Job overview
The Procurement Business Partner plays a key role in delivering high-quality, value-driven procurement services across the Trusts within the North East London Procurement Partnership (NELPP). The role supports the delivery of the Procurement Strategy by leading strategic and operational procurement activities across a defined portfolio of goods and services, ensuring compliance with public sector legislation and driving continuous improvement.
The post holder will act as a trusted advisor to clinical, operational, and corporate stakeholders, providing expert commercial guidance to secure best value, efficiency, and sustainability. They will manage complex sourcing projects, supplier relationships, and contract performance to ensure that procurement outcomes align with the Trusts’ financial and quality objectives.
Working closely with the Head of Procurement, Chief Procurement Officer, and Senior Procurement Business Partners, the role contributes to wider strategic initiatives, including achieving NHS Procurement & Commercial Standards accreditation. The successful candidate will demonstrate strong analytical, negotiation, and interpersonal skills, a proactive approach to stakeholder engagement, and a commitment to delivering excellence through the Trust’s WeCare values.
Main duties of the job
The Procurement Business Partner will lead and deliver high-quality procurement activities across defined categories within the Trusts, ensuring compliance with procurement legislation and achieving value for money. The role involves developing category strategies, managing tender processes, and building strong partnerships with stakeholders and suppliers to support clinical and operational priorities.
Key responsibilities include leading sourcing projects from planning to contract award, negotiating with suppliers to achieve savings and service improvements, and providing expert advice on procurement policy and regulations. The post holder will manage supplier performance, monitor benefits realisation, and contribute to achieving NHS Procurement & Commercial Standards accreditation.
The successful candidate will have excellent communication, negotiation, and analytical skills, with the ability to influence at all levels. They will demonstrate commercial awareness, sound judgement, and a proactive approach to problem-solving. A commitment to collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement—aligned to the Trust’s WeCare values—is essential, along with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced and dynamic environment.
Working for our organisation
Barts Health is one of the largest NHS trusts in the country, and one of Britain’s leading healthcare providers.
The Barts Health group of NHS hospitals is entering an exciting new era on our improvement journey to becoming an outstanding organisation with a world-class clinical reputation. Having lifted ourselves out of special measures, we now have the impetus and breathing space to chart a fresh course in which we are continually striving to improve all our services for patients.
Our vision is to be a high-performing group of NHS hospitals, renowned for excellence and innovation, and providing safe and compassionate care to our patients in east London and beyond. That means being a provider of excellent patient safety, known for delivering consistently high standards of harm-free care and always caring for patients in the right place at the right time. It also means being an outstanding place to work, in which our WeCare values and behaviours are visible to all and guide us in how we work together.
We strive to live by our WeCare values and are committed to promoting inclusion, where every staff member has a sense of belonging. We value our differences and fully advocate, cultivate and support an inclusive working environment.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
We are dedicated to being an outstanding place to work and will work with you to get the best experience. We know flexible working is not a one size fits all and will mean something different to everyone. We are inclusive, so if you are interested in flexible working, please speak to the recruiting manager.
The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience, and knowledge required. For both documents, please view the attachment/s below.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
1. High standard or general education including English and Mathematics
2. Relevant first degree, equivalent relevant vocational qualification, training or equivalent demonstrable experience.
3. Must have or be prepared to work towards the completion of becoming a Qualified member of the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (MCIPS).
4. Excellent verbal, written, presentational and numerical data analysis skills
5. Evidence of Continuous Professional Development; post education learning, or post graduate equivalent accreditation
6. Management qualification
7. Project / Change Management qualification
8. Higher level of competency with Excel and procurement systems
Experience
Essential criteria
9. Experience of a customer service environment
10. Procurement, tendering and contract management experience
11. Extensive experience of competitive tenders/quotations
12. Reviewing and negotiating with suppliers and stakeholders across an organisation and a track record of achieving cost reductions and cost avoidance
13. Managing projects to time and budget, using appropriate tools and methodologies
14. Experience of managing staff and/or resources
15. Experience of leading projects within multidisciplinary teams to deliver significant change
16. Training and mentoring experience
Desirable criteria
17. Working knowledge of NHS and the issues facing procurement teams
Knowledge
Essential criteria
18. Demonstrable knowledge of public sector procurement
19. Experience and training in contract & category research and source planning
20. Specialist day to day procurement knowledge relating to a range of categories of non-pay spend
21. Understanding and experience of how business case development and approvals add value to the procurement function and inform investment decisions
22. Expertise in public sector procurement and contract management obtained via further training and experience or the equivalent.
23. A working knowledge of contract law
Desirable criteria
24. Knowledge of products and services relative to the NHS
Skills
Essential criteria
25. Basic awareness of IT and IT skills
26. Understanding and ability to apply project management tools and techniques to procurement activities where appropriate
27. Clearly manage priorities for self and others in order to meet specific deadlines
28. Encourage and provide feedback to staff to aid their development
29. Willingness to develop additional technical and specialist knowledge and skills in operational and procurement functions
30. Communicate effectively and confidently across all clinical and non-clinical disciplines
31. Proactively manage stakeholder requests in a timely manner, and manage expectations
32. Learn and develop self and others
33. Good Communication: written & oral at senior manager level
34. Interpersonal, able to work as part of a large team
35. Able to use initiative and work independently
36. Well organised, able to prioritise workload
37. Strong customer service skills
38. Create, develop and maintain working relationships with client managers to achieve corporate and team objectives
39. Perform as a good team player and demonstrate interactive working with financial managers
40. Ability to understand and operate effectively within potential political sensitivities of an organisation
41. Demonstrable skills in managing and optimising procurement systems such as Procure to Pay (P2P) and eSourcing systems
Desirable criteria
42. Stakeholder analysis, engagement and management
43. Understanding of NHS procurement landscape
Other
Essential criteria
44. To be able to travel effectively throughout the Trust
**Visa Sponsorship Information**
Recent changes to UK immigration policy on the Health and Care Visa and Skilled Worker Visa could mean that this role is not eligible for sponsorship or that you may not meet the eligibility criteria.
Sponsorship can only be offered if this post and any individual offered employment meet all the Home Office’s requirements under the UK Skilled Worker visa scheme.
If you are applying from outside the UK or will require sponsorship, please mention this clearly in your application.
To be eligible for sponsorship, the following conditions must be met:
45. Eligible role: The position must be on the UK Skilled Worker visa list. You can check your eligibility here: -.
46. Salary threshold: The role must meet the minimum salary set by the Home Office. Please note that for roles employed under Agenda for Change Terms and Conditions, the High-Cost Area Supplement (HCAS) is not included when calculating the basic salary for the purposes of sponsorship.
47. Skill level: The role must meet the minimum skill requirement of RQF Level 6 or above (graduate level).
48. English language: Applicants must demonstrate English proficiency at CEFR level B1 or higher.
49. Other criteria: Applicants must meet all other criteria as set out by the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI)