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Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

About
Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT) was formed on 1 April 2017 following the merger of North Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (NEP) and South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (SEPT).
Since then, EPUT has grown from strength to strength, providing many community health, mental health and learning disability services to support more than 3.2 million people living across Luton and Bedfordshire, Essex and Suffolk.
We are a large employer in the East of England with more than 5,500 staff working across more than 200 sites. We also provide services in people’s home and community settings.
Our Vision
“To be the leading health and wellbeing service in the provision of mental health and community care”.
Our Purpose
“We care for people every day. What we do together, matters”.
Our Values
- We Care
- We Learn
- We Empower
Our strategic objectives
- We will deliver safe, high quality integrated care services.
- We will enable each other to be the best that we can.
- We will work together with our partners to make our services better.
- We will help our communities to thrive.
Find out more about the services we offer in our service directory
Contact
- Address
- Trust Head Office
- The Lodge
- The Chase
- Wickford
- Essex
- SS11 7XX
- Contact Number
- 01375 364513
Procurement Business Partner
Accepting applications until: 12-May-2025 23:59
Vacancy status: Open
Accepting applications until: 12-May-2025 23:59
Key details
Location
- Gwefan
- Thameside House, Thurrock Hospital
- Cyfeiriad
- Long Lane
- Tref
- Grays
- Cod post
- RM16 2PX
- Major / Minor Region
- Essex
Contract type & working pattern
- Contract
- Permanent
- Oriau
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Salary
- Cyflog
- £37,338 - £52,809 per annum
- Cyfnod cyflog
- Yearly
- Gradd
- (Band 7)
Specialty
- Prif leoliad
- Procurement
About Us
EPUT provides community health, mental health and learning disability services to support more than 3.2 million people living across Bedfordshire, Essex and Suffolk. Also:
- We are among the largest employers in the in the East of England region, with more than 10,000 staff working across more than 200 sites.
- We run the COVID-19 vaccination programme across mid and south Essex and Suffolk and north east Essex.
EPUT was formed on 1 April 2017 following the merger of North Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (NEP) and South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (SEPT). A new leadership team was established at the Trust in 2020.
Our vision and values
Our Vision
“To be the leading health and wellbeing service in the provision of mental health and community care”.
Our Purpose
“We care for people every day. What we do together, matters”.
Our Values
- We Care
- We Learn
- We Empower
Our strategic objectives
- We will deliver safe, high quality integrated care services.
- We will enable each other to be the best that we can.
- We will work together with our partners to make our services better.
- We will help our communities to thrive.
Our services
- Mental Health Services
- Community Health Services
- Learning Disabilities Services
- Social Care
Find out more about the services we offer in our service directory.
Trosolwg o'r swydd
We are looking to recruit a passionate, commercially astute procurement professional, for an exciting opportunity within our Procurement team. The successful applicant will provide a customer focused service to enable the delivery of compliant procurement processes and contract monitoring to evidence value for money and high standards of quality.
The successful applicant will be a dynamic individual with an ability to build strong collaborative relationships, internally and externally, supporting the vision and values of the Trust and system partners. A critical requirement is a willingness to learn and thrive in a fast paced environment within a small and supportive team. An interest in career progression and training and development is strongly encouraged
Advert
The post holder will support on the development, implementation and delivery of the Trust Procurement Strategy
1. Taking lead responsibility for the internal delivery of strategic and operational procurement for defined Categories of Expenditure by delivering a portfolio of high value and/or strategic contracts.
2. Supporting the Associate Director of Procurement (and deputising in their absence) in developing the interface between the care units, corporate support functions and the procurement team, to drive change, innovative procurement practice and contract compliance, in pursuit of high quality and value for money.
3. Through sourcing, to deliver aspects of a strategic procurement work plan and participate in relevant regional and national Procurement hub work-streams. This will include the achievement of annual efficiency targets, compliance with all relevant legislation, identifying areas for future investigation and bringing added value for the benefit of the Trust.
4. To support with achieving and maintaining the NHS Procurement & Commercial Standards accreditation by leading on a key area of strategic delivery.
