Job summary
Chief Procurement Officer, VSM
**6 months**
Barts Health is one of the largest NHS Trusts in the country, and one of Britain's leading healthcare providers with a track record of clinical research. This is a great opportunity to join a complex and challenging organization that influences the wider agenda across Healthcare.
Our group of hospitals provide a significant range of clinical services to people in east London and beyond. We operate from four major hospital sites (The Royal London, St Bartholomew's, Whipps Cross and Newham) and a number of community locations, including Mile End hospital. Around 2.5 million people living in east London look to our services to provide them with the healthcare they need. We are also serving one of the largest growing populations in London with some significant areas of deprivation. With over 17,000 staff and a turnover of circa £2.0bn in 2021/22, the group is one of the largest in the country. Barts Health is also one of the largest providers of highly specialised services in the country with a focus on research and innovation.
**Interviews will be held on the 2nd October 2023**
Main duties of the job
The Chief Procurement Officer will be responsible for:
- Overall responsibility for the management, leadership and strategic direction of procurement and supply chain activities across the Trust. Ensuring best value for money whist complying with legislation.
- Financial savings targets and effective monitoring and measurement of performance.
- Delivery of the procurement strategy and annual work plan.
- Leadership of large team based across all the Barts Health sites
About us
Barts Health is one of the largest NHS trusts in the country, and one of Britain's leading healthcare providers.
The Barts Health group of NHS hospitals is entering an exciting new era on our improvement journey to becoming an outstanding organisation with a world-class clinical reputation. Having lifted ourselves out of special measures, we now have the impetus and breathing space to chart a fresh course in which we are continually striving to improve all our services for patients.
Our vision is to be a high-performing group of NHS hospitals, renowned for excellence and innovation, and providing safe and compassionate care to our patients in east London and beyond. That means being a provider of excellent patient safety, known for delivering consistently high standards of harm-free care and always caring for patients in the right place at the right time. It also means being an outstanding place to work, in which our WeCare values and behaviours are visible to all and guide us in how we work together.
We strive to live by our WeCare values and are committed to promoting inclusion, where every staff member has a sense of belonging. We value our differences and fully advocate, cultivate and support an inclusive working environment.
We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates as they are underrepresented within Barts Health at this band.
Job description
Job responsibilities
We are dedicated to being an outstanding place to work and will work with you to get the best experience. We know flexible working is not a one size fits all and will mean something different to everyone. We are inclusive, so if you are interested in flexible working, please speak to the recruiting manager.
The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience, and knowledge required. For both documents, please view the attachments.
Job description
Job responsibilities
We are dedicated to being an outstanding place to work and will work with you to get the best experience. We know flexible working is not a one size fits all and will mean something different to everyone. We are inclusive, so if you are interested in flexible working, please speak to the recruiting manager.
The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience, and knowledge required. For both documents, please view the attachments.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Member of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (MCIPS) or Master's degree
- Leadership/Management qualification or equivalent experience of managing staff and resources
- Leadership
Desirable
- Formal qualification in leadership/programme/project management.
Experience
Essential
- Professional Head of a multi-disciplined procurement team.
- Experience of leading on highly complex contract negotiations, including working with clinical teams, legal and partner organisations.
- Significant leadership/management experience of working in an environment where highly developed leadership and influencing skills are essential
- Detailed knowledge of EU legislation including public sector procurement
- Proven contribution to the development of organisational business plans
- Development and implementation of an organisational procurement strategy.
Knowledge
Essential
- EU public procurement directive
- Understanding of current developments within the NHS.
- Understanding of the complex strategic environment of the NHS and in particular acute hospital setting.
- Experience of managing a commercial partner holding them to account within the constraints of a complex formal service agreement.
- Proven successful record of delivering highly complex projects, savings initiatives which have improved patient care as well as reduce costs or drive efficiency.
- Able to demonstrate prioritising, delivering and exceeding objectives in a highly complex environment.
- The post holder will have considerable experience and an excellent track record as a very senior procurement professional.
Desirable
- Knowledge and understanding of NHS structure and organisation.
- Evidence of successful implementation of a complex integrated procurement systems into a fully integrated healthcare entity.
Skills
Essential
- Excellent numeric and analytical skills
- Ability to make sound political judgement and decisions involving highly complex facts.
- Ability to produce concise reports both financial and information based.
- Highly literate and skilled at report writing
- Ability to analyse complex facts and situations and develop a range of options.
