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Job summary

Main area
Procurement
Grade
Band 8a
Contract
12 months (Fixed Term)
Hours
  • Full time
  • Flexible working
  • Home or remote working
37.5 hours per week (Scope to work for home, flexible arrangements can be discussed (Monday-Friday))
Job ref
339-FD1414-EGJ-A
Employer
North Bristol NHS Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Southmead
Town
Bristol
Salary
£57,528 - £64,750 pa pro rata
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
18/06/2026 23:59
Interview date
29/06/2026

Employer heading

North Bristol NHS Trust logo

Category Manager

Band 8a

Thank you for your interest in this vacancy. We highly recommend reading our Tips on how to apply page to give you an insight on how applications are scored & shortlisted by our Recruiting Managers. These tips have been provided to give you a better chance of being shortlisted for our vacancies.

North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) are working towards merging as one organisation from July 2026. 

This will create an exciting future that brings together the best of both organisations. As a single, strong and sustainable organisation, we will not only be able to deliver better outcomes for our patients and fairer care for our population, but it will also provide greater opportunities for our people.

Should you join NBT as an employee prior to our organisations merging, your employment will be automatically transferred across to UHBW. Should your employment begin after our two Trusts merge, you will be employed directly by UHBW and therefore UHBW terms and conditions of service will apply 

Our job adverts may close as soon as sufficient applications have been received. Considering this, if you are interested in this role, please do apply as soon as you can.

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Job overview

BWPC’s Category Managers are the core subject matter leaders of our team, focusing on specialised areas of spend to design, optimise and lead procurement strategies. By focusing on building effective teams, improving procurement and supplier management we expect our Category Leads to be at the forefront of spend control and strategic supply chain management. 
We support the Bristol region’s Acute NHS Trusts and the wider care sector and are proud to be at the forefront of driving contracting compliance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, Procurement Act 2023 and Provider Selection Regime while targeting best value for our client’s expenditure. 

 

 

Main duties of the job

Key Activities:
• Reporting and delivering opportunities for savings and cost reduction
• Optimising our client’s commercial position through effective contracting and negotiation
• Providing advice and guidance on risk management related to contracting and procurement
• Working with internal and external stakeholders to develop strong relationships
• Promoting effective supplier relationship management 
• Developing a category management approach to an assigned area of responsibility
• Operating as a spokesperson for best-practice public procurement in accordance with BWPC’s principles

Working for our organisation

Bristol & Weston Purchasing Consortium (BWPC) is an award-winning provider of procurement and purchasing services in support of NHS Trusts and healthcare providers in the Bristol region. 


BWPC’s remit includes the purchasing of medical equipment, consumables, instrumentation and fluids for hospitals, negotiating regional technology contracts, driving effective use of contract 
and agency staffing and providing data and systems to allow our clients to leverage their expenditure to their advantage.


Category Managers are experienced procurement professionals, forming the senior tier of the Sourcing Team within Bristol & Weston Purchasing Consortium. Category Managers provide leadership and management for Senior Purchasing Specialists, Purchasing Specialists, Buyers and 
Catalogue Management Assistants.


Key working relationships:
• Director of Procurement
• Directors, General Managers and Specialist leads within our client organisations
• Finance and legal representatives
• External procurement organisations, including framework providers and local peers

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• HR IT Category Management to ensure the development, implementation and delivery of the scope of requirements. 
• Scanning the market to keep abreast of technological and market changes, which can result in opportunities to reduce TCO and implements best practice.
• People Leadership: Category team leadership and project/programme management.
• Manage and engage key stakeholders to develop relationships and influence
• Promote procurement best-practice, demonstrating the value and benefit of the profession
• Focus on continuous improvement to ensure the team is pushing for the highest standards
• Prepare and develop procurement documentation that is clear, concise, effective and standardised within the team
• Recommend sourcing approaches as a result of fact-based analysis
• Build our client’s commercial position through whole-life costing and an aggressive pursuit of cost reduction

Person specification

Education/Training/Qualifications

Desirable criteria
  • CIPS qualified

Work Experience

Essential criteria
  • Significant experience of a purchasing/contracting working environment
  • Evidence of having managed a significant programme of work to completion and delivery
  • Experience in the development, management and execution of category management strategies across multiple stakeholders
Desirable criteria
  • Excellent knowledge of the regulations governing public sector procurement

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

Essential criteria
  • Ability to lead project work alone, lead a project team or form part of a team
  • Evidence of developing a team to operate collaboratively towards a shared goal
  • Excellent understanding of contract and procurement law
  • Experienced user of all Microsoft Office products, in particular Microsoft Excel and Word
Desirable criteria
  • Understanding of supplier relationship management & supply chain management

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Apprenticeships logoNo smoking policyAge positiveArmed Forces Covenant (Silver Award)Care quality commission - GoodMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Disability confident employerBECHappy to Talk Flexible Working

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Mark Watts
Job title
Head of Value Delivery
Email address
[email protected]
Additional information

Marie-Clare Reid - Category Manager - [email protected] - supporting this recruitment/interview process.

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