5. Provide supervision, leadership and develop staff ensuring individual professional development in line with requirements.
6. Provide procurement advice for complex, contentious products/contract negotiations
Gweithio i'n sefydliad
EPUT are looking for motivated staff who shares our Trust values of Care, Learn and Empower. In return, EPUT can offer you a range of benefits and development including;
- Season Ticket Loans
- NHS discounts for staff
- Excellent Training facilities and opportunities
- Buying and Selling annual leave scheme
- The opportunity to work bank shifts and expand knowledge and experience in other areas
- Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars and Cycle to Work
- Day One Flexible Employer
The Trust supports and actively encourages flexible working for all employees. We offer many options and you are encouraged to ask the recruiting manager what is possible for this role. If appointed, you will have the opportunity to apply for a flexible working request from the first day of your employment
Join our Staff bank
What is Staff Bank?
Our EPUT NHS staff bank is an entity managed by the trust that hires clinical and non-clinical healthcare professionals to take on shifts at our trust hospitals and community settings. Here at EPUT we maintain our own bank of specialist staff to ensure that we are able offer safe and effective care at all times.
All our permanent staff are automatically enrolled onto the staff bank however this does not mean you have to work any additional shifts, but the option is there for you if you wish.
If you are joining our Trust in a fixed term role, please indicate on your New Starter Paperwork that you wish to join our staff bank.
Swydd-ddisgrifiad a phrif gyfrifoldebau manwl
Category Management & Sourcing
Use specialist category and procurement knowledge and expertise to produce and implement 3-5 year procurement strategies for assigned product/service areas of the strategic procurement plan and ensure that performance management systems and operating effectively to meet governance and achieve goals.
Project manage and co-ordinate all activities, agencies, suppliers and personnel to successfully undertake a number of strategic and tactical sourcing projects, from initial scoping through to contract award, and ongoing contract management.
Gather and analyse comprehensive data available on national benchmarking systems, on products, services and suppliers to support portfolio and category analysis.
Manage high value strategic sourcing projects which impact on stakeholder organisations service delivery and beyond.
Establish the immediate and future procurement requirements of stakeholder organisations and produces strategies and solutions to these.
Identify and manage risk throughout the procurement process.
Maintain work-plan and contracts database to ensure it is always up to date and effective reports are available as and when required.
Proactive responsibility for the development and review of strategies, policies and procedures based upon best practice.
Deliver Cash Releasing Savings, Added Value Benefits and Value
Manage projects effectively to ensure the savings within the Trust are delivered in line with the work plan.
Consistently deliver value for money through the effective sourcing of goods and services.
Undertake benefits tracking/compliance to monitor the levels of savings being achieved within the Trust.
To initiate and develop new ideas and methods in consultation with end users and within the procurement team.
Enables and encourages others to suggest change and share good practice with other areas of the Trust.
Evaluates the changes made and suggests further improvements where needed.
Strategy & Organisation
To act as the support for Procurement workstreams and systems. This will include implementation and design responsibility and also the maintenance and management of the systems.
To support with other areas of strategic development, in line with the NHS Procurement & Commercial Standards and any central or regional mandate.
Stakeholder Management
Use highly developed persuasion and influencing skills to engage with and influence key stakeholders at all levels within all parts of the organisation in order to facilitate participation in high value and strategic procurement activity.
Provide advice and expertise in all aspects of procurement activity to stakeholders across the Trust. This advice and expertise can be in highly complex areas and involve detailed knowledge of areas such as Procurement legislation.
Manages the interface for a number of Trusts, including regular face to face meetings.
Supplier Management
Regularly reviews strategic and high value contracts with the Trusts’ stakeholders and suppliers in order to deliver the appropriate procurement solution.
Undertake contract management and reviews with stakeholders to ensure contracts deliver against agreed strategies and continue to meet Trusts’ requirements.
Lead effective contract management and provide high level contractual advice
Maintains effective supplier and provider partnership and relationship strategies.
