Job summary
- Main area
- Administration
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 8b
- Contract
- 8 months (Fixed term / Secondment until 31st March 2026)
- Hours
- Full time
- Part time
- Home or remote working
- Job ref
- 432-HR566-25
- Employer
- East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Colchester Hospital
- Town
- Colchester
- Salary
- £64,455 - £74,896 per annum pro rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 14/08/2025 23:59
Employer heading

Diagnostic Network Procurement Manager
NHS AfC: Band 8b
We are one of the largest NHS organisation in England. Our scale provides exciting opportunities for development, innovation, research, education and training.
Talk to us about our range of flexible working opportunities, apprenticeships and staff benefits
Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) is at the heart of all we do; and it forms part of the ESNEFT’s core activities. The Trust operates and relies on everyone treating each other with dignity and respect, to receive equitable and fair treatment in the implementation of Policies, Procedures and in its Practices, to foster positive work relationships, and finally to act with integrity as a professional within ESNEFT as well as a representative of the NHS as a whole. The EDI Agenda reflects the Trust values such as Optimistic, Appreciative and Kind. In line with the NHS Long Term Plan, People Plan, People Promise and a Model Employer intrinsic in the Equality Diversity and Inclusion Agenda, we consistently strive to improve, to take the learning into Action for a better ESNEFT.
If you are passionate about patient care and want to develop your skills and knowledge then we are keen to hear from you.
Job overview
We are looking for a Procurement Manager to join us within the East of England Diagnostic Network Team. The network team have expanded to include four diagnostic networks: Pathology, Imaging, Endoscopy and Physiological Sciences. Our collaborative approach is central to our operations, and we are committed to supporting our trusts within the procurement domain.
Diagnostic networks are an advocate in creating an environment to support all our staff to develop and grow, share skills and knowledge, embrace innovation, deliver excellence and value within our procurement activities and has the ambition to become a world class procurement function of the future.
In this role you will lead specific project streams aimed at delivering Cost Improvement Programmes (CIP) at the local trust level. By engaging in regional procurement initiatives, participating trusts can leverage collective expertise and economies of scale to achieve cost savings and operational efficiencies.
You will need a background in procurement or contracting, with relevant qualifications or substantial experience. You will demonstrate the ability to lead procurement processes that are commercially sound and represent the best interests of the network. You will be able to identify areas to improve quality and reduce costs and help deliver innovative opportunities for member trusts.
This post is until 31st March 2026. Internal applicants currently employed by ESNEFT will be offered on a secondment basis only.
Main duties of the job
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Lead complex procurement projects, ensuring compliance with NHS standards and achieving cost savings.
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Implement CIP initiatives at the trust level, aiming for significant savings without compromising service quality.
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Collaborate with clinical and operational teams across multiple trusts to identify procurement opportunities and streamline processes.
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Provide support to the Network Operational Director in delivering various projects within the networks.
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Identify new opportunities to deliver cost and value benefits across the network's portfolio.
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Represent the procurement domain and the relevant network at various events, necessitating occasional travel around the East of England
Working for our organisation
We are ESNEFT and we provide hospital and community health services to almost one million people across east Suffolk and north Essex. Our dedicated staff deliver care from acute hospitals in Colchester and Ipswich, community hospitals, surgeries, community clinics and in patients’ own homes
We are one of the largest NHS organisations in England, employing more than 12,000 staff
We pride ourselves on supporting our staff. We offer a wide range of training and development opportunities, as well as flexible working options
Along with supporting you to achieve your career goals we offer a generous pension scheme, unsocial hours payments (where applicable), 27 days annual leave on commencement (pro rata) and access to a range of NHS discounts. Our Staff Health and Wellbeing programme offer a variety of services.
Our philosophy is that Time Matters to everyone. Across the Trust, we concentrate on improving the things we do and removing those which cause time delays for our staff and patients
We are investing in our commitment to Time Matters with a partnership with leading electronic patient record (EPR) supplier Epic. This digital transformation will bring what’s widely regarded as the world’s best EPR system to ESNEFT, transforming life in hospital for staff and patients
If you are passionate about patient care and want to develop your skills and knowledge, then we want to hear from you
Find out about living and working here - www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkPu7HphU8A
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
For full details of the responsibilities and duties of this role please see the attached job description.
Person specification
Experience
Essential criteria
- Proven experience of working in a management/leadership role
- Experience of managing, leading and motivating a team
- Significant senior management experience in general management, planning or commissioning roles in the NHS or similar health or social care organisation
- Leading service changes to improve performance
- Significant experience of highly complex contract negotiation in a highly complex and contentious environment
- Identifying and interpreting national policy and implementing required changes
- Highly developed specialist knowledge and understanding of the way that NHS governance structures operation including. But not to, NHS Trusts and NHS Foundation Trusts both from a technical and operational perspective
- Relevant, significant and up to date knowledge and understanding of the wide range and continually changing NHS governance and contractual issues (including legislation, NHS guidance and business rules)
Desirable criteria
- Responsible for a budget and budget setting
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Educated to Masters level or equivalent experience
- Management/leadership qualification or equivalent experience at post graduate level
- Evidence of continued professional development
- Further relevant training
Desirable criteria
- Project Management Qualification
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Bee Anthony
- Job title
- Operational Director
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07775 566616
If you have problems applying, contact
- Address
-
Colchester General Hospital
- Telephone
- 07789651269
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