Purchasing and contract management
Making sure that the NHS has the necessary goods and services is vital to the delivery of healthcare. As a purchasing and contract manager, your role will be making sure this is done smoothly allowing our healthcare professionals to focus on our patients.
You’ll be working with external suppliers and internal NHS departments to get the best products and services available within the resources available.
Working life
In purchasing and contract management, there are a number of areas you could work in. For example:
- internal logistics (the movement of stores, receipting and distribution)
- information management
- materials management.
You’ll need an understanding of the complete supply chain from understanding an identified need for a service or product, through knowing the provider market, the tendering, selecting and awarding process to asset management.
Roles in purchasing and contract management
Job titles and roles will vary but here are some examples of job roles in purchasing and contract management.
Deputy head of procurement
In this role, you’d be required to:
- manage a large and varied contract portfolio
- visit a number of sites within the local area
- undertake and manage procurements from identifying a requirement to the awarding of the contract using procurement and sourcing principles
- analyse and report on a range of subjects including, products, suppliers and tender evaluation
- organise product trials, analyse product use and supply, investigate savings opportunities and implement and report accordingly.
Contracts manager
In this example, you’d be based within the supplies department of an acute (hospitals) trust. You’d be:
- maximising cost savings and efficiencies in the contracting and procurement process
- developing and managing a range of suppliers
- and improving on service delivery through the use of "best practice".
Associate director of procurement and supplies
Working in an NHS trust of over 5,000 staff your key responsibility would be to re-develop and re-engineer the supply chain business for the trust. You’d be heavily involved in the strategic direction of the trust.
Want to learn more?
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Most jobs in the NHS are covered by the Agenda for Change (AfC) pay scales. This pay system covers all staff except doctors, dentists and the most senior managers. In purchasing and contract management, your career in the NHS would typically start at Agenda for Change Band 5, with opportunities to progress to positions at Bands 6 and 7, and the most senior roles rising to Band 8c for example.
Staff in the NHS will usually work a standard 37.5 hours per week. They may work a shift pattern.
Terms and conditions of service can vary for employers outside the NHS.
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With further training and/or experience, you may be able to develop your career further and apply for more senior managerial roles – potentially at director level, with a broader remit.
Progression for those with ability is typically via general management with a large healthcare provider
Relocation for promotion is common.
More diverse routes are now opening up, for example, jointly-funded posts between health and social services.
When you’re looking for managerial jobs or apprenticeship vacancies, there are a number of sources you can use but most vacancies in NHS organisations can be found on the NHS Jobs website.
Just some of the current vacancies are below.
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Band 6 Contracts Manager - Procurement
Birmingham, B15 1NT
- Salary :
- £38682.00 to £46580.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
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Procurement Manager
Seaton Delaval, NE25 0QJ
- Salary :
- £55690.00 to £62682.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
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Senior Contracts Manager
London, CR7 7YE
- Salary :
- £61631.00 to £68623.00
- Type :
- Secondment
- Employer :
- Croydon Health Services NHS Trust
-
Senior Procurement Manager
Reading, RG1 5UZ
- Salary :
- £55690.00 to £62682.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust
-
Collaborative Digital Contract Manager
Taunton, TA1 4DY
- Salary :
- £55690.00 to £62682.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Somerset NHS Foundation Trust
-
Band 6 Contract Manager
Birmingham, B13 8QY
- Salary :
- £38682.00 to £46580.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
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Senior Procurement Manager Clinical
Bradford, BD9 6RJ
- Salary :
- £47810.00 to £54710.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
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Contract Performance Manager
Birmingham, B18 7QH
- Salary :
- £55690.00 to £62682.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust
-
Procurement Business Manager
Cardiff, CF14 4HH
- Salary :
- £39263.00 to £47280.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership
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Contract Performance Manager
Birmingham, B18 7QH
- Salary :
- £55690.00 to £62682.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust
-
Band 7 Senior Contracts Manager - Trust HQ
Birmingham, B13 8QY
- Salary :
- £47810.00 to £54710.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
-
Finance Manager - Contract Income and Research & Development
Saltaire, BD18 3LD
- Salary :
- £47810.00 to £54710.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust
-
EFM (Estates & Facilities Management) Contracts Monitoring Officer
London, EC1V 2PD
- Salary :
- £46419.00 to £55046.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
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Lead Pharmacy Technician: Procurement & Distribution Manager
London, N15 3TH
- Salary :
- £53751.00 to £60651.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- North London NHS Foundation Trust
-
Assistant Manager / Manager
Birmingham, B71 3LN
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Stone Cross Medical Centre
-
Senior Project Manager for Risk Management
Caerleon, NP18 3XQ
