Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust

Associate Director of Procurement

The closing date is 30 June 2025

Job summary

The Role:

The Associate Director of Procurement is responsible for the strategic and operational leadership of procurement, category management, supply chain, and clinical procurement across Healthcare Partners and partner NHS organisations. Reporting to the Director of Procurement, the postholder will:

Lead the delivery of an innovative, proactive, compliant, and commercially robust procurement function in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023, NHS rules, and ICS-wide strategy.

Provide strategic oversight of procurement transformation, social value, and carbon reduction planning across all commercial activity.

Directly manage the Purchasing Manager, Supply Chain Manager, Clinical Procurement Specialists, and Senior Category Manager, providing leadership across procurement and commercial workstreams.

Deputise for the Director of Procurement, including at ICS, regional, and national forums, contributing to strategic policy, system-wide collaboration and capital programme oversight.

Main duties of the job

This role is pivotal in ensuring procurement functions as an enabler of transformation, service sustainability and innovation. It carries responsibility for all aspects of commercial leadership and strategy, including the following:

Delivery of strategic sourcing plans, collaborative ICS procurement pipelines and compliance with the Provider Selection Regime.

Oversight of all procurement activity to ensure it meets best practice in governance, transparency and value for money.

Leadership and development of a multi-disciplinary team, embedding professional excellence, accountability, and service focus.

Working alongside clinical and operational teams to ensure that procurement aligns with patient and system priorities.

Driving a high-performance culture and continuous improvement ethos to support cost control, resilience, and supply chain sustainability.

About us

Established in 2018, Healthcare Partners Ltd (HPL) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust.

We offer a consultative, collaborative approach -- based on a genuine desire to make healthcare provision outstanding, and respecting the opinions and skills of our fellow clinical professionals to produce exceptional outcomes.

We are a substantial company in our own right, with an annual turnover of around £50m and over 80 staff. We partner with other healthcare providers throughout the UK in both the public and private sectors, reinvesting our profits and savings back into the NHS.

At Healthcare Partners Ltd, the patient is at the heart of all we do. We're proud to be part of the NHS, helping to make healthcare better.

Date posted

26 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8c

Salary

£78,004 to £89,881 a year Per annum (pro rata) inc HCAS

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

384-SB-EMF18740

Job locations

Healthcare Partners

90 Priestley Road

Guildford

GU2 7AU

Job description

Job responsibilities

Strategic Leadership - develop and support the Director of Procurement in the delivery of Health Partners and the client's Procurement strategy, Transformation and CIP programmes. Helping to identify, review and implement new policies and processes where required.

Operational Management overseeing category strategy market management to ensure best practices and alignment with the ICS MoU and national strategy and support delivery of ICS strategy.

Competencies:

Proven experience of managing public sector procurement processes

Demonstrable experience of:

o Advanced negotiation skills

o Knowledge of strategic sourcing methodologies

o Contract law and dispute resolution

o Statistical and data analysis skills

o Knowledge of market areas related to specific work categories

o Risk assessment / analysis

o Experience of managing complex projects to time and on budget

o Experience of applying principles of change management

Evidence of ability to plan, develop and implement initiatives without direct supervision

Evidence of achievements in terms of savings / service improvements.

To be seen as a credible and knowledgeable procurement person both within the organisation and externally

Experience in people management ability to delegate, empower, influence and lead people in a complex and dynamic organisation

Experience of working with senior staff and clinicians

Experience of working with the NHS Terms and Conditions of Supply

Experience of applying principles of change management

Politically astute, with good communication, influencing and

inter-personal skills

Knowledge and understanding of the political environment and stakeholders

Business acumen, with experience in the ability to influence and manage commercial opportunities

The ability to enthuse, motivate and involve individuals and teams, and have them understand the Trusts and your performance expectations

Very good inter-personal, communications and influencing skills, both oral and written

Ability to manage and deliver to deadlines and within resources

- Please refer to the attached JD for more information.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Operational Management overseeing category strategy market management to ensure best practices and alignment with the ICS MoU and national strategy and support delivery of ICS strategy.

