Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust

Senior Category Manager

The closing date is 14 December 2025

Job summary

This post is primarily based at the Archipelago Offices, located approximately a 10-minute walk from Frimley Park Hospital.

Although the main base is Archipelago, this is a cross-site role with responsibilities across all three of the Trust's hospital locations. The post holder will therefore be required to work flexibly and travel between sites as needed.

The role includes direct line management responsibility for one member of staff. The post holder will also be expected to develop strong and effective working relationships across a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.

Internal stakeholders include:Executive and Non-Executive Directors, Audit Committee Members, Chiefs of Service, Associate Directors, Budget Holders and wider Trust staff.

External stakeholders include:Department of Health, NHS Improvement, NHS Supply Chain, Crown Commercial Service, NHS Commercial Solutions (and other NHS and non-NHS procurement hubs), as well as suppliers' National Sales Managers, Regional Sales Managers, Commercial Business Managers and Account Managers.

Main duties of the job

The Senior Category Manager is responsible for delivering strategic procurement initiatives across an allocated portfolio of sourcing categories, ensuring full compliance with relevant legislation, UK law and the Trust's Standing Financial Instructions. The post holder will provide efficient and effective procurement services within their designated categories, maximising value for money through process improvement, robust sourcing strategies and total cost of ownership analysis.

The Senior Category Manager will report directly to the Head of Procurement and will act as deputy when required.

About us

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust is committed to being an inclusive and disability confident employer and has been awarded the Gold for the Armed Forces Employment Recognition Scheme. We provide first class development opportunities for all staff and have a wide range of professional, management and leadership - and clinical skills training available. Here at Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, we know how important it is to have a healthy work life balance; this benefits not only individuals but the patients we care for too.

We encourage applications from people who wish to work on a flexible basis, recognising that flexibility may mean a range of different working patterns and hours, we do our utmost to work with our staff to meet their needs and the needs of our service and its users.

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Date posted

28 November 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£57,888 to £64,880 a year per annum incl HCAS

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

24 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

151-ES70

Job locations

Archipelago, Building 1

Lyon Way

Frimley

GU16 7UJ

Job description

Job responsibilities

For a full list of responsibilities and tasks associated with this role, please refer to the job description/person specification attached to this vacancy.

Job description

Job responsibilities

For a full list of responsibilities and tasks associated with this role, please refer to the job description/person specification attached to this vacancy.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Member of CIPS or equivalent
Educated to degree level or equivalent
Evidence of CPD related to purchasing and supply chain management

Desirable

Project management (PRINCE2 or equivalent)
An appropriate professional and/or management qualification

Experience

Essential

Significant experience of Category Management role
Demonstrable experience of running capital/professional services procurement projects
Evidence of achievements in terms of savings/service improvements
Experience in people management

Desirable

Experience of working with senior staff
Experience of working with the NHS Terms and Conditions of Supply

Skills/Knowledge

Essential

Ability to effectively manage and successfully deliver a number of projects of varying complexities with competing timescales
Able to work on a number of projects or pieces of work simultaneously and deliver to agreed deadlines, despite likely conflicting pressures from various stakeholders
Ability to analyse and interpret complex information to assess issues, anticipate problems and provide effective solutions to meet the needs of stakeholders
Demonstrable advanced IT skills including specialist software for contract management, e-tendering, mathematical, logical formulas and to generate accurate charts/graphs

Desirable

Ability to work autonomously with credibility at a senior level of the organisation
Developed knowledge of Microsoft products and able to use initiative and knowledge of these products to suggest and implement process improvements

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Member of CIPS or equivalent
Educated to degree level or equivalent
Evidence of CPD related to purchasing and supply chain management

Desirable

Project management (PRINCE2 or equivalent)
An appropriate professional and/or management qualification

Experience

Essential

Significant experience of Category Management role
Demonstrable experience of running capital/professional services procurement projects
Evidence of achievements in terms of savings/service improvements
Experience in people management

Desirable

Experience of working with senior staff
Experience of working with the NHS Terms and Conditions of Supply

Skills/Knowledge

Essential

Ability to effectively manage and successfully deliver a number of projects of varying complexities with competing timescales
Able to work on a number of projects or pieces of work simultaneously and deliver to agreed deadlines, despite likely conflicting pressures from various stakeholders
Ability to analyse and interpret complex information to assess issues, anticipate problems and provide effective solutions to meet the needs of stakeholders
Demonstrable advanced IT skills including specialist software for contract management, e-tendering, mathematical, logical formulas and to generate accurate charts/graphs

Desirable

Ability to work autonomously with credibility at a senior level of the organisation
Developed knowledge of Microsoft products and able to use initiative and knowledge of these products to suggest and implement process improvements

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Employer name

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Archipelago, Building 1

Lyon Way

Frimley

GU16 7UJ

Employer's website

https://www.fhft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Archipelago, Building 1

Lyon Way

Frimley

GU16 7UJ

Employer's website

https://www.fhft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)