The Christie NHS FT

Procurement Assistant

The closing date is 25 March 2026

Job summary

The successful candidate will work to assist the Procurement Officer, Senior Procurement Officers, Deputy Head of Procurement and Assistant Director - Procurement in carrying out the duties and responsibilities of Strategic Procurement, in accordance with the Trusts Standing Financial Instructions (SFI's) and procurement procedures, to help deliver value for money for the trust.

Under the direction of a Senior Procurement Officer, the successful candidate will be the procurement lead for allocated work streams and projects, managing their own workload, and supporting the Deputy Head of Procurement and Assistant Director - Procurement in the provision of a professional purchasing and supply service to the Trust.

The post holder will be required to undertake specific projects delivering against agreed timescales and outcomes for Trust Departments and Divisions.

The trust reserves the right to close the applications before the deadline should a suitable number of applications be received

Main duties of the job

To assist, manage and monitor the procurement of the full range of Trust contracts for goods and services working within the public sector procurement policy and legal framework. These will be for high value complex contracts above procurement limits as well as those below.

Support Trust Departments and Divisions in ensuring they comply with procurement legislation, UK law and Trust Standing Financial Instructions.

The post holder must be able work as part of a team, ensuring that relevant procurement information is disseminated throughout the Procurement department as necessary.

Support the Deputy Head of Procurement, Senior Procurement Officers and Procurement Officer and under their direction lead a range of procurement projects to deliver against the procurement workplan and cost improvement programme.

Under the general direction of the Procurement Officer, Senior Procurement Officers and Deputy Head of Procurement assist in preparing and issuing of tender documentation, evaluate and assist with the negotiation of tenders received against the specification, and prepare analytical summaries in preparation for contract awards, ensuring that all contracts maintain fair and equal competition.

PLEASE REFER TO THE JOB DESCRIPTION FOR A FULL LIST OF DUTIES.

About us

The Christie is one of Europe's leading cancer centres, treating over 60,000 patients a year. We are based in Manchester and serve a population of 3.2 million across Greater Manchester & Cheshire, but as a national specialist around 15% patients are referred to us from other parts of the country.

We provide radiotherapy through one of the largest radiotherapy departments in the world; chemotherapy on site and through 14 other hospitals; highly specialist surgery for complex and rare cancer; and a wide range of support and diagnostic services. We are also an international leader in research, with world first breakthroughs for over 100 years.

We run one of the largest early clinical trial units in Europe with over 300 trials every year. Cancer research in Manchester, most of which is undertaken on the Christie site, has been officially ranked the best in the UK.

The successful candidate will join the trust procurement team, consisting of hardworking, enthusiastic professionals. Whilst the team works predominantly remotely, monthly in person team meetings are held to ensure help and support are provided to all team members.

The Trust's Procurement Department has been accredited as "Best" within the Commercial Continuous Improvement Assessment Framework (CCIAF).

Details

Date posted

25 February 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£24,937 to £26,598 a year per annum pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

413-103022-FB-DA

Job locations

Procurement - E00392

Manchester

M20 4BX


Job description

Job responsibilities

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The post-holders responsibilities will be phased. Those in standard font will be undertaken from Day 1; those in italics are the responsibilities the post-holder will develop into

1. To assist and manage the procurement of the full range of Trust contracts for goods and services working within the public sector procurement policy and legal framework. These will be for high value complex contracts above PA23 threshold limits as well as those below.

2. To manage own workload and decide when to refer to the manager.

3. To assist in the preparation and administrative work for tenders including arranging and attending meetings with internal customers and external suppliers.

4 To regularly use information systems to create documents and reports

5. To assist in the preparation of pre qualification questionnaires dealing with internal customers as required.

6. To assist in the preparation of Invitation to Tender documents dealing with internal customers as required.

7. Carry out evaluations of pre qualification questionnaire submissions, evaluations of tender submissions and attending project evaluation meetings.

8. Formulate replies to tender clarifications and initiate clarifications from evaluations.

9. From completed project evaluation details create prequalification questionnaire success and regret letters, successful and unsuccessful standstill letters and contract award letters.

10. Create contract notices, award notices, VEAT notices, pre qualification questionnaires, invitation to tenders and any necessary documentation required for electronic transmission.

11. Administration of the tender project using the electronic portal to include the uploading of information and the downloading of tender submissions.

12. Create and maintain tender contract project files with all the relevant contract information

13. Update and maintain the tender register with all the required information

14. Update and maintain the departments contract renewal work plan advising of the expiry of contracts in a timely manner.

15. Becoming familiar with and being able to check for national contracts on NHS Supply Chain, NHS Shared Business Services and Government Procurement Services web sites (and any other national contract website)

16 Maintain an organised departmental filing system including the archiving of contract files

17 Liaise with external maintenance partners and maintain records as

required

18 Obtaining competitive quotations from suppliers in accordance with Trust SFIs

19 Using a variety of information management and Finance systems for providing current cost investigations.

Job description

Job responsibilities

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The post-holders responsibilities will be phased. Those in standard font will be undertaken from Day 1; those in italics are the responsibilities the post-holder will develop into

1. To assist and manage the procurement of the full range of Trust contracts for goods and services working within the public sector procurement policy and legal framework. These will be for high value complex contracts above PA23 threshold limits as well as those below.

