post holder will work closely on a day to day basis with the Category Specialists and be accountable to a Category Manager.
You will be studying towards, or willing to study towards MCIPS and have the discipline to work from an agreed work plan with deadlines.
This is an excellent opportunity to develop your procurement career in a dynamic, challenging and high profile environment.
About us
Northampton General Hospital is one of the largest employers in the area and we are on an exciting journey. All of our divisions are committed to doing things better, with more efficiency as we update, modernise, and advance. We have also entered into a Group Model with neighbouring Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and become University Hospitals of Northamptonshire.
Our Excellence Values
Compassion
Accountability
Respect
Integrity
Courage
We want to recruit the best people to deliver our services across the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire and help to unleash everyone's full potential. As an organisation, we value how we communicate and promote our vacancies to all communities.
We are a Defence positive trust, supporting our reservists, veterans, spouses and partners.
The Hospital Group encourages applications from people who identify from all protected groups, especially those from BAME, Disabled and LGBTQ+ backgrounds as these are underrepresented in our hospitals.
We understand that we need to work with colleagues from diverse backgrounds and make sure the environment they work in is inclusive and collaborative.
We have active Networks that promote and support colleagues from all backgrounds.This ensures everyone feels supported and has a sense of belonging working for Kettering and Northampton General Hospitals.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To provide a comprehensive, proactive, efficient and responsive procurement advisory and planning service across the designated specialist category area. Emphasis will be on supporting the delivery of compliant and fit for purpose contracts, showing value for money, and generating savings for the Trust in accordance with cost efficiency targets.
Following the category management strategy that provides commercial benefit and reduces risk consistent with alignment to the Group Strategies, abiding by Trust specific SFIs, SOs, UK legislation.
The post holder shares responsibility for undertaking complex and high value procurements and associated contract negotiations on behalf of the Group. The post holder will also liaise with other procurement and contracting authorities and other multi trust groups as appropriate.
Assisting in the management of a designated portfolio of procurement projects in line with specified category across the Group, to include goods and services in accordance with the strategic sourcing plan.
Support and assist the Category Specialist in the undertaking of Capital expenditure projects end to end, attending and chairing project related meetings where required.
Analyse customer requirements, assist in development of comprehensive specification, tender and quotation documents.
Investigate and resolve discrepancies with invoices against previously agreed contracts, along with challenging terms and conditions of contract, if not abided by by suppliers.
Issuing waivers at point of need, and ensuring these are authorised by relevant authorised signatories.
Work with the senior procurement team ensuring adoption of appropriate professional, ethical and personal standards of conduct and adherence to the standing orders and Standing Financial Instructions of the Group.
Participate in the collaborative work of the Group, developing relationships and jointly working on projects within the agreed plan.
Shadow senior colleagues in undertaking and completing procurement projects within the agreed timescales set out within the strategic sourcing plan in accordance with UK Regulations, Trust Standing Order and Standing Financial Instructions.
Support senior procurement team when required compliant route for procurements has been identified and assist in carrying these out, learning processes and documentation, in line with all SOs, SFIs and UK legislation.
Support in the arrangements for evaluations of new equipment, consumables or services across the Group, analysing quality and financial returns and ensuring goods and services are within set budget.
Utilise IT Technologies to support and conduct financial or usage analysis.
Assist in the setting of evaluation criteria, analyse and evaluate responses, negotiate and award contracts.
Shadow post contract monitoring and supplier debriefs.
Conduct market, supplier and product research to inform strategy and realise tactical objectives.
Undertake value for money analysis for goods and services required by the Trust and review alternative sourcing arrangements.
Actively contribute to the departments savings work plan.
Support the category management team in the development of work plan projects.
Learn to competently use the Trusts Business Intelligence tool (QlikView) to produce reports on contract coverage and savings opportunities as requested by the Senior procurement team.
Develop productive ongoing relationships with end users and develop and enhance supplier relationships.
Seek guidance in relation to requests from the customer base for new products and services across the Group.
This roles requires prolonged sitting at a workstation, with prolonged use of computer/VDU.
We support distributed and flexible working arrangements, however, subject to business needs, there may be a requirement to travel between the Kettering and Northampton Hospital sites and other sites across the Group.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To provide a comprehensive, proactive, efficient and responsive procurement advisory and planning service across the designated specialist category area. Emphasis will be on supporting the delivery of compliant and fit for purpose contracts, showing value for money, and generating savings for the Trust in accordance with cost efficiency targets.
Following the category management strategy that provides commercial benefit and reduces risk consistent with alignment to the Group Strategies, abiding by Trust specific SFIs, SOs, UK legislation.
The post holder shares responsibility for undertaking complex and high value procurements and associated contract negotiations on behalf of the Group. The post holder will also liaise with other procurement and contracting authorities and other multi trust groups as appropriate.
Assisting in the management of a designated portfolio of procurement projects in line with specified category across the Group, to include goods and services in accordance with the strategic sourcing plan.
Support and assist the Category Specialist in the undertaking of Capital expenditure projects end to end, attending and chairing project related meetings where required.
Analyse customer requirements, assist in development of comprehensive specification, tender and quotation documents.
Investigate and resolve discrepancies with invoices against previously agreed contracts, along with challenging terms and conditions of contract, if not abided by by suppliers.
Issuing waivers at point of need, and ensuring these are authorised by relevant authorised signatories.
Work with the senior procurement team ensuring adoption of appropriate professional, ethical and personal standards of conduct and adherence to the standing orders and Standing Financial Instructions of the Group.
Participate in the collaborative work of the Group, developing relationships and jointly working on projects within the agreed plan.
