Senior Procurement and Contract Manager

Senior Procurement and Contract Manager

Agenda for Change Band 8b

Duration: 6 months

Hourly Rate: £34.05 to £39.57

Location: Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly

Working arrangements: Hybrid working, with flexible working options, including part-time and job share, subject to service needs.

Make a difference through strategic procurement and commissioning

Are you an experienced procurement and contract management professional with the expertise, leadership and commercial insight to help shape high-quality NHS services?

We are looking for an accomplished Senior Procurement and Contract Manager to lead a portfolio of clinical procurements and contracts across Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in ensuring that commissioned healthcare services deliver value for money, meet required quality standards and improve patient experience and health outcomes.

About the role

As Senior Procurement and Contract Manager, you will lead a portfolio of procurement and contract management activity, working collaboratively with commissioners, finance, patient safety and quality colleagues, performance teams, healthcare providers and other stakeholders.

You will develop innovative contracting approaches, support strategic commissioning objectives and ensure procurement activity complies with relevant legislation, regulatory requirements and governance arrangements.

You will also lead and develop a team of procurement managers and support staff, promoting best practice, continuous improvement and a strong focus on delivering high-quality outcomes.

Key responsibilities

• Lead strategic procurement: Plan and oversee complex clinical procurement projects, managing interdependencies, resources, risks and delivery timelines.
• Drive effective contract management: Negotiate, secure and manage clinical service contracts, ensuring delivery against agreed quality, performance and financial objectives.
• Provide expert commercial advice: Apply your knowledge of the Procurement Act 2023, Provider Selection Regime (PSR) and NHS standard clinical contract to support compliant and effective procurement decisions.
• Deliver value for money: Support transformation, improve efficiency and ensure the effective use of financial resources while maintaining a focus on patient outcomes.
• Lead and develop people: Manage, motivate and support your team, encouraging professional development, accountability and high standards of performance.
• Strengthen governance and risk management: Ensure appropriate procurement processes are followed, identify and mitigate risks, and provide clear analysis and reporting to support informed decision-making.
• Build strong partnerships: Work across organisational boundaries, influencing and negotiating with senior stakeholders and healthcare providers to achieve the best possible outcomes.
• Champion continuous improvement: Develop and embed best practice in procurement, contract management and service delivery, supporting wider organisational transformation and strategic priorities.

About you

You will be a confident and credible procurement professional with significant experience of leading complex clinical procurements and managing contracts in a demanding, changing environment.

You will bring excellent commercial judgement, strong negotiation skills and the ability to influence senior stakeholders on complex and sometimes contentious issues. You will be comfortable balancing competing priorities, managing risk and making informed decisions that support both financial sustainability and high-quality patient care.

You will also be an effective leader who can motivate and develop colleagues, build collaborative relationships and translate strategic objectives into practical, measurable outcomes.

Essential qualifications, skills and experience

You will need to demonstrate

• Education to master's level or equivalent senior-level experience in a relevant specialist area.
• Evidence of continuing professional development.
• Relevant professional membership, with a minimum of Level 6 Chartered Membership of CIPS.
• Significant knowledge and experience of procurement, including the Procurement Act 2023 and Provider Selection Regime.
• Expertise in contract drafting and contract management, particularly the NHS standard clinical contract.
• Experience of leading clinical procurements across a range of processes and scales.
• Significant experience of interpreting procurement legislation and applying it commercially.
• Strong financial, project and programme management skills, including budget monitoring, risk management and performance reporting.
• Experience of leading and developing teams, managing performance and delivering results through collaborative working.
• Excellent communication, influencing and negotiation skills, including the ability to present complex information to senior stakeholders.
• The ability to work effectively in politically sensitive and highly complex environments, adapting to uncertainty and changing priorities.
• An understanding of the public sector and experience working in a healthcare environment would be advantageous.

Ready to make a difference?

If you have the strategic insight, procurement expertise and leadership capability to help secure effective, high-quality and financially sustainable healthcare services, we would welcome your application.

Bring your expertise to a role where strong commercial decisions can make a real difference to patients, providers and the wider healthcare system.