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NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership

Senior Category Manager

The closing date is 10 July 2025

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Job summary

NWSSP is responsible for the full Procure to pay process for all Health Boards, Trusts, and Special Health Authorities in Wales. A vacancy has arisen for a Senior Category Manager within the Team.

This is an excellent opportunity to develop your procurement career in a dynamic, challenging, and high-profile environment. Candidates must be able to demonstrate the application of commercial skills, negotiation; relationship management of internal and external stakeholders

To be successful in this post, the candidate will be of a continuous improvement mindset; need to be flexible and responsive to changes in priorities; be of a resilient personality; demonstrable track record in delivering creative and innovative service improvement solutions; manage heavy workload at pace; ensure policies and procedures are adhered to ensuring strategic and operational targets are delivered.

Although preferred, it is not essential to have experience of this category, as this learning can be provided as part of 'on the job' training and procurement/commercial skills are transferable.

The team is based in Woodland House, Cardiff, with some element of home/agile working as part of the role. You will be working in the office to start for 8-12 weeks and then you will follow the agile working policy

English and/or Welsh speakers are equally welcome to apply

Main duties of the job

Supporting the teams understanding of the strategic direction of all NHS Wales organisations and the alignment with the NWSSP strategic objectives as part of the Integrated Medium-Term Plan (IMTP)

Supporting the leadership of the Assistant Head of National Sourcing and Deputy Head of National Sourcing in the delivery a National Sourcing category strategy

Work with the Assistant Head of National Sourcing to develop and deliver a comprehensive and maintained sourcing plan, focussed on delivering prioritised customer needs and cash releasing savings from non-pay budgets.

Apply commercial acumen and utilise skills to deliver in a complex changing environment throughout NHS Wales.

Apply innovative and strategic thinking to continuous service improvement initiatives and be prepared to challenge historical practice when appropriate, ensuring best practice is adopted which improves the efficiency and effectiveness of the National Sourcing Team.

Ensure compliance of the team's activities concerning sourcing and Procure to Pay (P2P) activity and application of the UK Public Contract Regulations.

Ensure the operational management and performance monitoring of the whole Procurement team in line with departmental Key Performance Indicators (KPI's).

About us

At NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership we expect everyone to embrace our values of Listening and Learning, Working Together, Taking Responsibility and Innovating.

Our organisation encourages an agile working approach and we pride ourselves on being a learning organisation motivated by continuous improvement.

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace that values equality, diversity and inclusion, focussing on the wellbeing and belonging of our people.

Excellent customer service is something we strive for, for both our internal and external customers.

Offering a comprehensive benefits package, there is something for everyone. To find out more about working for us, the benefits we offer and guidance on the application process please visit https://nwssp.nhs.wales/working-for-us/

NWSSP work in an agile way where possible, all posts will have a contractual base but as part of agile ways of working that may mean working from home and other locations. We also look at how we balance flexibility with community, and how to manage opportunities to learn from each other.

Details

Date posted

26 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£46,840 to £53,602 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

043-AC105-0625

Job locations

Woodland House

Maes-y-coed Road

Cardiff

CF14 4HH


Job description

Job responsibilities

You will be able to find a full Job description and Person Specification attached within the supporting documents or please click Apply now to view in Trac.

The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; Welsh and/or English speakers are equally welcome to apply

Job description

Job responsibilities

You will be able to find a full Job description and Person Specification attached within the supporting documents or please click Apply now to view in Trac.

The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; Welsh and/or English speakers are equally welcome to apply

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Qualified in project management, i.e. PRINCE2 or alternative methodology or equivalent experience.
  • Qualified to MCIPS (Level 5-6)

Desirable

  • Post graduate diploma or demonstrable equivalent experience in a relevant area

Aptitude and Abilities

Essential

  • Excellent communication skills, written and oral, articulate and robust in presenting ideas
  • IT Proficiency particularly in the use of word processing, spreadsheets, databases and use of the web for researching.
  • Evidence of continuous professional development

Desirable

  • Welsh Speaker

Experience

Essential

  • Proven experience of delivering large scale complex and/or high value procurements on time, and within budget
  • Expertise in EU procurement and contract management, obtained via further training and/or relevant experience
  • Experience of project planning and ability to meet deadlines
  • Demonstrable track record of obtaining savings and key performance indicators
  • Experience of people/staff management
  • Conversant with legal, compliance and probity issues

Desirable

  • Awareness of Quality standards and working with ISO policies and procedures
  • Awareness of business planning principles
  • Track record of managing organisational and technological change
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Qualified in project management, i.e. PRINCE2 or alternative methodology or equivalent experience.
  • Qualified to MCIPS (Level 5-6)

Desirable

  • Post graduate diploma or demonstrable equivalent experience in a relevant area

Aptitude and Abilities

Essential

  • Excellent communication skills, written and oral, articulate and robust in presenting ideas
  • IT Proficiency particularly in the use of word processing, spreadsheets, databases and use of the web for researching.
  • Evidence of continuous professional development

Desirable

  • Welsh Speaker

Experience

Essential

  • Proven experience of delivering large scale complex and/or high value procurements on time, and within budget
  • Expertise in EU procurement and contract management, obtained via further training and/or relevant experience
  • Experience of project planning and ability to meet deadlines
  • Demonstrable track record of obtaining savings and key performance indicators
  • Experience of people/staff management
  • Conversant with legal, compliance and probity issues

Desirable

  • Awareness of Quality standards and working with ISO policies and procedures
  • Awareness of business planning principles
  • Track record of managing organisational and technological change

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).

Employer details

Employer name

NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership

Address

Woodland House

Maes-y-coed Road

Cardiff

CF14 4HH


Employer's website

https://nwssp.nhs.wales/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership

Address

Woodland House

Maes-y-coed Road

Cardiff

CF14 4HH


Employer's website

https://nwssp.nhs.wales/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Assistant Head of National Sourcing

Vicky Evans

vicky.evans@wales.nhs.uk

Details

Date posted

26 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£46,840 to £53,602 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

043-AC105-0625

Job locations

Woodland House

Maes-y-coed Road

Cardiff

CF14 4HH


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

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