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Job summary

Main area
Procurement
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 7
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
160-8243653
Employer
The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
The Walton Centre NHS FT
Town
Fazakerley
Salary
£49,387 - £56,515 per annum pro rata
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
25/09/2026 23:59

Employer heading

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust logo

Senior Category Lead (Health Procurement Liverpool)

NHS AfC: Band 7

Job overview

 The Senior Category Lead will be responsible for strategic procurement activities across Health Procurement Liverpool (HPL) whilst supporting the Procurement and Contract Manager and Head of Procurement in the delivery of the HPL Procurement Strategy and national procurement agendas. 

 

The post holder will be required to support and manage a team of Procurement professionals in the identification and delivery of Procurement schemes as well as individually leading and delivering a number of high profile complex projects, which will demonstrate and deliver value for money and innovation whilst meeting the needs of all  organisation(s). 

 

 

 

 

Main duties of the job

  The post holder will be required to provide sound Procurement advice in-line with Trust(s) standing financial instructions and Procurement Regulations  to both internal Procurement team members and staff across the HPL organisations whilst engaging, building and maintaining strategic working relationships with both internal/external colleagues and suppliers.   As a strong influencer and an experienced negotiator the post holder will proactively challenge current practices and strive to deliver continuous improvement, offering better patient experiences and outcomes through effective market testing of expenditure.  

 The post holder will work closely with business and clinical colleagues across all HPL organisations to undertake procurement activity which will deliver innovation, meets local, national and regional green agendas whilst delivering value and quality to patient care.

The post holder will manage a range of high value contracts which will be carried out within legislative and organisational guidelines and polices.

The post holder will work with key stakeholders across all HPL sites to secure engagement with the Procurement Team, ensuring appropriate input into specifications and involvement in Procurement decisions.

 The post holder will manage and negotiate a wide range of complex contracts on behalf of the organisation.

Working for our organisation

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust is the only NHS trust to hold dual accreditation for the Investors in People. We invest in people and we invest in wellbeing standards and have been awarded Gold status for both. The Walton Centre is a leader in the treatment and care of neurology and neurosurgery, placing the patient and their family at the heart of everything we do. As the only specialist hospital trust in the UK dedicated to providing comprehensive neurology, neurosurgery, spinal and pain management services we are proud to be rated as an Outstanding Trust by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), and champion change throughout the field of neuroscience. Originally formed in 1992, the Trust received Foundation Trust status in 2009.

With around 1,450 staff, The Walton Centre treats more than 127,000 outpatients and 18,000 inpatients each year. We have leading specialists and incredibly dedicated staff delivering excellent clinical outcomes for brain, spinal and neurological care nationally and internationally. Teams across our site in Fazakerley, Liverpool, offer a world-class service in diagnosing and treating injuries and illnesses affecting the brain, spine and peripheral nerves and muscles, and in supporting people suffering from a wide range of long-term neurological conditions.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see the job description and person specification document for detailed information about the job description for this vacancy.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • Qualified or part qualified MCIPS (Level 4/Diploma upwards), actively working towards or equivalent experience
  • A good standard of general education incl. GCSE Maths and English or equivalent
Desirable criteria
  • MCIPS qualified
  • Relevant Business Degree
  • Project Management qualification
  • Evidence of continued professional development

Knowledge & Experience

Essential criteria
  • Relevant experience in an NHS public sector procurement environment with a track record of achievement
  • Fully conversant with the application of EU/UK procurement legislation/tendering processes & procedures
  • Experience of category management, stakeholder & supplier managemen
  • Project management experience
  • Delivery of demanding savings targets through Procurement activities
  • Line management experience
  • Experienced in using a range of computer packages /applications
  • Experienced in the use of EProcurement systems
  • Evidence of on-going professional development
Desirable criteria
  • Public sector Procurement experience
  • Experience of managing a strategic procurement team within an NHS setting

Skills & Attributes

Essential criteria
  • Sound Data Analysis skills
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
  • Excellent organisational skills to ensure deadlines are prioritised and met
  • Excellent Key Board Skills and proficient in the use of Microsoft Office tools in particular Word and Excel
  • Understanding of current best practice in all aspects of supply chain management
  • Proven influencing and negotiation skills
  • Excellent Leadership skills
  • Understanding of the current / future NHS agenda in Procurement
  • Ability to build meaningful business relationship both internally across the organisation and externally with suppliers

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Veteran AwareApprenticeships logoNo smoking policyInvestors in People: GoldArmed Forces Covenant (Silver Award)Mindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Disability confident employerCare quality commission - Outstanding

Applicant requirements

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Wendy Jolley
Job title
Category Manager
Email address
[email protected]
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