Legislation & Policy
Undertake all procurement activities in full accordance with legal (EU legislation, commercial and contract law), environmental and sustainability requirements.
Be responsible for ensuring that accurate legible records are kept in accordance with Trust policies and legal requirements.
Participate in research, audit reviews and other initiatives in accordance with Procurement and financial governance policies across the Trust
Communication
Communicate with individuals and groups and prepare and deliver presentations throughout the procurement process (e.g. tender award process; contract award; briefing suppliers of stakeholder requirements).
Responsible for organising, facilitating and participating in regular meetings with key Trust stakeholders and suppliers. These include fact finding, problem solving, negotiations, contract performance and service delivery meetings.
Leading in (and obtaining support where required) communications that will involve highly complex and sensitive information where persuasive, negotiating skills are required and will be:
v Face to face and by telephone
v Within formal and informal meetings
v Written, letters, memorandum, e-mail, and reports
v Presentations
Personal and Team Development
Ensure that own knowledge and skills are constantly updated.
Actively takes part in own and other’s appraisal and PDP process, suggesting ideas for personal and career development opportunities.
Contributes to development in the workplace as a learning environment.
Actively creates opportunities to enable everyone to learn from each other and from external good practice.
Uses a coaching approach to encourage others to develop.
Raise quality issues and related risks with senior manager.
Evaluate the quality of own work, making improvements when necessary.
Service Improvement
To initiate and develop new ideas and methods in consultation with end users and within the procurement team.
Participate in research, audit reviews and other initiatives in accordance with Procurement and Financial Governance policies across the Trust
Actively contribute to the development and review of policies and procedures based upon best practice.
Presents a positive role model in times of service improvement supports and works with others to help them understand the need for change and to adapt to it
Enables and encourages others to suggest change, challenge tradition and share good practice with other areas of the Trust
Evaluates the changes made and suggests further improvements where needed
Participates in the evaluation of policies and strategies and feeds back thoughts on impacts on users and the public.
Responsible for applying departmental procurement policies and implements procurement procedures across the organisation.
Quality
To understand and practice all relevant Trust and local policies and procedures
Raise quality issues and related risks with senior manager.
Evaluate the quality of own work, making improvements when necessary.
Have a good understanding of the Trust’s Service User Led Standards and how it impacts on the performance of the ward.
Be responsible for ensuring that accurate legible records are kept in accordance with Trust policies and legal requirements.
Report all complaints and or incidents in accordance with Trust procedures and ensure that the line manager is informed.
Cooperate with any investigation within the Trust.
Initiates, implements, supports and monitors quality and governance systems and processes
Enables others to understand, identify and deal with risks to quality and actively promotes quality in all areas of work
Please note - staff who are formally at risk within the organisation will be given priority in securing alternative employment. Should it come to light that a post being advertised by the Trust is considered ‘suitable alternative employment’ to an individual who is at risk, the recruiting manager will be advised and the post will be withdrawn from NHS Jobs.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Applications for this role should be written by the applicant. If artificial intelligence (AI) programmes are used then the application may be rejected due to this document being an important part of the assessment process. This does not prevent applicants seeking appropriate support with applications should they need to for the purposes of any declared disability.
Important Professional References
Make sure that as a part of your application you have professional references with business contract information covering your last three year employment history. We are unable to accept personal or character references.
As a newly appointed employee you are responsible for incurring the cost of your initial DBS check relevant to your post, the amount will be deducted from your first salary with the Trust.
Applications for Job Share are positively welcomed.
Equal Opportunities Employer
Our Trust is an Equal Opportunities Employer. We particularly welcome applications from people with experience of using mental health services. We also hold the Disability two tick symbol and have made the pledge to commit to employing more people with learning disabilities, we encourage people with a disability to apply. If you require this application form in another format i.e. Braille or audio tape etc, please contact the Recruitment Department on 01375 364513 or email [email protected] and we can arrange for this to be dispatched to you.
