Associate Director of Strategic Procurement/Contracting
| Company: | NHS Jobs |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £79,504 to £91,609 a year |
| Hours: | Full-time |
| Location: | Bristol Gloucester, BS1 6AG |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Posting date: | 1 Sept 2026 |
| Closing date: | 20 Sept 2026 |
Summary
This directorate is responsible for developing contracting approaches which support the achievement of outcomes by planning and procuring services that deliver value, strategic priorities and health outcomes. This includes commissioning across pathways of care for population and neighbourhood cohorts and taking bold decisions to innovate and at times de-commission services. As part of the the Strategic Commissioning Unit (SCU) the procurement and contracting team provides strategic commissioning and payer functions to drive the delivery of the population health strategy and ensure placebased priorities are met. The SCU spans a comprehensive portfolio including Primary Care, Community Care, Childrens, Acute, IS, Mental Health and Non-Healthcare. By commissioning new models of care across pathways and neighbourhood cohorts, and developing robust, outcomebased service specifications, the team supports the transformation and integration of services at cluster level. It plays a central role in shaping and developing the provider market, overseeing performance management of contract outcomes to ensure highquality, valuedriven delivery. The postholder will provide strategic leadership of the ICBs procurement function, ensuring all procurement activity delivers high quality outcomes, best value for money and full compliance with legislative, regulatory and governance requirements. Acting as the ICBs senior expert advisor on procurement and supply chain matters, the role provides strategic insight, assurance and professional leadership to support system decision making and market management. The postholder leads complex, high value and high risk procurements, develops and delivers the ICBs Procurement Strategy and Policy and maintains oversight of the procurement pipeline to ensure effective prioritisation, delivery and resource use. Key Responsibilities Provide strategic leadership and management of the ICBs Procurement function, ensuring all procurement activity delivers high-quality outcomes and best value for money, complies with internal governance and relevant legislation, and effectively balances statutory, financial, and service delivery priorities. Act as the senior expert advisor to the ICB on all procurement (healthcare, non-healthcare and goods and services) and supply chain matters, providing strategic insight and assurance to support system decision-making, and offering ongoing professional support to all ICB staff and more specifically the other Associate Directors of Contracts and all contract managers in relation to contract and market management. Lead and advise on complex, high-value, or high-risk procurements, ensuring appropriate procurement strategies are developed and delivered that support system transformation, market sustainability, and improved outcomes. Lead the development, implementation, and ongoing delivery of the ICBs Procurement Policy and Strategy, ensuring alignment with national NHS commercial frameworks and local system priorities, and contribute as required to the development of contract and market management strategies. Lead on the implementation and management of a risk and issues management process, which is embedded across the programme and that the management of risk and issues are mitigated with corrective action and reporting is undertaken in a timely way. Lead on the development, implementation and ongoing delivery of the ICBs Procurement Standing Operating Procedures Lead on the development, implementation and ongoing delivery of the ICBs PSR Annual Report ensuring alignment with the regional procurement hub Develop, maintain, and actively manage a comprehensive procurement pipeline and workplan, providing clear oversight of forthcoming activity, prioritisation of resources, and assurance on delivery against system objectives. Lead engagement and liaison with the regional procurement hub and other relevant partners, securing appropriate specialist support and ensuring effective use of regional and national procurement capability to maximise value, consistency, and compliance. Lead effective contract management across the allocated portfolio, ensuring contracts are actively managed to deliver quality, value for money, and improved outcomes in line with NHS priorities and system objectives. Act as Relationship Manager for the contract portfolio, coordinating contract monitoring and provider performance across a range of services and organisations, fostering constructive partnerships while maintaining robust challenge and accountability. Lead and manage dispute resolution within the portfolio Maintain robust frameworks for effective contract and provider performance management Negotiate and agree effective contracts for non-healthcare and goods and services in line with the commissioning strategy for those contracts delegated to the postholder. Provide contracting advice to all staff Healthcare / Non-Healthcare / Goods and Services Implementation of Commercial and Procurement Strategy in the Contract Portfolio. Provide contract management and comprehensive accurate record management, to ensure good governance, meeting audit requirements, transparency, and accountability. Ensure a register of contracts is maintained and that the contracts portfolio is kept up to date with contractual variations and reviews completed in accordance with required timescales