Procurement Category Manager, Alex

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

The closing date is 12 January 2025

Job summary

As part of the Procurement and Supply Team we serve multiple sites within our Integrated Care System (ICS). This is an ideal opportunity to join us and make a real difference for the continued improvement of high quality patient care for the communities that we serve. This is an important and instrumental role in supporting the delivery of value for money through proactive contract management and robust stakeholder management and a chance to support and influence our service delivery. Were a large organisation, providing acute services from 3 main locations; the Alexandra Hospital (Redditch); Kidderminster Hospital and Treatment Centre; and Worcestershire Royal Hospital (Worcester) to a population of over 575,000 people in Worcestershire, as well as caring for patients from surrounding counties and further afield. The successful candidate will report directly to the Head of Procurement or Senior Category Manager and provide strategic leadership and legal counsel to our Supply Chain and Procurement service based principally at the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch though providing service to all sites.

Main duties of the job

To assist in the provision of a procurement service that supports customers in developing opportunities and achieving value for money. The Category Manager will work with the Head of Procurement in the creation, development and delivery of the Directorates savings schemes. Responsible for ensuring the best value for money is achieved from clinically acceptable products. Ensure that the Trust carries 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. Support the development and delivery of sourcing strategies from Trust non-pay spend. To lead OJEU and non-OJEU tender and supplier contracting initiatives for assigned categories within the Procurement work plan using specialist analytical techniques and software to support the delivery of year-on-year cash releasing and cost avoidance savings. Be point of expert knowledge with regard to third-party spend in particular areas of business. This should cover suppliers, internal customers, spend categories, contracts and on-going related suppliers performance management and productivity. Contribute to production of the annual sourcing work plan to meet key strategic objectives as agreed with Divisions by reviewing overall Trust spend, identifying, obtain and record signed contracts. Contribute to the implementation and development of departmental policies, procedures and strategies.

About us

Our purpose is simple - Putting Patients First. We are looking for exceptional colleagues who can help us achieve this.

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 over 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 to achieve our Vision - working in partnership to provide the best healthcare for our communities, leading and supporting our teams to move 4ward. Our 4ward behaviours, which we ask all staff to demonstrate, underpin our everyday work and remain firmly at the heart of all we do.

Our objectives are simple:

Best services for local people
Best experience of care and best outcomes for our patients
Best use of resources
Best people

Better never stops, and our Clinical Services Strategy provides a clear future vision for our Trust, our hospitals, our services and our role in the wider health and care 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.

Date posted

19 December 2024

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£46,148 to £52,809 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

C9365-24-1387

Job locations

The Alexandra Hospital

Woodrow Drive

Redditch

Worcestershire

B98 7UB

Job description

Job responsibilities

Key Duties:

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

Maintain overall understanding of Trust spend using a variety of data sources including Oracle, Bravo and supplier data to establish a detailed knowledge of Trust expenditure by Supplier, Site, Division, Department & Commodity.

Engage and work closely with senior stakeholders who provide healthcare and support services to help identify improvements and changes in practice arising from supply market opportunities.

Develop and maintain relationships with stakeholders to maximise Procurement performance and non-pay efficiencies across the Trust.

Provide expert strategic procurement advise to stakeholders.

Develop robust category strategies.

Documenting, communicating and influencing senior stakeholders to ensure effective buy-in to the proposed category strategies.

To lead on category management within one or more Categories under the direction of the Head of Procurement or Senior Category Manager

Develop and implement Tender activity as directed by Head of Procurement or Senior Category Manager with internal Divisional leads across the organisation at OJEU level.

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.

Ensure that Divisional management and PMO are clear on progress with initiatives and aware of potential barriers/delays so action plans to overcome these can be put in place.

Identify Quality Cost Improvement Initiatives (CIP) from spend and supplier analysis and dialogue with Divisional leads across the Trust as agreed with the Head of Procurement or Senior Category Manager.

Monitor contracts to ensure contract governance is in place and coordinate supplier/stakeholder contract monitoring and improve performance to support the CIP agenda.

Monitor and maintain contract compliance against Trust expenditure. Liaise with internal and external contacts to facilitate contractual coverage for non-compliant expenditure where formal agreements are not in place.

Maintain an up-to-date understanding of Government and Department of Health directives such as the National NHS Procurement Strategy (Better Procurement, Better Value, Better Care) and other DoH initiatives that relate to the Procurement service.

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.

Deputise for the Head of Procurement or Senior Category Manager.

Manage and promptly deal with complaints and concerns from Directorates on commercially sensitive and complex supply issues, using careful analysis and judgement and responding positively through the use of empathy, persuasion and negotiations to deliver effectives resolutions to issues raised.

Provide advice on Terms and Conditions of Contracting and procurement legal issues before, during and after award of contracts.

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:

o Face to face and by telephone

o Within formal and informal meetings

o Written. Letters, memorandum, e-mail, and reports

o 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.

To assists 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.

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.

Represent Trust at national and regional events and projects.

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.