Competencies:

Proven experience of managing public sector procurement processes

Demonstrable experience of:

o Advanced negotiation skills

o Knowledge of strategic sourcing methodologies

o Contract law and dispute resolution

o Statistical and data analysis skills

o Knowledge of market areas related to specific work categories

o Risk assessment / analysis

o Experience of managing complex projects to time and on budget

o Experience of applying principles of change management

Evidence of ability to plan, develop and implement initiatives without direct supervision

Evidence of achievements in terms of savings / service improvements.

To be seen as a credible and knowledgeable procurement person both within the organisation and externally

Experience in people management ability to delegate, empower, influence and lead people in a complex and dynamic organisation

Experience of working with senior staff and clinicians

Experience of working with the NHS Terms and Conditions of Supply

Experience of applying principles of change management

Politically astute, with good communication, influencing and

inter-personal skills

Knowledge and understanding of the political environment and stakeholders

Business acumen, with experience in the ability to influence and manage commercial opportunities

The ability to enthuse, motivate and involve individuals and teams, and have them understand the Trusts and your performance expectations

Very good inter-personal, communications and influencing skills, both oral and written

Ability to manage and deliver to deadlines and within resources

- Please refer to the attached JD for more information.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Member of Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (MCIPS) or similar appropriate
Educated to Degree level
Evidence of having undertaken courses on: Contract management Project management Procurement systems training Procurement Law

Desirable

An appropriate professional and/ or management qualification
Project Management PRINCE 2 professional institute or relevant experience.

Knowledge

Essential

Proven experience of managing public sector procurement processes
Evidence of ability to plan, develop and implement initiatives without direct supervision
Demonstrable experience of: oAdvanced negotiation skills oKnowledge of strategic sourcing methodologies oContract law and dispute resolution oStatistical and data analysis skills oKnowledge of market areas related to specific work categories oRisk assessment / analysis oExperience of managing complex projects to time and on budget oExperience of applying principles of change management
Evidence of ability to plan, develop and implement initiatives without direct supervision
Evidence of achievements in terms of savings / service improvements.
To be seen as a credible and knowledgeable procurement person both within the organisation and externally
Experience in people management - ability to delegate, empower, influence and lead people in a complex and dynamic organisation
Politically astute, with good communication, influencing and inter-personal skills
Knowledge and understanding of the political environment and stakeholders
Business acumen, with experience in the ability to influence and manage commercial opportunities
The ability to enthuse, motivate and involve individuals and teams, and have them understand the Trust's and your performance expectations
Very good inter-personal, communications and influencing skills, both oral and written
Ability to manage and deliver to deadlines and within resources

Desirable

Experience of working with senior staff and clinicians
Experience of working with the NHS Terms and Conditions of Supply
Experience of applying principles of change management

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Member of Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (MCIPS) or similar appropriate
Educated to Degree level
Evidence of having undertaken courses on: Contract management Project management Procurement systems training Procurement Law

Desirable

An appropriate professional and/ or management qualification
Project Management PRINCE 2 professional institute or relevant experience.

Knowledge

Essential

Proven experience of managing public sector procurement processes
Evidence of ability to plan, develop and implement initiatives without direct supervision
Demonstrable experience of: oAdvanced negotiation skills oKnowledge of strategic sourcing methodologies oContract law and dispute resolution oStatistical and data analysis skills oKnowledge of market areas related to specific work categories oRisk assessment / analysis oExperience of managing complex projects to time and on budget oExperience of applying principles of change management
Evidence of ability to plan, develop and implement initiatives without direct supervision
Evidence of achievements in terms of savings / service improvements.
To be seen as a credible and knowledgeable procurement person both within the organisation and externally
Experience in people management - ability to delegate, empower, influence and lead people in a complex and dynamic organisation
Politically astute, with good communication, influencing and inter-personal skills
Knowledge and understanding of the political environment and stakeholders
Business acumen, with experience in the ability to influence and manage commercial opportunities
The ability to enthuse, motivate and involve individuals and teams, and have them understand the Trust's and your performance expectations
Very good inter-personal, communications and influencing skills, both oral and written
Ability to manage and deliver to deadlines and within resources

Desirable

Experience of working with senior staff and clinicians
Experience of working with the NHS Terms and Conditions of Supply
Experience of applying principles of change management

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

Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Healthcare Partners

90 Priestley Road

Guildford

GU2 7AU

Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Healthcare Partners

90 Priestley Road

Guildford

GU2 7AU

Employer's website

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