Category Manager

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CHS is able to offer a wide range of services. Our scale enables us to offer competitive rates and we have a long track record of providing high quality, customer-focused services.

We offer comprehensive estates, facilities management, medical engineering, catering solutions and procurement services supporting the provision of safe, effective healthcare to our communities. We are committed to delivering our Green Plan goals of reducing carbon emissions, air pollution, waste generation and improving recycling throughout delivery of our services. We also enable profit to go back into patient care.

CHS recognises that its staff are its greatest asset and that its business is its people. The company aims to create an environment and culture of openness, trust and honesty. We encourage and celebrate diversity because broader perspectives, skills, experience and knowledge will enrich and enhance the value we bring to each other, our clients, shareholders and other stakeholders.

Job overview

Calderdale and Huddersfield Solutions Ltd (CHS), in collaboration with Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust, is embarking on a journey to reconfigure the Calderdale and Huddersfield hospital estate and improve patient services, in particular the building of 8 new wards and an extended A&E at Calderdale Royal Hospital.

CHS is a great place to work and it is even more exciting now as we begin this reconfiguration project. This is a fantastic opportunity for the right candidate to become a key part of the Team who will deliver this large-scale project. You will be in the perfect place to help co-ordinate, lead and manage the procurement and contract activity, working with both internal and external stakeholders. This role also provides many possibilities for personal development.

Don't miss the chance to apply for this role as, opportunities of this scale very rarely come around in procurement.

Main duties of the job

The post holder:
• Will take the lead for the CHFT/CHS reconfiguration programme in relation to procurement and contract projects.
• Will work closely with CHS Estates, Laing O'Rouke, the Reconfiguration Project Director
The Post Holder will be responsible for the management of highly complex and high value procurements of both a revenue and capital nature, including the creation of tender and contract documentation.
• The post holder will also provide commercial support and advice to budget holders and key stakeholders within the Trust ensuring that best practice and value for money are achieved.
• The post holder will develop and implement a 5 year procurement strategy in relation to reconfiguration and Capital procurement and contract activity.
• Will support the operational and strategic objectives of the Procurement Team, the Trust and CHS.
• Will develop strong working relationships with all stakeholders, both internal and external to the Trust, promoting a culture of shared responsibility for procurement issues within the context of the Trust objectives.
• Will take the lead for category management initiatives and work across divisions where applicable.
• Will undertake and ensure robust Tendering and Contracting activity in line with current Trust financial procedures, Public Contract Regulations 2015 and Procurement Act.

Working for our organisation

At CHS we understand the differences in delivering our services in complex environments and we have a flexible approach to meet the needs of our customers. Our Estates and Facilities management functions alongside our Medical Engineering, decontamination and procurement service, provides the following:

• Fully managed estate and building maintenance
• Medical engineering/equipment maintenance/ decontamination
• Procurement advice, guidance and governance
• Capital project management
• Transport
• Grounds maintenance.
• Portering
• Catering
• Cleaning (including robot and deep cleaning)

All provided to nationally recognised standards giving you assurance that your premises and equipment will be the best they can, and your customers will have confidence in you as a provider.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Overarching
• Lead on a portfolio of procurement projects, including complex, high value tasks.
• Approach procurement projects and tasks with commercial astuteness, deploying creativity and innovation supported by clearly defined strategies, aligning to the Department and Trust's objectives and targets
• Deliver assigned projects and tasks against a clearly defined timeline with agreed outcomes and deliverables, whilst balancing conflicting work priorities.
• Design structured project plans, which will include a named project team, timeline, defined procurement process, communication strategy and agreed outcomes.
• Undertake all aspects of clinical or non-clinical procurement work on behalf of CHS and the Trust and time-manage and prioritise this work efficiently.
• Proactively engage and manage procurement schemes via relevant category management initiatives.
• Analyse and interpret a complex and diverse range of procurement options to identify best route to market.
• Maximises contract compliance and undertakes procurement activities in accordance with PCR2015, PA23 legislation/commercial/contract law/Standing Financial
• Develop and maintain a sound knowledge of all relevant commodities and supply markets through conducting market research.

Resource Management
• Line management of a Buyer and Procurement Apprentice.
• Ensure the Buyer and Procurement Apprentice complete all annual mandatory training courses as required and have annual appraisal reviews.
• Ensure assigned projects are professionally managed against the team resource and required timelines.
• To perpetuate a culture that encourages the use of initiative, individual and team responsibility and open communication. In particular to ensure that time and resources are managed through effective teamwork, leadership and motivation across the Procurement function.
• Provide cover and support for other team members during holidays, sickness, etc.

Self Management and Learning
• The post holder will be expected to develop the role on an on-going basis with his / her manager and the service and to adapt the job according to management and organisational changes.
• The post holder will be required to be fully up to date with mandatory training and actively progress with self-learning through various routes and resources available. As a minimum the post holder must:
• Working towards MCIPS status or start within the next 6 months
• Mandatory Government Procurement Act - Completed within 3 months of appointment
• Government Commercial Function - Completed within 3 months of appointment

§ Mandatory Contract Management Foundation

§ Social Value eLearning

§ Tackling modern slavery in supply chains: PPE case study

Maintain continuous relevant training via SDN, HCSA and Government Commercial Function

Savings
• Identify cost saving efficiency schemes, calculation of the savings and benefit realisation. Understand market conditions and work collaboratively as necessary.
• Continually review the route to market for goods and services ensuring that established arrangements eg utilisation of national/regional frameworks continue to offer best value for money.

