Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Assistant Category Manager

This job is now closed

Job summary

At NHS Commercial Solutions (NHSCS), making a difference is central to our work. If you're motivated by delivering meaningful impact across the NHS, this role could be for you. We are recruiting a Assistant Category Manager to join our team.

Why join NHSCS?You'll work at the heart of public sector procurement, directly supporting the NHS. You'll gain experience across diverse sectors, build strong commercial insight, and develop a deep understanding of how public sector organisations operate. You'll collaborate on consultancy projects that deliver tangible value and help design high-impact frameworks that drive efficiency and innovation.

This is an excellent opportunity to develop your career within our strategic category teams, supporting key areas which are vital to helping the NHS manage ongoing system pressures.

These strategic roles will drive value through delivering projects, frameworks and procurements for customers. They involve extensive engagement with NHS organisations, wider public sector bodies, Integrated Care Systems and NHS England.

We are seeking highly motivated individuals who want to make a positive difference. You should bring communication skills, commercial acumen, and enthusiasm for procurement.

Main duties of the job

The role will work across multiple procurement programmes to improve value and quality for trusts.

Skills, experience, and a passion for this subject area are essential, together with a need for strong practical implementation experience.

This role will provide advisory services, collaborative solutions, supplier market expertise and work with NHS Trusts to build and retain talent. Key responsibilities include:

improving stakeholder benefit and advantage through solutions

engaging with stakeholders to understand their strategic integrated business plans and developing solutions that meet their 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

You will work with within the team to delvelop and carry out tender/quotation excercises, framework management and support meeting customer expectations.

Our offices are in Dorking, Surrey.

About us

NHS Commercial Solutions (NHSCS) is a collaborative procurement NHS organisation providing strategic procurement services to NHS organisations within Kent, Hampshire, Surrey, Sussex and further afield. We are an NHSE accredited framework host, working in partnership with trusts and with multiple stakeholders to deliver cash releasing savings, cost and quality improvements across a wide range of categories.

We are hosted by Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and are based in Dorking.

Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is the leading provider of mental health, learning disability, neurodevelopmental and drug and alcohol services in Surrey and North East Hampshire. We support people of all ages and are passionate about providing high quality care that is delivered at the right time as close to home as possible to help people recover and stay well.

Our Trust is an inclusive and supportive employer that offers a wide range of staff networks, flexible working, free parking and excellent health and wellbeing support. We also provide a wide range of opportunities to help staff develop and progress.

Please note that we reserve the right to close posts as soon as sufficient applications are received.

Regrettably, due to UK Home Office requirements we cannot offer sponsorship for all our job roles.

Applicants must have the right to work in the UK for the duration of the role.

We look forward to receiving your application!

Date posted

15 May 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£41,957 to £50,387 a year Included 5% Fringe, pa pro rota Fringe HCAS (High-cost area)

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

325-7985944-CORP

Job locations

NHS Commercial Solutions

The Atrium, Curtis Road

Dorking

RH4 1XA

United Kingdom

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see the attached job description for further details on the role, including key responsibilities, requirements, and expectations.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see the attached job description for further details on the role, including key responsibilities, requirements, and expectations.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Educated to degree level or evidence of working at an equivalent level
Level 4 CIPS qualified

Experience

Essential

Minimum of two years' experience working in a procurement environment, running electronic tenders, undertaking contract management, supplier reviews, stakeholder relations and category management
Understanding of the Procurement Act 23 (PA23) and Provider Selection Regime (PSR)
Experience in using the range of available software packages, i.e. Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Educated to degree level or evidence of working at an equivalent level
Level 4 CIPS qualified

Experience

Essential

Minimum of two years' experience working in a procurement environment, running electronic tenders, undertaking contract management, supplier reviews, stakeholder relations and category management
Understanding of the Procurement Act 23 (PA23) and Provider Selection Regime (PSR)
Experience in using the range of available software packages, i.e. Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access

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.