2. To manage own workload and decide when to refer to the manager.

3. To assist in the preparation and administrative work for tenders including arranging and attending meetings with internal customers and external suppliers.

4 To regularly use information systems to create documents and reports

5. To assist in the preparation of pre qualification questionnaires dealing with internal customers as required.

6. To assist in the preparation of Invitation to Tender documents dealing with internal customers as required.

7. Carry out evaluations of pre qualification questionnaire submissions, evaluations of tender submissions and attending project evaluation meetings.

8. Formulate replies to tender clarifications and initiate clarifications from evaluations.

9. From completed project evaluation details create prequalification questionnaire success and regret letters, successful and unsuccessful standstill letters and contract award letters.

10. Create contract notices, award notices, VEAT notices, pre qualification questionnaires, invitation to tenders and any necessary documentation required for electronic transmission.

11. Administration of the tender project using the electronic portal to include the uploading of information and the downloading of tender submissions.

12. Create and maintain tender contract project files with all the relevant contract information

13. Update and maintain the tender register with all the required information

14. Update and maintain the departments contract renewal work plan advising of the expiry of contracts in a timely manner.

15. Becoming familiar with and being able to check for national contracts on NHS Supply Chain, NHS Shared Business Services and Government Procurement Services web sites (and any other national contract website)

16 Maintain an organised departmental filing system including the archiving of contract files

17 Liaise with external maintenance partners and maintain records as

required

18 Obtaining competitive quotations from suppliers in accordance with Trust SFIs

19 Using a variety of information management and Finance systems for providing current cost investigations.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • 2 GCSEs, those being Maths and English, at Grade C or above (or equivalent, including Functional Skills Level 2)

Desirable

  • 5 GCSEs at Grade C or above including Maths and English (or equivalent, including Functional Skills Level 2)

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of working under pressure to deadlines and prioritising workload. (This may have been acquired in school or college).
  • Experience of working with Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word

Desirable

  • Experience of working in the health sector.
  • Experience of working within/understanding of, a procurement or supplies environment.

Skills

Essential

  • Ability to manage own work load.
  • Strong organisational skills
  • Excellent written and verbal communication.
  • Good telephone skills.
  • Good interpersonal skills and team player.
  • Good analytical and numerical skills

Desirable

  • Ability to manage own workload and decide when to refer to manager.
  • Ability to regularly use information systems to create documents and reports.
  • Ability to comprehend and summarise complex written passages.
  • Good negotiation skills.

Knowledge

Essential

  • Knowledge of Basic Microsoft Software Packages

Desirable

  • Basic procurement knowledge CIPS qualified or working towards CIP Qualification
  • CIPS qualified or working towards CIP Qualification

Values

Essential

  • Ability to demonstrate the organisational values and behaviours
  • Ability to make a difference
  • Ability to act with kindness
  • Ability to connect with people

Other

Essential

  • Flexible approach to the working environment.
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • 2 GCSEs, those being Maths and English, at Grade C or above (or equivalent, including Functional Skills Level 2)

Desirable

  • 5 GCSEs at Grade C or above including Maths and English (or equivalent, including Functional Skills Level 2)

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of working under pressure to deadlines and prioritising workload. (This may have been acquired in school or college).
  • Experience of working with Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word

Desirable

  • Experience of working in the health sector.
  • Experience of working within/understanding of, a procurement or supplies environment.

Skills

Essential

  • Ability to manage own work load.
  • Strong organisational skills
  • Excellent written and verbal communication.
  • Good telephone skills.
  • Good interpersonal skills and team player.
  • Good analytical and numerical skills

Desirable

  • Ability to manage own workload and decide when to refer to manager.
  • Ability to regularly use information systems to create documents and reports.
  • Ability to comprehend and summarise complex written passages.
  • Good negotiation skills.

Knowledge

Essential

  • Knowledge of Basic Microsoft Software Packages

Desirable

  • Basic procurement knowledge CIPS qualified or working towards CIP Qualification
  • CIPS qualified or working towards CIP Qualification

Values

Essential

  • Ability to demonstrate the organisational values and behaviours
  • Ability to make a difference
  • Ability to act with kindness
  • Ability to connect with people

Other

Essential

  • Flexible approach to the working environment.

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

The Christie NHS FT

Address

Procurement - E00392

Manchester

M20 4BX


Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

The Christie NHS FT

Address

Procurement - E00392

Manchester

M20 4BX


Employer's website

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

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Deputy Head of Procurement

Christopher Robson

christopher.robson4@nhs.net

01614468531

Details

Date posted

25 February 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£24,937 to £26,598 a year per annum pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

413-103022-FB-DA

Job locations

Procurement - E00392

Manchester

M20 4BX


Supporting documents

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