TeamTalk Procurement Operations: The next generation of procurement professionals
The challenge of recruiting and retaining excellent staff is a challenge faced across the NHS. Despite the varied roles and career paths into the health service – procurement is not necessarily a career people would think of when considering joining the NHS workforce.
The NHS Procurement Graduate Training Scheme first launched in 2020, and NOE CPC were one of the first organisations to sign up. We welcomed our first graduate trainee Olivia Humphrey in September 2021.
Having completed her training, Olivia is now working as a procurement support officer in our procurement operations team. We sat down with her to find out more about her experience and what the future holds for her NHS procurement career.
“After graduating with a degree in marketing from Lancaster University, I was looking at different options for graduate schemes. I knew I wanted to work for a known organisation, and I had developed an interest in healthcare following the pandemic. I had studied modules on strategic negotiations and contract management as part of my degree, so I applied for the NHS Procurement Graduate scheme.
“I joined NOE CPC as part of the pilot programme for the NHS procurement graduate scheme and spent two years rotating through different areas of the business including the customer support desk, communications and marketing, procurement operations and the NHS Supply Chain category provision.
“I learnt a lot and gained a lot of skills throughout my time with the different teams, every day is different and having the support of people within different teams and now Natalie as my line manager has been instrumental in helping me to gain the confidence and skills for my role in procurement operations. What I love most about my role is getting to see the difference we make, and meeting people in NHS trusts who are directly benefitting from the work we do.”
“My advice to anyone who is considering applying to the scheme is to be confident in your abilities. A lot of the non-clinical side of the NHS is about transferrable skills. Everyday is a learning opportunity and the Procurement Act is a prime example of this – we are all on the same footing learning about what is to come.
“I am continuing with my professional development and am working on the end project stage of the CIPS Advanced Diploma which I hope to complete in March. I am hoping to apply for MCIPS in the future.”
Caron Godbold-Darbyshire, who manages the graduate scheme, said: “This highly- focused development pathway provides graduates with a secure foundation to enable them to progress in a career in procurement within the NHS. It enables NHS organisations to recruit bright graduates and develop as technical specialists for their organisation and the NHS as a whole.
"We are currently recruiting for our fifth cohort of graduates to start in September 2025 which will take our total number of successful graduates to 120. Managers, and graduates themselves, have been overwhelmingly positive about the NHS Procurement Graduate Scheme which continues to grow and develop having a huge impact of the organisations who take part."
NOE CPC have two places available through the scheme for 2025. To find out more about the Pathways 2 NHS Procurement Graduate Training Scheme or to apply, visit the website.