Overview

National Services Scotland (NSS) is a national NHS Board operating right at the heart of NHSScotland providing invaluable support and advice at a strategic and operational level. NSS supports customers to deliver their services more efficiently and effectively and we offer shared services on a national scale using best-in-class systems and standards. Our priority is always the same – to improve the health and well-being of the people of Scotland. We do this by working in partnership with colleagues across Health and Social Care to deliver fit for purpose solutions and systems, delivering high quality services that help our stakeholders to free up resources so they can be re-invested into essential services.

The Post: 
This is a critically important post within NHS National Procurement (NP) developed in response to the climate emergency and an exciting opportunity for a suitably qualified candidate to become our expert lead in developing and implementing the strategic direction and policy of NP and NHSS wide Procurement services in the delivery of Climate Change and Circular economy policy ambitions.

The Candidate:
Educated to Master’s degree level in an environment or sustainability-related subject, or with extensive relevant equivalent experience you should have significant experience in all aspects of financial, performance and risk management within a large complex organisation; you will be able to evidence management of major projects and initiatives with a demonstrable breadth of knowledge and experience in climate change understanding, mitigation approaches and circular economy project identification and delivery.

You’ll be required to develop close and effective working relationships with leaders in National Procurement, NSS, NHSScotland, Scottish Government and partner organisations.

Key Areas

  • Provide expert guidance on climate change and circular economy matters to all of NHSS Procurement and supply services including NP supply chain and logistics by maintaining an up to date knowledge through detailed research e.g. academic papers, industry reports, governmental and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) reviews etc.
  • Direct and manage discrete and short term multidisciplinary teams on an NHSS wide level for National Procurement on projects such as, reduction of plastic used in products purchased within specific contracts, or driving positive change in delivery practices across a range of contracts to reduce climate impacts through distribution chains.
  • Ensure that NSS and NHSS Procurement teams are fully compliant with policies, procedures and standards, in relation to climate change and circular economy overseeing satisfactory implementation of compliance to same.
  • Climate Change and Circular Economy is a continuously evolving area, the post holder will provide national leadership in preparing and assuring NHSS Procurement services are prepared for and can deliver against these developments.

The Post holder is responsible for providing high level strategic and operational leadership for National Procurement in relation to circular economy and climate change.   The post holder is fully accountable for the delivery of business objectives, management of performance, and quality of deliverables in their area.

The post holder has autonomy to determine strategy and methods for achieving business objectives.  Strategic objectives, policy planning and specific projects can be set over varying time frames from annual business planning to 5-year strategic planning.  The post-holder ensures appropriate governance is in place for aspects of their business plans, including stakeholder engagement, performance and quality management, and management of risk.

The postholder participates in the formal SBU performance appraisal scheme with annual objective setting and takes a proactive approach in the formulation of a personal development plan which supports the maintenance of the deep multidisciplinary knowledge required. Their Line Manger will undertake evaluation of results and objectives.

Internal

  • Director, other Heads of Service, Health Board eHealth Directors, Scottish Government Policy Leads and other senior managers on an informal basis to gain business intelligence, influence support for innovative solutions, to share vision, approach, objectives, progress, funding / budgets, staffing resource requirements and matters relative to the various services.
  • Regular meetings with Service Managers, Consultants, Clinical Leads, Heads of Procurement, and Sustainability Leads and other staff in own Service Area to discuss priorities and monitor progress and performance towards business plan objectives.
  • The post holder is required to have effective working relationships with NSS Board Executive Directors to ensure that existing cross SBU programmes of work are effectively planned and managed, that opportunities for collaboration are fully explored and that resources required from other areas of NSS can be utilised to maximise effectiveness and value for money.

External

  • The post holder is required to build effective working relationships with a wide range of external stakeholders, in line with the SBU customer engagement strategy and plan, including Scottish Government Directors and Divisional Heads, Academic experts, Local Authority Directors, senior clinicians, leads within NGO’s and heads of other partner organisations such as Audit Scotland. These relationships are essential to ensure that existing products and services are meeting stakeholder requirements, are fully funded and that proposals for new work are fully discussed, resources negotiated and future strategies developed.  In addition, a key role of the post holder is to establish effective partnership working with representatives from a range of professional and staff side bodies.
  • The post-holder is required to maintain effective senior level relationships with executive management of current and potential suppliers of national services to NHS Scotland and associated agencies.
  • Articulate the science, the technical difficulties, the urgency and potential solutions for non-technical audiences for example NHS Chief Executive level to drive the importance of this subject matter up the agenda
  • The post-holder is required to chair / attend national groups relative to specific projects.

Excellent written and oral communication skills are required since the post holder will be required to present proposals, persuade stakeholders to invest and fund projects and explain highly complex technical topics in a way that can be understood by non-technical or lay audience such as climate science, carbon pricing, environmental product labels, GHG Protocols, various in-product materials and their impacts on the environment delivered through self-drafted guidance documents and PowerPoint presentations or similar. Delivery may include attending and presenting at workshops, conferences and meetings; representing NP on national strategy groups and debating policy and strategy relating to NHSS Procurement developments.  This will include responding to media enquiries and dealing with representatives from political parties if required.

Location and Working Pattern:
The role is currently hybrid working with a base location at out National Distribution Centre at Canderside, Larkhall

The work pattern is 37.5 hours per week Mon-Fri

It is a condition of this employment that you must live and remain a resident within the UK for the post in which you will be employed with NSS.

Benefits: 

  • Our benefits package includes pension scheme, comprehensive range of work life balance policies, occupational health services, learning resource centres and discounted leisure, financial and shopping benefits. Click here to view the full range of NHS NSS Employee Benefits.