Compliance
• Compliance to both internal and best practise processes and procedures which achieve best value for money when procuring products & services whilst also ensuring compliance with contracts and Trust/EU standard procurement practice.
• Ensure that the Trust's Standing Financial Instructions (SFI's), Public Procurement Legislation, and the Trust's and NHS procurement policies and procedures are adhered to at all times.
• Ensure that any queries, complaints or discrepancies reported to the department are dealt with in a timely and efficient manner, including product advice to members of the public and GP practices.
• Assist in the development and implementation of operational policies and procedures and support activities which ensure compliance to accredited standards awarded to the organisation.

Suppliers/Supply
• Ensure effective supplier management to ensure compliance to contractual arrangements, KPIs and specifications as well as providing support in the event of market disruption and supplier failure which causes an issue with supply/service delivery.
• Assist in the development of appropriate commercial and best practice benchmarks to compare price, quality, and organisational efficiency, through ongoing audit of internal practices and research of external standards and practices in other NHS organisations

Stakeholder Management
• Effective stakeholder management strategies deployed when undertaking procurement activities/projects to ensure best outcomes are achieved for all parties.
• Provide procurement advice, support to Trust staff working on procurement tasks.

Collaboration
• Liaising with other NHS Trusts, WYAAT, ICS, ICB, DOH, NHS Supply Chain and any applicable Procurement Hub and other appropriate organisations, to benefit from sharing best practice, including the provision of data.
• Working collaboratively with other Trusts to rationalise products and suppliers, and agreeing and achieving savings and other value added benefits.

Person specification

Knowledge & Skills

Essential criteria

• Complete understanding of European Union Public Procurement Directives and public procurement legislation
• Complete understanding of the public procurement process
• Able to work under pressure and meet deadlines
• Complete understanding of public sector contracts and contract management
• Ability to lead and motivate others
• Thorough understanding of current NHS Procurement Landscape
• Understanding of change management tools and techniques
• 2General commercial awareness

Experience

Essential criteria

• Experience of handling complex and procurement projects
• Experience of detailed analysis of data relating to the review of product use, cost and savings
• Experience in planning, organising and managing end to end FTS tender processes
• Experience of scoping, briefing, tendering, selection, contract negotiation, including service level agreements, and management of suppliers
• Experience of supplier management including resolution of supply challenges
• Experience of drafting public sector contracts and ongoing contract management
• Experience using a tender management and contract management solution

Desirable criteria

• Experience of implementing procurement strategy, policy and procedure
• Experience of developing and delivering a category management strategy
• Experience of delivering a stakeholder management strategy
• Experience of working with various stakeholders to deliver one project
• Experience of collaborative procurement across multiple organisations
• Staff management/supervision/training experience

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Proven professional experience
• MCIPS or willing to work towards or equivalent qualification/experience

General

Essential criteria

• Able to fulfil the health requirements of the post as identified in the Job Description, taking into account any reasonable adjustments recommended by Occupational Health
• Must be eligible to work in the UK
• Ability to work in various locations throughout the network of services provided by the Company/Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust
• Willing to work in a flexible manner as and when desired

Desirable criteria

• Full UK Driving Licence

Calderdale and Huddersfield Solutions (CHS) are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics. Reasonable adjustments will be made for disabled applicants where required.

Please ensure your application is submitted with referees who can verify your employment/education history over the last three years and include valid email addresses for them. CHS will request electronic Factual Employment References from your previous employers. These references will be requested before you are issued with an unconditional offer of employment letter.

If applying via NHS Jobs, your submitted application will be imported into our preferred third-party recruitment system. All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs. You will not be able to track the progress of your application or receive messages through NHS Jobs, and furthermore, as an employer, we will not be able to respond to any e-mails sent to us via NHS Jobs. If you have a query relating to your application, please contact the recruitment team on ask.recruitment@cht.nhs.uk.

If you are appointed to a post, information will also be transferred into the NHS Electronic Staff Records system. The Inter-Authority Transfer (IAT) process is a critical and beneficial component of ESR and following interview your previous NHS employment data, if applicable will be transferred from your current / most recent employer.

You may be required to undertake a DBS. The Trust will administer the DBS check on your behalf and will recover the cost (Enhanced £54.40, Standard £26.40 or Basic £26.40) from your salary when you commence in post (including Internal staff). For Enhanced and Standard DBS checks you will also be required to participate in the DBS Update Service and pay the £16 cost per year. This is a condition of your employment.

CHS is part of the West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts (WYAAT), a collaborative of the NHS hospital trusts from across West Yorkshire and Harrogate working together to provide the best possible care for our patients.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Documents to download

• Job Specification - Category Manager (PDF, 488.6KB)
• Category Manager Briefing Pack 2025 (DOCX, 330.4KB)