Senior Buyer - Taunton, United Kingdom - Somerset NHS Foundation Trust

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust
Somerset NHS Foundation Trust
Verified Company
Taunton, United Kingdom

3 weeks ago

Tom O´Connor

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Tom O´Connor

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Description
Are you passionate about making a difference to people's lives?

Do you have experience of procurement, contract management, or commissioning services?

Then we have a great opportunity for you to join us as a Senior Buyer.

The Trust has 2 vacancies for Senior Buyers within the Services Contracting Team (1 x 37.5 hours and 1 x 30 hours)


The roles will involve working with clinical and non-clinical teams across the acute and community hospitals to purchase products or services whilst ensuring best value for money.

Would you like to work in one of the most desirable places within the UK?


Here in Somerset, you will be working amongst some of the most picturesque countryside with our areas of outstanding beauty and stunning coastlines.

You get to enjoy these perks whilst still only being a stone's throw away from bustling city centres like Bristol, Bath and Exeter and only two hours away from London.

There are excellent educational facilities in the area and, when compared to other regions, house prices are reasonable.

Is this the ideal role for you?

  • Are you organised and able to manage your own workload?
  • Do you have knowledge/experience of procurement regulations and tendering processes? This would be an advantage but full training will be given.
  • Do you have good relationship building skills, an eye for detail and a cando attitude?
If you answered YES to these questions then we would love to hear from you


As a Senior Buyer you will be responsible for:

  • carrying out tendering for goods and services using an e-tendering system;
- managing a complex portfolio of contracts to ensure products and services are delivered on time, in compliance with contract KPIs, and best value for money is achieved;
- raising purchase orders and keeping contract records up to date.


You will need to develop excellent working relationships with operational colleagues in both clinical and non-clinical roles and ensure the correct processes are followed when purchasing goods and services.

You will need to be well-organised, with the ability to prioritise your own workload. We are a friendly, supportive team and work closely together.


The full-time role will be managing our portfolio of IT contracts and the part-time role will be managing a range of corporate, HR and learning and development contracts.

This role is predominantly home-based with hot-desking facilities available at County Hall, Taunton.

On some occasions there is also the requirement to be able to travel to any of the Trust's sites across Somerset.

The Trust is planning to merge with Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust on 1 April 2023. There are no plans to restructure or merge the Procurement teams as part of this merger.


As an organisation, the NHS offers a wide range of benefits including flexible working, fantastic pension contributions, market leading annual leave allowance, career progression and regular conversations, not to mention our Blue Light Card and NHS exclusive discounts.

The benefits of working in Somerset include the idyllic countryside, with our areas of outstanding beauty and stunning coastlines.

You will get to enjoy these perks whilst still only being a stone's throw away from bustling city centres like Bristol, Bath and Exeter and only two hours away from London.

There are excellent educational facilities in the area and, when compared to other regions, house prices are reasonable. You will to experience the best of both in Somerset, the countryside and the cosmopolitan - there is truly something for everyone

Communication & Working Relationships

  • Communicate, in the most appropriate manner, technical and nontechnical information to colleagues and suppliers.
  • Negotiate with suppliers and user departments to ensure optimum value for money and transparent decision making.
  • Develop and enhance key supplier relationships and explore new business opportunities.
  • Seek to influence client choice to standardise products and services and reduce costs.
  • Listen to the needs of clients and engage in productive discussions about options.
Planning & Organisation

  • Take responsibility for a complex portfolio of contracts, understanding the total contract value and developing a contract renewal plan to ensure contracts are renewed in a timely fashion
  • Support line manager to take an active role in developing the annual work plan.
  • Lead quote and tender negotiation exercises; prepare and analyse evaluation sheets.
  • Develop and implement innovative ways to evaluate tenders and quotation returns to release cash savings.
  • Lead quote negotiations in line with relevant legislation and commercial/contract law/SFIs.
  • Create opportunities to leverage suppliers by driving proactive and collaborative monitoring of contracts.
Responsibility for Patient/Client Care, Treatment & Therapy

  • Work with sensitivity and an understanding of the issues facing front line hospital staff.
Policy, Service, Research & Development Res
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