About this role
Help shape the future of healthcare construction. Your expertise could genuinely change lives! If you’re a construction procurement professional looking for a role where your skills make a real difference, this could be the next step you’ve been waiting for! At NHS SBS, we’re growing our Construction Category Team and are now looking for a Senior Category Manager to lead and deliver two of our works Frameworks – Public Sector Construction Works and Decarbonisation of Estates. You’ll be joining an award-winning team that plays a vital part in improving NHS construction and infrastructure across the country. The work you do won’t just shape procurement strategies — it’ll support better environments for patients, staff, and communities. You’ll help our NHS clients navigate complex construction challenges, drive value, strengthen supply chains, and deliver smarter procurement solutions — all while helping shape the next generation of healthcare facilities. We know that experienced procurement professionals value balanced working too. That’s why we fully support flexible working, with monthly collaboration meet-ups in our Salford office and occasional travel to client sites, exhibitions, and conferences. What you will be doing:
• Reporting into Head of Category, you will lead, mentor and support a talented team of construction procurement specialists at different stages in their careers with two direct reports. • Develop short and long-term category strategies that improve resilience, unlock value, and align with wider business objectives. • Support Contracting Authorities with procurement guidance - this may include the application JCT and NEC, compliance with PCR 2015 and PA23. Acting as a trusted advisor, providing structure, guidance, and practical solutions using your construction consultancy expertise. • Use data and insight to spot opportunities for cost savings, process improvements, and supply chain efficiencies. • Oversee a portfolio of high-value projects, influencing key procurement decisions and raising overall quality. • Present confidently to Senior Leadership, contributing to discussions at formal Board-level settings. • Work closely with Service Directorates, Heads of Procurement and senior NHS leaders to provide robust national procurement support. What you will bring:
• A strong background in public sector procurement, with solid knowledge of PCR 2015, PA23, and associated policies. • Experience managing risk in construction supply chains — from insolvency issues to geopolitical disruptions — and crafting effective contingency plans. • Knowledge of construction contract models such as NEC and JCT • Experiencing of working within or delivering Framework Agreements • Experience managing and developing direct reports, helping them grow and strengthen their procurement capability. • A track record of leading complex, high-value construction or estates programmes, with the resilience to overcome obstacles and drive outcomes. • Strong market awareness and an eye on emerging industry trends. • Excellent stakeholder skills, grounded in commercial awareness and practical problem-solving. It would be great if you also have:
• Have obtained or are working towards completing a CIPS qualification. 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: Nationwide – with monthly onsite visits to the Salford Office and client sites Security Clearance Level: DBS Internal Recruiter: Rachel Salary: up to £65,000 per annum depending upon experience and development needs plus 3% flex fund (up to £1950) Benefits: £5,400 cash alternative car allowance, 25 days annual leave with the option to buy extra days, 4 x death in service life assurance, private medical insurance, pension, 3 days paid volunteering, 5 days paid carers leave and a generous flexible benefits package you can choose. We support many 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. 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?