Shadow senior colleagues in undertaking and completing procurement projects within the agreed timescales set out within the strategic sourcing plan in accordance with UK Regulations, Trust Standing Order and Standing Financial Instructions.
Support senior procurement team when required compliant route for procurements has been identified and assist in carrying these out, learning processes and documentation, in line with all SOs, SFIs and UK legislation.
Support in the arrangements for evaluations of new equipment, consumables or services across the Group, analysing quality and financial returns and ensuring goods and services are within set budget.
Utilise IT Technologies to support and conduct financial or usage analysis.
Assist in the setting of evaluation criteria, analyse and evaluate responses, negotiate and award contracts.
Shadow post contract monitoring and supplier debriefs.
Conduct market, supplier and product research to inform strategy and realise tactical objectives.
Undertake value for money analysis for goods and services required by the Trust and review alternative sourcing arrangements.
Actively contribute to the departments savings work plan.
Support the category management team in the development of work plan projects.
Learn to competently use the Trusts Business Intelligence tool (QlikView) to produce reports on contract coverage and savings opportunities as requested by the Senior procurement team.
Develop productive ongoing relationships with end users and develop and enhance supplier relationships.
Seek guidance in relation to requests from the customer base for new products and services across the Group.
This roles requires prolonged sitting at a workstation, with prolonged use of computer/VDU.
We support distributed and flexible working arrangements, however, subject to business needs, there may be a requirement to travel between the Kettering and Northampton Hospital sites and other sites across the Group.
Person Specification
Education & Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to A level or equivalent level of education, training or experience
- Working towards CIPS NVQ Level 4 or above, or have appropriate level of experience
Desirable
- Full membership of CIPS
- Evidence of continual professional development
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Demonstrable experience within a specific category management area
- Experience of procurement projects including ongoing revenue and capital projects
- Evaluation and management of clinical and non-clinical products/service selection processes
- Ability to produce specifications, quotations, tenders, evaluation criteria, in accordance with UK legislation, Trust Standing Financial Instructions and Standing Orders, with guidance
- Proven track record of contract management - demonstrable evidence of this for a minimum of 5 different contracts
- Good communication skills with ability to disseminate essential and complex information to multidisciplinary groups
- Computer literate with detailed knowledge of standard computer packages e.g. Microsoft Office, Internet scheduling and ordering systems
- Good verbal and written skills (including report writing)
- Sound demonstrable, commercial knowledge and approach.
Desirable
- Supply market dynamics analysis
- Experience in a senior healthcare purchasing position.
- Current knowledge of EU, SFI's, SO's and procurement directives and legislation
- Current knowledge of contract law, contracting and purchasing legislation (including EU procurement)
- Experience of working within, and leading an operational procurement team
Skills
Essential
- Advanced keyboard skills for document writing and complex spreadsheet work
- Strong interpersonal skills
- Ability to work proactively with the ability to work on own initiative, managing own portfolio of designated work, adhering to any mandatory timescales
- Ability to manage own time effectively
- Ability to maintain confidentiality to the highest degree
- Ability to influence others and gain credibility, in a clinical and management environment
- Prioritisation skills which include the ability to be methodical, numerate, a good problem solver, motivated, influential, assertive with tact and diplomacy
- Ability to meet tight deadlines and targets
- Methodical with attention to detail
- Ability to work under pressure with a high level of concentration
- Ability to lead teams and facilitate meetings
Desirable
- Ability to analyse information, interpret and/or present in a clear, comprehensive format for multi disciplinary audience
- Ability to project manage effectively
Person Specification
Education & Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to A level or equivalent level of education, training or experience
- Working towards CIPS NVQ Level 4 or above, or have appropriate level of experience
Desirable
- Full membership of CIPS
- Evidence of continual professional development
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Demonstrable experience within a specific category management area
- Experience of procurement projects including ongoing revenue and capital projects
- Evaluation and management of clinical and non-clinical products/service selection processes
- Ability to produce specifications, quotations, tenders, evaluation criteria, in accordance with UK legislation, Trust Standing Financial Instructions and Standing Orders, with guidance
- Proven track record of contract management - demonstrable evidence of this for a minimum of 5 different contracts
- Good communication skills with ability to disseminate essential and complex information to multidisciplinary groups
- Computer literate with detailed knowledge of standard computer packages e.g. Microsoft Office, Internet scheduling and ordering systems
- Good verbal and written skills (including report writing)
- Sound demonstrable, commercial knowledge and approach.
Desirable
- Supply market dynamics analysis
- Experience in a senior healthcare purchasing position.
- Current knowledge of EU, SFI's, SO's and procurement directives and legislation
- Current knowledge of contract law, contracting and purchasing legislation (including EU procurement)
- Experience of working within, and leading an operational procurement team
Skills
Essential
- Advanced keyboard skills for document writing and complex spreadsheet work
- Strong interpersonal skills
- Ability to work proactively with the ability to work on own initiative, managing own portfolio of designated work, adhering to any mandatory timescales
- Ability to manage own time effectively
- Ability to maintain confidentiality to the highest degree
- Ability to influence others and gain credibility, in a clinical and management environment
- Prioritisation skills which include the ability to be methodical, numerate, a good problem solver, motivated, influential, assertive with tact and diplomacy
- Ability to meet tight deadlines and targets
- Methodical with attention to detail
- Ability to work under pressure with a high level of concentration
- Ability to lead teams and facilitate meetings
Desirable
- Ability to analyse information, interpret and/or present in a clear, comprehensive format for multi disciplinary audience
- Ability to project manage effectively
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).