- Takes decisions on difficult and contentious issues where there may be a number of courses of action.
- Ability to make decisions autonomously, when required, on difficult issues, working to tight often changing timescales.
- Ability to travel often long distances.
- High level of emotional intelligence.
- Knowledge of IT systems, to include Excel, Word, PowerPoint
- Able to understand IT architecture and functionality required to deliver a sound electronic purchasing and catalogue management functionality.
- Understanding of the purchase system and complimentary work packages.
- Effective organiser, influencer and networker.
- Flexibility to changing demands.
- Cope with competing workload and tight deadlines/urgent demands
- Commitment to high standards
- Professional, calm and efficient manner.
- Strong leadership
- Strategic thinker
- Problem solver
- Able to provide and receive highly complex, sensitive or contentious information, negotiate with senior stakeholders on difficult and controversial issues including performance and change.
Desirable
- Has a working knowledge of management accounting, accounts payable, purchase to pay, and financial control at a corporate level.
- Team builder
- Analytical
- Public speaker
- Presentation skills
Other
Essential
- Able to concentrate for long periods i.e. checking documents and analysing statistics, managing conflicting priorities, maintaining concentration during protracted and multi stranded negotiations.
- Able to multitask and maintain performance under considerable pressure.
- Be adaptable and able to remain calm when dealing with staff of patients in stressful or conflict situations.
- Handle difficult and emotionally charged situations.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Member of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (MCIPS) or Master's degree
- Leadership/Management qualification or equivalent experience of managing staff and resources
- Leadership
Desirable
- Formal qualification in leadership/programme/project management.
Experience
Essential
- Professional Head of a multi-disciplined procurement team.
- Experience of leading on highly complex contract negotiations, including working with clinical teams, legal and partner organisations.
- Significant leadership/management experience of working in an environment where highly developed leadership and influencing skills are essential
- Detailed knowledge of EU legislation including public sector procurement
- Proven contribution to the development of organisational business plans
- Development and implementation of an organisational procurement strategy.
Knowledge
Essential
- EU public procurement directive
- Understanding of current developments within the NHS.
- Understanding of the complex strategic environment of the NHS and in particular acute hospital setting.
- Experience of managing a commercial partner holding them to account within the constraints of a complex formal service agreement.
- Proven successful record of delivering highly complex projects, savings initiatives which have improved patient care as well as reduce costs or drive efficiency.
- Able to demonstrate prioritising, delivering and exceeding objectives in a highly complex environment.
- The post holder will have considerable experience and an excellent track record as a very senior procurement professional.
Desirable
- Knowledge and understanding of NHS structure and organisation.
- Evidence of successful implementation of a complex integrated procurement systems into a fully integrated healthcare entity.
Skills
Essential
- Excellent numeric and analytical skills
- Ability to make sound political judgement and decisions involving highly complex facts.
- Ability to produce concise reports both financial and information based.
- Highly literate and skilled at report writing
- Ability to analyse complex facts and situations and develop a range of options.
- Takes decisions on difficult and contentious issues where there may be a number of courses of action.
- Ability to make decisions autonomously, when required, on difficult issues, working to tight often changing timescales.
- Ability to travel often long distances.
- High level of emotional intelligence.
- Knowledge of IT systems, to include Excel, Word, PowerPoint
- Able to understand IT architecture and functionality required to deliver a sound electronic purchasing and catalogue management functionality.
- Understanding of the purchase system and complimentary work packages.
- Effective organiser, influencer and networker.
- Flexibility to changing demands.
- Cope with competing workload and tight deadlines/urgent demands
- Commitment to high standards
- Professional, calm and efficient manner.
- Strong leadership
- Strategic thinker
- Problem solver
- Able to provide and receive highly complex, sensitive or contentious information, negotiate with senior stakeholders on difficult and controversial issues including performance and change.
Desirable
- Has a working knowledge of management accounting, accounts payable, purchase to pay, and financial control at a corporate level.
- Team builder
- Analytical
- Public speaker
- Presentation skills
Other
Essential
- Able to concentrate for long periods i.e. checking documents and analysing statistics, managing conflicting priorities, maintaining concentration during protracted and multi stranded negotiations.
- Able to multitask and maintain performance under considerable pressure.
- Be adaptable and able to remain calm when dealing with staff of patients in stressful or conflict situations.
- Handle difficult and emotionally charged situations.
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
