Lead Category Manager

Posting date:	24 December 2025
Salary:	£57,888.00 to £64,880.00 per year
Additional salary information:	£57888.00 - £64880.00 a year
Hours:	Full time
Closing date:	11 January 2026
Location:	Dorking, Surrey, RH4 1XA
Company:	NHS Jobs
Job type:	Permanent
Job reference:	C9325-25-0871

Summary

My job makes better lives by Supporting the category teams and customer Trusts by working with stakeholders and suppliers to build a reputation for procurement excellence within NHS Commercial Solutions (NHSCS). Leveraging new commercial opportunities and delivering procurement projects and frameworks. Maintaining relationships with existing clients and building new relationships by delivering a high-quality service, ensuring sourcing solutions are in place. Facilitating delivery of new contracts and monitoring contracts resulting in high-quality, value-for-money goods and services for customers. Helping to secure cash and efficiency savings for NHS Trusts across the country to release resources and ultimately improve patient outcomes. Job Overview This is a full-time role for an experienced Lead Category Manager who will lead a wide range of strategic sourcing, consultancy projects and category related initiatives for defined projects impacting all stages of the Procurement life cycle for NHS organisations. You will take the lead on a portfolio of initiatives across a wide range of categories, contract compliance, sustainable cost improvements, and a range of other benefits associated with the commissioning of category services and products whilst maintaining NHS Commercial Solutions high standards. You will work closely with all teams across the organisation to ensure cohesive strategies in the delivery of categories, products and services. The Role Holder Will Support the development and delivery of a strategic and operational procurement service Work with stakeholders to ensure that service specifications, procurement evaluation criteria and assessment processes are fit for purpose and will result in the effective procurement of individual services Support delivery against an annual procurement delivery plan in line with the organisations objectives to support Acute, Community and Mental Health Trusts for collaborative and independent projects Manage a rolling workplan capturing and managing procurement intentions for a range of NHS organisations. Drive change and innovation within NHSCS, to deliver commercial excellence across the region. This will be achieved by focusing on: improving stakeholder benefit and advantage through new solutions. engaging with stakeholders to understand their strategic integrated business plans and developing solutions that meet the needs. developing and implementing project solutions, both on a collaborative and bespoke project management basis. engaging with supplier markets to maintain the highest standard of market intelligence Take the lead in individual procurements including responsibility for the preparation of tender documentation, undertaking briefings, assessment of bidder documentation according to financial viability, risk, sustainability and alignment with collaborative procurement strategies Manage and build relationships within multi-disciplinary procurement project teams Be responsible for maintaining communications around any current procurements and for preparing briefings for internal and external stakeholders Lead the process of evaluation and bid assessment, ensuring that the processes are equitable, transparent and defensible and ensure that the customer attains best quality and value Be responsible for the assessment of bidder documentation according to financial viability, risk, sustainability and alignment with current strategies Liaise with and manage external contractors, maintaining effective partnership working whenever external procurement resource is required Provide specialist procurement support and advice to Trust Stakeholders and other partners Be responsible for maintaining communications around any current procurement and for preparing briefings for Directors and drafting Board papers as appropriate Be responsible for maintaining the integrity of the overall approach and ensuring systems and processes for procurement are appropriate, fair transparent and non-discriminatory in line with national policy and relevant legislation Maintain accurate records in accordance with good commercial practice, Standing Orders and the relevant organisations Freedom of Information Policy Work with the Heads of Procurement across the region to ensure the necessary information to make informed decisions regarding the best practice procurement approach Advise on the impact of the procurements and the implementation of NHS policy or initiatives and service developments Develop and contribute to procurement methodologies, policies and procedures. Advise on best practice procurement, working collaboratively with other agencies wherever possible Suitable for someone who has Excellent communication skills; verbal, written, and presentational. Strong analytical skills The ability to understand and interpret complex data and information and utilize it effectively to inform others and influence key decision makers A keen eye for detail with good organisational skills The ability to concentrate for long periods of time with frequent interruptions The ability to multitask and switch tasks efficiently A proactive mindset Excellent interpersonal skills Key Relationships The candidate will be required to maintain strong relationships with: Trust Heads of Procurement and procurement teams NHS Commercial Solutions Executive Team Project Stakeholders NHS and public sector collaborative procurement colleagues External partners including engagement with the public Existing providers Potential new entrants to the provider market Key Responsibilities: Manage individual procurements as a project using appropriate project management principles Liaise with and manage independent contractors, maintaining effective partnership working whenever external procurement resource is required Provide specialist procurement support and advice to budget holders, commissioners and other partners Ensure that procurements are conducted in line with the process required from the standing financial instructions, regional, and national rules Require applying their skills at the level as per the NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework