Associate Procurement Director

Job overview

At NHS Commercial Solutions (NHSCS), making a real impact matters to us. If you are driven and keen to contribute to meaningful progress within the NHS, this role could be ideal for you.

We are seeking an Associate Procurement Director to join our team on a six-month fixed-term contract.

This is an exciting opportunity to provide strategic leadership, oversee programme and project delivery, and manage procurement and consultancy initiatives across multiple categories. The key objective is to enhance value and quality outcomes for our member trusts and customers while helping to generate income for NHSCS.

This senior strategic role will play a crucial part in delivering projects, frameworks, and call-off procurements for customers, driving value across the NHS and wider public sector.

You will engage extensively with our member NHS organisations, as well as with a wide range of other public sector customers—including Local Authorities, Housing Associations, and other public bodies—at local, regional, and national levels.

We are looking for a highly motivated and enthusiastic individual who wants to make a positive difference within the NHS. The successful candidate will demonstrate strong interpersonal skills and have substantial senior-level commercial and procurement experience. They will bring excellent communication abilities, a people-focused approach, and well-rounded commercial acumen.

Main duties of the job

This is a strategic position spanning multiple categories and consultancy services, focused on developing long-term procurement strategies, policies, work plans, and business cases for both internal and external stakeholders. You will act as the principal authority on all procurement matters and provide leadership on UK and European procurement regulations.

This role is ideally suited to someone who is commercially astute, driven, and capable of delivering inspirational leadership. You will work with significant autonomy, support and develop others to reach their potential, maintain a strong customer focus, and play an active role within NHS Commercial Solutions and on behalf of its member trusts. You may be expected to meet and visit our members and customers across the NHS south east region.

Interviews for the post will be held on 15 January and will be at our offices in Dorking.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Job Overview

This is a project-based role for a 6-month fixed term. The Associate Procurement Director will provide inspirational leadership and direction for NHS Commercial Solutions’ procurement staff and customers.

The post holder will lead the delivery of procurement projects for healthcare goods, works and services and will have responsibility for the strategic development and management of clinical and non-clinical spend across NHS organisations. The postholder will develop long-term procurement strategies, policies and work plans, and will be the principal expert in all procurement related matters, leading in relation to UK and European procurement regulations, including the Procurement Act 2023 and Provider Selection Regime 2024.

The Associate Procurement Director will provide strategic leadership and responsibility for multiple procurement programmes to improve value and quality for member trusts and customers.

Suitable for someone who…

…is commercially astute and has the capability and drive to provide inspirational leadership to a team of Procurement professionals at all levels. You will work autonomously, enjoy managing and supporting people to achieve their potential, have a strong customer focus, and will be an active participant in NHS Commercial Solutions and member trusts networks.

Key Responsibilities of the role are

• Contributing and supporting the development of the NHS Commercial Solutions offer and services through the effective execution of procurement projects.
• Devising, implementing, and continually reviewing the Procurement and Category strategies to ensure innovation and improved value for money from clinical and non-clinical expenditure across NHSCS member organisations and deliver income and savings targets for NHSCS.
• Producing and managing the procurement project pipeline workplan, which is consistent and integrated with the Procurement strategy and Business objectives of NHSCS, aligning this with core member workplans and requirements.
• Leading on the delivery of complex procurements, covering a broad range of services and products and providing strategic advice to Senior Management and Divisional Leads in member trusts.
• Evaluating cost saving opportunities by using spend analysis, benchmarking and contract re-negotiation, re-engineering and volume leverage.
• Acting as a senior leader in challenging the norm, ensuring modernisation of practice, utilising new innovations and improved technology.
• Leading and being responsible for procurement and projects across member trusts and for new customers.
• Working with key stakeholders in developing relevant Networks and Forums.
• Being an active participant in NHS Commercial Solutions’ corporate network activities through individual and joint Trust stakeholder groups and evaluation groups.
• Ensuring that the interface between stakeholders and procurement functions is established and robust, driving change through innovative procurement practice and contract compliance; thereby managing costs and improving patient care through efficient practice.
• Providing specialist healthcare services procurement expertise to the team, to give support, advice and training to Procurement teams, member Trusts, divisional managers, HR, finance and other key stakeholders.
• Supporting Directors in the delivery of cost and efficiency savings across member Trusts, by analysing current spend information to develop category management and procurement strategies.
• Ensuring contract compliance across NHS Commercial Solutions, pursuing procurement excellence through the implementation of efficient and effective procurement projects within key markets.
• Meeting customer requirements by demonstrating best value for money, through compliance with category priorities and contracts, and by actively managing the marketplace through development of key strategies for supplier and contract management.
• Liaising with colleagues at senior and operational levels to ensure compliance in the use of agreed standardised products, ensuring the range of items within catalogues is rationalised to an optimum level.
• Identifying and working with government agencies and social services to ensure all strategies support national initiatives.
• Collaborating effectively with other Collaborative Procurement Organisations, including other NHS Hubs and NHS Trusts on contracting opportunities.
• Providing expert technical advice and knowledge on UK and EU procurement regulations to ensure all procurement activities are carried out in accordance with the Trust’s policies and procedures, Standing Orders, Standing Financial Instructions and all current legislation.
• Leading cross-functional teams on the delivery of major procurement projects, coordinating, planning and monitoring of all project work to ensure their timely and successful delivery
• Reviewing national policies and procurement practices, recommending changes and leading on change management.