Category Lead – DHSC PPE Pandemic Preparedness

Job Title: Category Lead – DHSC PPE Pandemic Preparedness

Function: Commercial

Location: Hybrid arrangement with presence required for 2 days office based.

Contract type: Perm

Salary: £65,920 with the potential to rise to £77,553 over 3 years

Closing Date: 16^th August 2026

Role Purpose

Reporting to Head of Category (Surgical Consumables and PPE), this role provides senior commercial leadership for the PPE category within the Department of Health and Social Care’s pandemic preparedness programme – a nationally critical capability underpinning the UK’s ability to respond to future health emergencies. The post-holder will be responsible for shaping and delivering the strategy for a stockpile exceeding 100,000 pallets and representing over £150m of public investment. The role ensures PPE supply is resilient, cost-effective, and operationally viable, with sufficient readiness to support the UK through the first wave of a future pandemic.

Context

The pandemic preparedness stockpile is a large-scale, high-value national asset designed to ensure rapid response capability in the event of a public health emergency. Significant recent investment in PPE and ongoing requirements to manage stock expiry, cost pressures, and supply chain resilience mean there is a need to transform the current operating model into a more dynamic, sustainable, and efficient system. The role operates across DHSC, NHS Supply Chain, and the wider health system, requiring close collaboration with senior stakeholders and suppliers to deliver national priorities.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and delivery of the DHSC PPE category strategy, aligned to national preparedness and commercial objectives
• Ensure the stockpile meets required readiness levels while balancing cost, risk, and operational constraints
• Drive supply chain transformation, including implementation of supplier-managed inventory, stock rotation, and reusable PPE solutions
• Manage a high-value category, delivering cost savings, cost avoidance, and value for money
• Provide expert commercial advice to senior stakeholders, including supporting ministerial decision-making and approvals
• Build and maintain effective relationships across DHSC, NHS Supply Chain, NHS providers, and suppliers
• Shape supplier markets to improve resilience, innovation, and sustainability
• Identify, assess, and manage risks relating to supply disruption, stock expiry, and financial exposure
• Ensure all activity is delivered in line with procurement regulations and governance requirements.
• Lead delivery of programmes and initiatives within agreed timelines in a fast-paced and evolving environment Key Accountabilities / Outcomes
• Maintenance of effective PPE readiness to support the UK’s pandemic first-wave response
• Reduction in financial exposure from expiring or obsolete stock
• Successful implementation of innovative and sustainable supply chain solutions Delivery of measurable commercial benefits, including cost savings and efficiencies
• Strengthened supply chain resilience and supplier performance
• Delivery of agreed workplan objectives to time and quality

Key Accountabilities / Outcomes

•  Effective PPE readiness maintained to support the UK’s pandemic first-wave response.
•  Financial exposure from expiring, obsolete, or surplus stock reduced.
•  Innovative and sustainable supply chain solutions successfully implemented.
•  Measurable commercial benefits delivered, including cost savings and operational efficiencies.
•  Supply chain resilience and supplier performance strengthened.
• Agreed workplan objectives delivered to time and quality standards.

Person Specification

Essential: 

• Significant experience in commercial, procurement, or category management leadership roles.
• Strong understanding of the NHS and wider healthcare system.
• Proven track record of delivering outcomes within complex, high-value, and strategically important environments. 
•  Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills, including experience engaging with senior leaders and executive-level stakeholders.
• Ability to operate effectively and make decisions in fast-paced, complex, and ambiguous environments.

Desirable:

• Experience of developing and implementing supply chain strategies and/or leading large-scale inventory management programmes.
• Experience working within the public sector and/or a highly regulated environment.

What can we offer you?

We want to reward you for your passion, enthusiasm, and hard work so we offer much more than a competitive salary:

• Hybrid working opportunities, giving you the flexibility to work collaboratively in the office and remotely.  
• We recognise our employees’ hard work and contributions with annual bonus schemes, long service, and colleagues’ recognition awards. 
• 27 days holiday plus bank holidays, with the option to purchase an additional 5 days.
• We are dedicated to your development, through in-house training, support, and access to external qualifications to maximise your potential.
• A focus on your well-being offering 1 day of paid well-being leave and free access to the 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme.
• Generous pension scheme (with us contributing 12% when you contribute 6%)
• Access to our Flexible Benefits Scheme, where you can choose from a variety of benefits such as Life Insurance, Critical Illness Cover, Income Protection, Health Cash Plan, Dental Insurance, and additional pension contributions that suit you.
• 2 days of paid volunteering leave allowing you to give back to your community. 
• Access to many discounts from the Blue Light Card to NHS Discounts.

NHS Supply Chain, who are we?

Our role is to support the NHS to save lives and improve health. We are a part of the NHS family, and our role is to source, deliver and supply healthcare products, services and food for NHS trusts and healthcare organisations across England and Wales.

We serve every NHS Trust and operate a national network of distribution centres, managing relationships with more than a thousand suppliers and delivering more than 8,000,000 orders each year to more than 17,000 locations. Doing all of this on behalf of the NHS gives NHS staff more time to focus on their main priority of providing excellent patient care.

Our Inclusive Commitment

At NHS Supply Chain, we are committed to building an inclusive environment where difference is not only valued, but celebrated, giving everyone the opportunity to thrive in their career. Developing our people is key to our success, so if this role sounds like the right next step in your career but your experience doesn’t match perfectly with the job advert, we encourage you to still apply.

Struggling to complete our application form, and require additional support? Reach out to our Talent Acquisition team at careers@supplychain.nhs.uk who will be happy to help you with alternative ways to apply.

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