Overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen within our Procurement team at HCRG Care Group as a result of continued organisational growth. We are seeking a highly skilled and commercially minded Procurement Category Manager - IT to lead and manage IT and related spend across the organisation. This includes overseeing incumbent supplier arrangements, supporting new technology requirements, running tenders, and leading direct negotiations. Your core focus will be to maximise economies of scale, consolidate organisational needs without compromising quality, and ensure the right suppliers, goods, and services are secured. As we continue to operate within a developing and fast-moving landscape, strong forward planning is essential to minimise reactive procurement and support sustainable, strategic decision‑making. You will work closely with operational teams and the Head of Procurement. Our department is mid‑journey on its maturity scale, having evolved from a reactive transactional function into a more strategic, value‑focused team. While agility will always be vital due to the nature of our services, we see significant opportunities to increase control of suppliers and forecasting of IT expenditure. The role is not subject to public contract regulations, making this an exciting opportunity for a passionate procurement professional to influence, shape, and elevate IT procurement across the organisation.
Responsibilities
* Plan and manage IT procurement activity across incumbent and new spend requirements
* Lead tenders, competitive sourcing exercises, and direct negotiations with IT suppliers
* Consolidate organisational needs to maximise value and enhance economies of scale
* Work collaboratively with operational teams and senior IT stakeholders to effectively forecast and manage spend
* Support the continued transition of the Procurement function into a strategic, proactive service
* Leverage strong commercial knowledge to negotiate effectively beyond simple unit pricing
* Manage supplier relationships, commercial risks, and contract performance
* Ensure procurement activities align with organisational priorities and IT strategy
* Apply robust commercial judgement, particularly across software, licensing, SaaS contracts, and technology‑based services
Qualifications and Experience
You will thrive in this role if you meet the following essential criteria:
* At least 5 recent years of Procurement experience, ideally including 3 years within the IT category, preferably as a category manager or within procurement project delivery
* Consideration will be given to candidates from other categories with exceptional IT, SaaS, and software contract understanding
* Strong commercial success record, particularly in software and licensing delivery
* Experience working with senior IT stakeholders
* Ability to positively and respectfully influence senior personnel
* Strong negotiation skills, with the ability to gain leverage in challenging supplier markets
* Commercial knowledge
* Customer‑focused, friendly, and professional communication style
* Excellent telephone and email manner
* High attention to detail
* Ability to work independently and as part of a wider team
* Willingness to support colleagues and contribute to the broader success of HCRG Care Group
* Strong problem‑solving skills and use of initiative
* Good system skills and strong information retention
Benefits and Package
Access to eLearning, bespoke career pathways and opportunities for continuing professional development through our 'Outstanding' learning and development team, The Learning Enterprise.
An open, just culture where you're encouraged to have and implement ideas which can help us deliver our purpose: changing lives through transforming health and care — backed up by at least £100,000 of ringfenced innovation funding each year.
The pride of working for an organisation committed to the highest clinical and quality standards: with the majority of our rated services holding 'good' or 'outstanding' ratings from the Care Quality Commission.
* Hybrid working – work from home 95%+ of the time, with occasional travel to our Runcorn head office, service sites, or supplier meetings
* 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday, with flexibility around school times, appointments, and start/finish times
* Mentoring opportunities – support junior colleagues and help shape the future of the Procurement function
* Wider category exposure – contribute to Clinical and Indirect/Estates procurement during periods of surge demand or absence
* Annual salary £57,500 – £60,000 (dependent on experience) with group pension
* Private medical insurance with fast access to the most used specialists, including for musculoskeletal problems and mental health support, at locations across the country
* Free tea, coffee and milk at your base location in Runcorn
* Membership of My Reward Hub, giving you access to discounts on everyday purchases and cashback and voucher offers for you and those special to you
* Access to your wages as you earn them to help cover life's emergencies and avoid overdraft fees or high interest rates
* Online and face‑to‑face help with your mental and physical wellbeing – from healthy recipes and activity challenges through to post‑trauma support, legal, debt and life management help, and career coaching and counselling
About the Company
We change lives by transforming health and care. Established in 2006, we are one of the UK's leading independent providers of community health and care services, working with health and care commissioners and communities to transform services with a focus on experience, efficiency, and improved outcomes. We deliver and transform adult and children community health services, primary care services including urgent care, sexual health, dermatology and MSK services as well as adult social care and wellbeing services. Across England, we support communities of many millions and directly help more than half a million people each year – guided by our simple values: we care, we think, we do. We're committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from a broad, diverse range of people who want to join our team. We're a Disability Confident Committed company, so we work to provide facilities, work‑environment adjustments and technical solutions to be as inclusive of everyone. While it doesn't happen often, sometimes a role is very popular, and we'll need to close it earlier than the date we've shown here. If you're keen to join our team, we'd love to hear from you so please apply as soon as you can. As you'd expect, safeguarding and protecting the children, young people and vulnerable adults that we work with is of the utmost importance so we have policies and procedures in place to promote safeguarding and safer working practices and everyone who joins the team is subject to a safer recruitment process, including the disclosure of criminal records and vetting checks.
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