Lead Category Manager - Licensed Medicines

For questions about this job, contact

Name: Andrew Wilson

Position: Associate Director of Procurement

Email: ***email_hidden***

Interview Date: Monday 10th August 2026

Job Summary

As Lead Category Manager Licensed Medicines, you'll join the North East and Yorkshire Pharmaceutical Purchasing Consortium (NEYPPC), hosted by Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, and help shape how licensed medicines are procured across the NHS. Leading a team of procurement and clinical specialists, you'll develop regional procurement strategies, manage high value sourcing projects and build strong partnerships with NHS organisations, suppliers and stakeholders. Your work will directly support better value for the NHS, strengthen resilience of medicine supply and ultimately improve patient care across the region.

This is an opportunity to make an impact well beyond a single organisation. We're looking for an experienced procurement leader with strong commercial awareness, excellent relationship building skills and the confidence to influence senior stakeholders. If you enjoy leading complex projects, driving innovation and working collaboratively to solve strategic challenges, you'll thrive in our supportive, forward thinking team. At NEYPPC you'll have the opportunity to shape the future of medicines procurement across the North East & Yorkshire, develop others and play a leading role in delivering meaningful change across the NHS.

Why you should join our Team

NEYPPC is a collaborative procurement organisation hosted by Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, providing specialist pharmacy procurement services to NHS organisations across the North East and Yorkshire. As a not for profit NHS collaborative, our focus is simple: delivering better value for the NHS while supporting outstanding patient care. Our team combines procurement, pharmacy and commercial expertise to develop innovative solutions, influence regional and national procurement strategies, and deliver real benefits for our member organisations. Collaboration is at the heart of everything we do, with colleagues working closely with NHS Trusts, Integrated Care Boards, national organisations and suppliers to tackle shared challenges and improve outcomes across the healthcare system.

Joining NEYPPC means becoming part of a knowledgeable, supportive and ambitious team where your ideas are valued and your work has an impact far beyond a single organisation. We encourage innovation, continuous professional development and collaborative working, giving colleagues the opportunity to lead high profile projects, influence change and build lasting professional relationships across the NHS. If you're looking for a role where you can make a genuine difference, work alongside experts in their field and help shape the future of pharmacy procurement, we'd love to hear from you.

What you will bring to the role

The successful candidate will:

• Lead the strategic procurement and category management of licensed medicines across a portfolio with significant regional impact.
• Develop and implement category strategies that deliver value for money, improve patient care and support continuity of supply across NHS organisations.
• Manage high value sourcing and tendering projects, ensuring compliance with the Procurement Act and procurement best practice.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with Chief Pharmacists, procurement teams, clinicians, suppliers and other key stakeholders across the NHS.
• Lead, motivate and develop a team of procurement and clinical specialists, fostering a culture of collaboration, continuous improvement and high performance.
• Negotiate complex contracts and oversee contract management activities to ensure maximum value and supplier performance.
• Identify opportunities for innovation, service improvement and efficiencies, supporting NHS organisations in implementing change.
• Provide expert procurement advice and guidance, using specialist knowledge of procurement legislation, commercial practice and medicines markets.
• Monitor and report on procurement performance, savings and customer benefits, ensuring delivery against strategic objectives.
• Represent NEYPPC at regional and national meetings, contributing to collaborative programmes and influencing the future direction of NHS pharmacy procurement.

Please see the attached job description for further information about this vacancy.

About Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust

Our Trust values

The Leeds Way is working together to support each other and deliver the best possible care to patients.

We are.

Responsible

Open and Honest

One Team

Kind

Our Trust priorities

Our purpose: Excellent, safe and sustainable care for every patient every time

Our priorities

People

Improvement and Innovation

Partnerships

Outcomes

Sponsorship Eligibility

To comply with UK Government regulations on Skilled Worker sponsorship, Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust is unable to provide sponsorship to applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria or the salary threshold concessions set out under the Skilled Worker visa route. Please take this into consideration before submitting your application. Full guidance on these concessions, including details of who may qualify, can be found here.

We reserve the right to close this advert early if we receive a high number of suitable applications.