Category Manager Corporate IT

Speciality: Procurement

Location: Edgbaston, Birmingham

Job Type: Temporary

Start Date: Are flexible but vacancy is available with immediate start dates.

Salary range: £43,742 to £50,056 depending on skills, experience, and NHS length of service

*Please note there will be no deviation from this due to the established Agenda for Change pay bands*

Sector: Healthcare

Base: Hybrid working 2 days working from home and 3 days working at the office / hospital sites (specific days to be confirmed). Candidates may need to travel to different sites as and when required.

Band: 7

Working Days and Hours: 37.5 hours per week Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm

Benefits include:

27 days Annual Leave plus Bank Holidays (increasing with long service)

Opportunity to buy up to 5 days Annual Leave each Financial Year

Access to Employee Discount Schemes access including Blue Light Card and Health Service Discounts

Pension Plan

Professional development opportunities

Job Summary

The objective of the role is to identify, develop and deliver credible savings/work plans within the IT category and engage with stakeholders for the Corporate functions. Whilst ensuring all procurement activity is undertaken in accordance with public procurement legislation and Trust standing financial instructions.

You will need to be skilled in contract management and who is confident influencing and working with suppliers and internal stakeholders. Your ability to drive value for money and deliver solutions is key to the role. You will establish, develop and maintain professional relationships between Heads of Departments, Operational Leads and Senior Finance Managers and provide regular updates on project progress.

You shall form part of a team spanning multiple Corporate categories where you shall work collaboratively to utilise initiative and share knowledge that feeds into the ICB/Trust/Department strategy.

IT Category Knowledge

The role holder will be sited with the IT team and will be responsible for Strategic IT category management, including defining the overall strategy, working closely with stakeholders and decision makers, and delivering on the agreed programme of work resulting in benefits for the Trust(s). The individual must be an IT Procurement Specialist with in depth knowledge of supplier technology and services in the marketplace, and experience working with suppliers to negotiate enterprise contracts in a variety of IT categories, specifically on the following solutions and suppliers:

Acquisition of software, hardware, maintenance/support and services for mainframe, midrange and distributed systems

Acquisition of IT managed services, outsourcing (SYSC) and reseller arrangements

Acquisition of on premise and cloud business applications

Previous experience in working with big name and global IT Suppliers

Actively lead colleagues through all steps of the procurement and outsourcing processes, to ensure best value for money is achieved and risks are identified and mitigated.

Commercial Guidance: Advise our businesses on efficient and effective procurement strategies, and provide recommendations on how supply chain performance can be improved. Be seen as a Trusted Partner by building positive and collaborative working relationships.

Trusted Partner: Identify, build and manage relationships through effective communication with all stakeholders, including external third parties, acting as the primary point of contact for supply chain management activity.

Negotiation: Negotiate with suppliers to establish commercially robust agreements. Ensure all negotiated terms are clearly documented and that they meet the requirements of our client technically, financially and legally.

General

Manage the Corporate procurement for all Trusts within the BSOL PC, primarily within the IT category, however support across other areas such as Professional Services, Facilities Management, Estates and Capital works may also be required

Sourcing, negotiating and procuring of IT software, hardware and infrastructure

Identify projects and develop work plans and cost improvement programmes on an annual basis with regular reviews and updates throughout the year to deliver the agreed objectives and targets

Develop an IT procurement strategy and implementation of the agreed strategy, including getting buy in from the IT departments across BSOL

Lead on and manage complex procurement/tender exercises, including the creation of tender and contract documentation

Provide specialist procurement knowledge across a broad spectrum of areas covered by the BSOL PC

Develop and maintain a sound knowledge of all relevant commodities and supply markets through conducting market research

Manage the introduction of alternative products and sources of supply to achieve high levels of rationalisation and/or standardisation and be a key influencer and participate in user consultation groups

Essential

Experience in Corporate Services Procurement covering IT areas/category

Experience of working in a Procurement team.

Experience of Procurement and Contract Management

Experience of Microsoft Office or equivalent.

Experience of negotiating complex contracts.

Sound knowledge of contract management

Knowledge of best practice in Procurement & supply

Experience of working within the NHS and an understanding of current issues.

Desirable

Experience in Public Sector or NHS procurement

Experience in using e-commerce platforms

At least 2 years’ experience of managing staff

Sound knowledge of contract Law

Knowledge of OJEU procurement process

Experience in procurement related management experience with demonstrable achievements.