The Trust has the right to expire vacancies prior to the closing date if they so wish. The Trust makes every attempt to contact all applicants and we strongly advise that you check the email account which is registered with NHS Jobs regularly, we would advise however due to the high number of applications we receive that if you have not heard from us within three weeks of the closing date your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults, and expect all staff to undertake this commitment. Applicants will be subject to robust safer recruitment processes.
Covid Vaccination
Although Covid vaccinations are no longer a mandatory requirement within the NHS we continue to encourage and support the vaccination uptake as this remains the best line of defence against Covid19. The safety of our staff and patients is a top priority for us at EPUT.
If you would like to book a Covid vaccination or would like more information please contact us by emailing [email protected].
Person specification
Education/Qualifications
Meini prawf hanfodol
- High standard or general education including English and Mathematics
- Relevant first degree, equivalent relevant vocational qualification, training or equivalent demonstrable experience.
- Must have or be prepared to work towards the completion of becoming a Qualified member of the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (MCIPS). Evidence of Continuous Professional Development; post education learning, or post graduate equivalent accreditation
Meini prawf dymunol
- Management qualification
- Project / Change Management qualification
- Higher level of competency with Excel and procurement Systems
Knowledge
Meini prawf hanfodol
- Procurement, tendering and contract management experience
- Extensive experience of competitive tenders/quotations
- Reviewing and negotiating with suppliers and stakeholders across an organisation and a track record of achieving cost reductions and cost avoidance
- Demonstrable knowledge of public sector procurement
- Experience and training in contract & category research and source planning
- Specialist day to day procurement knowledge relating to a range of categories of non-pay spend
- Understanding and experience of how business case development and approvals add value to the procurement function and inform investment decisions
- Expertise in public sector procurement and contract management obtained via further training and experience or the equivalent.
- A working knowledge of contract law
Meini prawf dymunol
- Knowledge of products and services relative to the NHS
Skills/Experience
Meini prawf hanfodol
- Experience of a customer service environment
- Managing projects to time and budget, using appropriate tools and methodologies
- Experience of managing staff and/or resources
- Experience of leading projects within multidisciplinary teams to deliver significant change
- Training and mentoring experience
- Basic awareness of IT and IT skills
- Understanding and ability to apply project management tools and techniques to procurement activities where appropriate
- Clearly manage priorities for self and others in order to meet specific deadlines
- Encourage and provide feedback to staff to aid their development
- Willingness to develop additional technical and specialist knowledge and skills in operational and procurement functions
- Communicate effectively and confidently across all clinical and non- clinical disciplines
- Proactively manage stakeholder requests in a timely manner, and manage expectations
- Learn and develop self and others
Meini prawf dymunol
- Working knowledge of NHS and the issues facing procurement teams
Personal Qualities
Meini prawf hanfodol
- Good Communication: written & oral at senior manager level
- Interpersonal, able to work as part of a large team
- Able to use initiative and work independently
- Well organised, able to prioritise workload
- Strong customer service skills
- Create, develop and maintain working relationships with client managers to achieve corporate
- Perform as a good team player and demonstrate interactive working with financial managers
- Ability to understand and operate effectively within potential political sensitivities of an organisation
- Demonstrable skills in managing and optimising procurement systems such as Procure to Pay (P2P) and eSourcing systems
- Ability to travel across sites and across Trust boundaries to attend meetings, etc.
Meini prawf dymunol
- Stakeholder analysis, engagement and management
- Understanding of NHS procurement landscape
Documents
- Procurement Business Partner (PDF, 752.5KB)
- Procurement Business Partner (PDF, 512.3KB)
- EPUT Pledge - Step into Health (PDF, 211.0KB)
- Candidate Privacy Policy (PDF, 336.6KB)
- Right to Work Information (PDF, 293.6KB)
- Employer Recognition Scheme - Gold Award (PDF, 27.7KB)
- Trust Vision and Values (PDF, 168.9KB)
- Values of the NHS Pension (PDF, 151.3KB)
Further details / informal visits contact
- Enw
- Richard Whiteside
- Teitl y swydd
- Head of Procurement
- Cyfeiriad ebost
- [email protected]
- Rhif ffôn
- 07970 885720
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