Principal Category Manager (Construction)

Would you like to help shape the future of the NHS and wider public sector by joining us as a procurement category professional? As a Principal Procurement Category Manager, you will lead a small team and take ownership of strategic public sector construction works and decarbonisation frameworks, that deliver an impact to our communities! Developing specific strategic sourcing programs and strategies across our client base and being responsible for the delivery of several key projects. NHS Shared Business Services offers great career progression. We have benefits which you can flex to meet your needs and training and development opportunities. We know work-life balance isn’t a perk – it’s essential which is why this position is predominantly home based. There is an expectation to attend collaboration team meetings in our Salford office once a month and occasional travel for conferences, events and supplier site visits as needed. Our modern Salford office sits in an iconic waterfront location positioned on the historic Manchester Ship Canal.

What you'll be doing:

• Leading the end‑to‑end lifecycle of construction and decarbonisation frameworks, including pipeline planning, market engagement, procurement, supplier onboarding, performance management, and re‑procurement.
• Conducting market analysis and horizon scanning to inform category strategy.
• Managing supplier performance, KPIs, SLAs, social value delivery, and contract variations.
• Driving supplier development and supporting innovation (e.g., MMC, net‑zero solutions).
• Working closely within the Construction Category to ensure effective management and delivery of portfolio framework agreements.
• Reviewing and negotiating draft contracts for the category area.
• Liaising with key stakeholders on their project needs and advising around general procurement stages
• Leading and developing a small team of Category Managers and Buyers, coaching, mentoring, and developing staff to build category expertise. Pursuing procurement excellence through the implementation of efficient and effective procurement projects within key markets.
• Analysing data and identify areas of cost savings and operational improvements to advise procurement plans.
• Supporting the Senior Category Manager with the management of key areas of improvement such as review of purchasing procedures, benchmarking, and day‑to‑day customer and supplier interactions.
• Supporting the wider team with evaluations and involvement in Tenders across the Category

What you’ll bring:

• Experience of working within construction markets and knowledge of their supply chains.
• Experience of working within a UK public sector procurement setting is beneficial but not essential, PCR 2015, UK regulations and company policies and the New Procurement Act 2023, working experience of UK PCR2015 (essential).
• Knowledge of frameworks such as NEC, JCT, and familiarity with construction contracts.
• Understanding of decarbonisation, net‑zero strategies, or building safety legislation.
• Proficiency with Microsoft office such as Excel, Word, & Outlook & Power BI, e-Procurement platforms such as SAP Ariba.
• CIPS Level 4 Diploma in Procurement and Supply Operations or working towards.
• Leading a team, line management experience.
• Contract management experience.

It would be great if you had:

• Experience or knowledge or working within the NHS and wider public sector

If you are interested in this role but not sure if your skills and experience are exactly what we’re looking for, please do apply, we’d love to hear from you!

Employment Type: Full-time Permanent

Location: Anywhere - (with an expectation to attend the Salford office once a month)

Security Clearance Level: DBS

Internal Recruiter: Adrian

Salary: Up to £50,000

Benefits: £5,400 car allowance, 25 days annual leave with the option to buy additional days, private medical, life assurance, pension, and generous flexible benefits fund

We support different ways of working and can offer a range of flexible working arrangements. So, if you’re interested and need to work flexibly, we encourage you to apply and talk to us about what might be possible.

Loved reading about this job and want to know more about us?

NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS) was created by the Department of Health and Social Care to deliver corporate services to the NHS. A unique joint venture with Sopra Steria, a European leader in digital services and software development, we make life easier for NHS employees, patients, and suppliers, and deliver value for money to the taxpayer. Proud members of the NHS family, we provide finance & accounting, digital, procurement and workforce services to more than half the NHS in England, and our solutions are underpinned by cutting‑edge technologies and our teams’ expertise, in‑depth understanding of the NHS, and commitment to service excellence.

We share common values and unity of purpose with the rest of the NHS family, are committed to being a force for good, and are dedicated and empowered to act responsibly and sustainably at organisational, team and individual level.

Would you like to join us on our journey?

We embrace difference as a source of creativity, innovation and competitive advantage and are striving to become a more diverse organisation. We welcome applications from people with a diverse variety of backgrounds and identities. We are committed to equality of opportunity for all and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation or marital status. We have partnered with Vercida, the UK's largest diversity and inclusion focused careers site, where all our vacancies are available in an accessible format.

If you require any adjustments to the recruitment process, to enable you to perform to the best of your ability, please let us know when completing your application. We participate in the Disability Confident scheme and are committed to offering an interview to any candidate with a disability, who meets the minimum criteria for the role. If you believe this could apply to you, please let us know when completing your application.

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