Procurement Specialist

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a proactive Procurement Specialist to join the Medicines Manufacturing Centre (MMC)—a cutting-edge NHS pharmaceutical production facility based in Seaton Delaval, Northumberland. The MMC is in its final design stages. This is a fantastic opportunity to be part of a pioneering NHS manufacturing facility, supporting a leadership team committed to quality, innovation, and patient care.

All employees of the Medicine Manufacturing Centre (MMC) are currently employed by Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, under Agenda for Change Terms and Conditions. Should the service be transferred into alternative ownership, those employees with start dates prior to the transfer date, will be protected under Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (TUPE). Therefore, employees will transfer to the new employer on the same terms and conditions, which are protected and the employees’ continuity of employment is preserved.

Please note we reserve the right to close this vacancy prior to the closing date once the required number of suitable applications have been received.

To support procurement and sourcing activities within a GMP-compliant medicines manufacturing facility, ensuring the timely and cost-effective supply of goods and services.

The primary focus of the role is procurement sourcing, supplier management, and contract complianc e.

The post holder will work flexibly across customer service, procurement , supply chain and administration functions to support service continuity, providing cross-cover where required while maintaining clear accountability for their core area of responsibility.

The Medicines Manufacturing Centre (MMC) is a brand-new, purpose-built NHS pharmaceutical production facility located at the Northumbria Innovation and Manufacturing Hub in Seaton Delaval, Northumberland. This cutting-edge centre is part of the North East and North Cumbria Provider Collaborative and has been established to meet the growing need for high-quality, regionally manufactured Ready-to-Administer (RtA) medicines and advanced aseptic products.

Funded with £30 million of investment from NHS England, the MMC will support a secure, sustainable supply chain for critical medicines, particularly for oncology and other high-risk therapies, while creating skilled jobs and driving innovation across the region. The facility is designed to operate under a Manufacturer’s Specials Licence (MS) and aims to secure a Wholesale Dealer’s Authorisation (WDA(H)), ensuring compliance with MHRA, GMP, and GDP regulations from day one.

At the MMC, quality, patient safety, and staff wellbeing are at the heart of everything we do. Our leadership team is committed to building a culture of openness, learning, and continuous improvement—offering staff a rare opportunity to help shape the systems, teams, and values of a truly modern NHS manufacturing unit.

Working at the MMC means being part of a forward-thinking and supportive team focused on enabling frontline clinical staff to spend more time with patients by delivering safe, ready-to-use medicines.

Support sourcing exercises, quotation processes, supplier evaluations and market assessments in line with policies.

Lead procurement of materials, consumables, equipment, and services

Raise and manage purchase orders in line with policy and procedures

Ensure compliance with NHS procurement regulations and GMP requirements

Contribute to continuity planning and mitigation of supply shortages

Support supplier onboarding and new product introduction (NPI) processes

Monitor supplier performance, delivery performance, and supply risks

Ensure procurement activities comply with GMP, NHS procurement regulations, and internal policies

Support contract management, including tracking service levels and performance metrics

Undertake market analysis and benchmarking to support value-for-money decisions.

Act as the primary point of contact for supplier performance, commercial queries and procurement-related issues.

Develop and maintain effective supplier relationships to support quality, cost and continuity objective s and resolve supply issues.

Escalate supplier performance concerns and support corrective action planning

Work collaboratively across customer service, supply chain , procurement and admin support functions to support continuity of service