Senior Category Manager (Construction & Estates)
Join our team at NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS). You will lead a small team, owning either Soft FM within Estates & Facilities (including its associated frameworks) or delivering on our Healthcare Planning, Construction Consultancy, and Ancillary Services (HPCCAS) and our Modular Buildings Frameworks within Construction & Infrastructure.
What you will be doing:
* Leading, mentoring and supporting a team of buying staff of different levels.
* Developing and implementing short and long‑term category strategies.
* Analysing data and identifying key areas for cost savings and process improvements.
* Managing a portfolio of projects; working closely with key stakeholders to influence procurement choice, deliver savings, efficiencies and improve quality.
* Confidently presenting category performance to the Senior Leadership team in a formal board setting.
* Offering procurement support to the customer Service Directorates, Heads of Procurement and Key Leaders on a national footprint.
* Negotiating with the supplier base ensuring all aspects are covered within the category from a product, service and stakeholder basis.
What you will bring:
* A background in public sector procurement and a solid understanding of the Public Contracts Regulations (PCR) 2015, PA23, and related policies.
* Proven experience operating within public sector procurement frameworks, including a solid awareness of call‑off procedures and their practical application.
* Experience managing direct reports, focusing on supporting their development, enhancing procurement expertise and building overall team capability.
* Demonstrated expertise in coordinating multiple programmes and developing collaborative relationship‑management frameworks.
* Proven experience leading complex high‑value construction and estates projects and programmes, with resilience to navigate challenges and drive results. Strong market awareness and the ability to stay informed on emerging trends and industry developments.
* Exhibits strong commercial insight and maintains effective, resilient stakeholder engagement.
It would be good if you had:
* Level 5 CIPS qualification (or working towards) or an alternative comparable qualification.
* Working knowledge of model form contracts such as JCT and NEC3/NEC4, with practical experience in their application within construction projects.
Employment Type: Full Time, Permanent
Location: Nationwide – with monthly onsite visits to the Salford Office
Security Clearance Level: DBS
Salary: up to £60,000 per annum, depending upon experience and development needs
Benefits: £5,400 cash alternative car allowance; 25 days annual leave (with option to buy extra days); 4 x death in service life assurance; private medical insurance; pension; 3 days paid volunteering; 5 days paid carers leave; generous flexible benefits fund.
Work‑life balance: Flexibility to help employees achieve a healthier work‑life balance. Expectation to attend monthly team collaboration meetings on site in our Salford office, plus attendance at client sites, exhibitions, and conferences as required.
We embrace difference as a source of creativity, innovation and competitive advantage and are striving to become a more diverse organisation. We welcome applications from people with a diverse variety of backgrounds and identities. We are committed to equality of opportunity for all and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation or marital status. If you require any adjustments to the recruitment process, to enable you to perform to the best of your ability, please let us know when completing your application. We participate in the Disability Confident scheme and are committed to offering an interview to any candidate with a disability, who meets the minimum criteria for the role. If you believe this could apply to you, please let us know when completing your application.
About NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS): NHS SBS was created by the Department of Health and Social Care to deliver corporate services to the NHS. As a joint venture with Sopra Steria, we provide finance & accounting, digital, procurement and workforce services to more than half the NHS in England, underpinning life‑saving care with innovative technology and world‑class service excellence.
#J-18808-Ljbffr