Meet our ICT category team
Our team of IT and technology procurement experts are here to help source essential products and services for your trust or public sector organisation.
The team is led by Alison Petrie, Senior Category Manager, who has been with us since September 2011. She has over 15 years’ experience in both the private and public sectors within the steel industry, financial services and NHS sectors, managing a broad range of spend categories to deliver significant savings and contract efficiencies.
James Brooks is Category Manager for ICT and joined the team in October 2019. He has over 20 years’ experience in procurement, having previously worked for Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust and Sheffield College. He studied town planning at Sheffield Hallam University.
As NOE CPC continues to grow expertise in the field, we are also expanding and developing the team. We sat down with two newer members of the team – Supplier Relationship Manager Leo Shippam and Category Manager ICT Donna Fowler – to find out more about them.
First, we spoke to Leo, and asked him why he joined the team:
After spending several years and working several roles in the private sector, I decided, like many, that after the pandemic, I too wanted to make a difference and work for a large team where I could help and be proud of what I do for a living. After only a few months here I can tell that people do have a lot of pride in what they do and that I can use my experience and knowledge to make a difference.
What is your professional background?
I actually began my career within the health and fitness industry whilst I studied at university. From then, I have worked in community sports development before moving into the private sector as a project manager and commercial project manager in both the rail and steel industry. My most recent commercial role saw me spending lots of time in China visiting and working with customers, suppliers and manufacturers.
Will you be looking to develop your professional skills at NOE CPC?
With such a wide variety of courses and self-improvement opportunities, I will certainly be looking for anything that will better me as an SRM and as a team member of NOE CPC. Particularly anything that will quickly improve my knowledge of the categories or anything that will aid in building my skills in people management.
Your role of Supplier Relationship Manager is new to NOE CPC – what are you hoping to achieve in this role?
The best thing about it being a new role is the opportunity to shape and mould the role into whatever I’d like it to be. Building a strategy, evolving our categories with the market and moving in line with the trusts themselves and the needs of the business are all made a little easier whilst the role is fresh. The people and the culture are what attracted me to the role in the first place and I hope to use these to anchor the approach of the SRM and to build strong and lasting relationships between our framework suppliers and NOE CPC.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I have two kids, which eats up a lot of my spare time, but in my own time I play golf, badminton and like to keep fit at the gym. My guilty pleasure is LEGO! During my trips to China I began bringing quite a lot home with me and have been hooked ever since.
Tell us one interesting fact about you.
I used to work as a personal trainer and triathlon coach
We also asked Donna few questions about her background. First, we asked her why she joined the team.
What stood out to me when I applied for this role were the important role NOE CPC has in delivering procurement to the NHS, the strong focus on team ethos and the core values stood out to me when I applied for the role.
What is your professional background?
I am MCIPS qualified with 13 years’ public sector experience in higher education at Sheffield Hallam University. I led tenders and managed contracts for a range of goods and services, from IT hardware and software to catering and consultancy services.
Will you be looking to develop your professional skills at NOE CPC?
I will be looking to enhance my current skills and learn as much as I can from colleagues within NOE CPC and the NHS.
What are you hoping to achieve in your role?
I would like to build good working relationships with trusts, colleagues within NOE CPC and other collaborative organisations to ensure that our frameworks are fit for purpose, easy to use and have the most competitive pricing. I would like to explore innovative and sustainable solutions to ensure that the frameworks are up to date with the latest technology, future proofed and reduce impact on the environment.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
When I’m not trying to keep my very active 5-year-old son entertained, I like to attempt to jog a 5k and enjoy singing my heart out on karaoke.
Tell us one interesting fact about you.
My partner and I did a road trip around Italy covering over 4,000 miles in search of the best prosecco Italy had to offer. We eventually arrived at a town called Valdobbiadene, the home of the best prosecco. I later renamed the town Prosecco Land!