- Salary :
- £48527.00 to £55532.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Aneurin Bevan University Health Board
-
Procurement Officer
Coventry, CV6 6NY
- Salary :
- £27485.00 to £30162.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership Trust
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Procurement Advisor
Leeds, LS1 4AP
- Salary :
- £38682.00 to £46580.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- NHS Resolution
-
Operational Procurement
Walsall, WS2 9PS
- Salary :
- £24465.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- University Hospital of North Midlands NHS Trust
-
Practice Manager
Hounslow, TW3 3ET
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Bath Road Surgery
-
Practice Manager
Brighouse, HD6 1AT
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Rydings Hall Surgery
-
Dispensary Manager
Exeter, EX2 5DW
- Salary :
- £38682.00 to £46580.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
-
Nurse Manager
Derby, DE23 3TX
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Aspiro Healthcare
-
Operations Manager
Bromley, BR1 4PX
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- The Links Medical Practice
-
Home Manager
Chipping Norton, OX7 5YF
- Salary :
- £50000.00 to £60000.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Barchester Healthcare
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Ward Manager
Ashington, NE63 9JJ
- Salary :
- £47810.00 to £54710.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
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Practice Manager
London, SE8 5DA
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Penrose Health
-
Nurse Manager
Bristol, BS9 4HT
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Fallodon Way Medical Centre
-
Pathway Manager
South Tyneside, NE32 5NN
- Salary :
- £47810.00 to £54710.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and wear (CNTW) NHS Foundation Trust
-
Home Manager
Pevensey, BN24 5NU
- Salary :
- £50000.00 to £75000.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Barchester Healthcare
-
Practice Manager
London, SE8 5DA
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Penrose Health
-
Nurse Manager
Bristol, BS9 4HT
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Fallodon Way Medical Centre
-
Home Manager
Morriston, SA6 7BJ
- Salary :
- £55000.00 to £58000.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- HC-One
-
Communication Manager
Bolton, BL1 5DD
- Salary :
- £38682.00 to £46580.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust
-
Project Manager
Bradford, BD1 4AS
- Salary :
- £31000.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Bradford Care Alliance
-
Ward Manager
Ipswich, IP4 5PD
- Salary :
- £47810.00 to £54710.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Norfolk & Suffolk Foundation NHS Trust
-
Operational Manager
Worthing, BN11 2DH
- Salary :
- £55690.00 to £62682.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (279)
-
Pathway Manager
South Tyneside, NE32 5NN
- Salary :
- £47810.00 to £54710.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and wear (CNTW) NHS Foundation Trust
-
HR Manager
Huddersfield, HD2 1GQ
- Salary :
- £43680.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Local Care Direct
-
Disclosure Manager
Basingstoke, RG23 9NA
- Salary :
- £31049.00 to £37796.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
-
HR Manager
Huddersfield, HD2 1GQ
- Salary :
- £43680.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Local Care Direct
-
General Manager
Bagshot, GU195HN
- Salary :
- £78000.00 to £82000.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Avery Healthcare Group Ltd.
-
Pharmacy Manager
Redruth, TR15 2AF
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Superdrug
-
Practice Manager
London, W1T 6EU
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Fitzrovia Medical Centre
-
Support Manager
Sheffield, S7 1NF
- Salary :
- £31620.17
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Primary Care Sheffield
-
Sustainability Manager
Maidstone, ME16 9QQ
- Salary :
- £64455.00 to £74896.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust
-
Area Manager
Scarborough, YO11 3LJ
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- SSP Health
-
HR Manager
Bushey, WD23 2NN
- Salary :
- £35000.00 to £45000.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Manor View Practice
-
Practice Manager
Ashton-under-lyne, OL7 0NW
- Salary :
- £40000.00 to £50000.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- HT Practice
-
Ward Manager
Gorleston, NR31 6LA
- Salary :
- £47810.00 to £54710.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
-
Project Manager
Carlisle, CA1 2SE
- Salary :
- £47810.00 to £54710.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Cumbria Health
-
Caseload Manager
Wallasey, CH44 5UF
- Salary :
- £38682.00 to £46580.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust
-
Chef Manager
Ashford, TW15 3AA
- Salary :
- £32602.00 to £39686.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Ashford & St. Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
-
Ward Manager
St Austell, PL26 6AA
- Salary :
- £47810.00 to £54710.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
-
Project Manager
Nottingham, Nottinghamshire,, NG5 1PB
- Salary :
- £47810.00 to £54710.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trusts
-
Ward Manager
London, SW9 9NU
- Salary :
- £47810.00 to £54710.00
- Type :
- Secondment
- Employer :
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
-
Practice Manager
Saltash, PL12 4BU
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Port View Surgery
-
Home Manager
Falkirk, FK2 9RY
- Salary :
- £50000.00 to £60000.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- HC-One
-
Locality Manager
Northumberland, County Durham, Teesside, NE15 8NY
- Salary :
- £55690.00 to £62682.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust
-
Practice Manager
Stockport, SK3 9NX
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Stockport Medical Group
Showing 6 of 60 results
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For further information about a career in purchasing and contract management, please contact