Assistant Director, Procurement and Commercial
Assistant Director, Procurement and Commercial
Our vision is for safe and effective nursing and midwifery practice across the four countries of the UK – regulated and supported by the NMC – a fit for the future organisation, with fairness and equity at the heart of everything we do.
Our role is to protect the public and maintain confidence in the nursing and midwifery professions. As the largest independent regulator in Europe of more than 860,000 nursing and midwifery professionals, we have a crucial role in making this a reality.
We do this by setting and promoting high education and professional standards for all future and registered nurses and midwives in the UK and nursing associates in England.
We also ensure every nurse, midwife and nursing associate on our Register meets clear standards of conduct and practice which protects the public and the reputation of our professions.
We have a duty to investigate concerns and to take steps to protect the public in the relatively rare instances where we need to limit or restrict a nurse, midwife or nursing associate’s right to practise.
We are building a new NMC with integrity, fairness, respect, equity and effectiveness at its core.
We are determined to improve and modernise our culture and ways of working. This will ensure that the public and professionals feel confident in our work.
About the team
At the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), procurement is entering a period of significant transformation. We are reshaping how commercial and procurement services support our regulatory mission—protecting the public and enabling safe, effective nursing and midwifery practice across the UK.
Our Procurement and Commercial function sits at the heart of this change. Working closely with Finance, Legal and the wider organisation, the team is evolving into a trusted strategic partner—providing insight, assurance and leadership across a £40m annual third-party spend. This is an opportunity to help redefine procurement’s role in a complex, highly regulated environment, ensuring that every pound spent delivers value, impact and public benefit.
Your role and impact
As Assistant Director of Procurement & Commercial, you will play a pivotal leadership role in transforming procurement into a true strategic enabler for the NMC. Reporting to the Executive Director of Finance, you will lead both strategic and operational procurement services, positioning the function as a credible, influential voice at Executive and Board level.
You will shape and deliver an organisation-wide Procurement Strategy aligned to the NMC’s regulatory purpose and financial objectives, while providing expert commercial advice on major programmes, routes to market and contract models. You will oversee high-value and complex procurement activity, embed best-practice contract and supplier management, and ensure full compliance with the Procurement Act 2023 and all relevant governance requirements.
Beyond compliance, your impact will be felt through the value you unlock—driving efficiency, sustainability and innovation across the organisation. You will champion value for money, lead initiatives such as spend analysis and the War on Waste programme, and build collaborative partnerships with other regulators to maximise collective buying power. Through strong leadership and clear direction, you will develop a high-performing team that delivers insight, assurance and measurable outcomes.
What you will bring
You will bring significant senior-level experience leading procurement and commercial activity within a public sector or regulated environment, along with a strong track record of delivering value for money through complex, high-value contracts.
You are a confident strategic leader who can operate at pace in a regulated setting, balancing risk, compliance and commercial opportunity. With strong analytical and financial skills, you are comfortable translating data and market insight into clear, evidence-based recommendations for Executive and Board audiences.
Just as importantly, you will bring credibility, influence and clarity in how you communicate—able to engage senior stakeholders, challenge constructively and secure commitment. As a people leader, you will inspire and develop your team, embedding a culture of accountability, continuous improvement and professional excellence that reflects the NMC’s values and purpose.
Benefits
- 30 days annual leave
- Enhanced Pension Contributions via our attractive Pension Scheme – with a basic 8% employer contribution as standard which increases up to 14% with optional added Employee Contributions
- Life Insurance – 4 x current salary
- Hybrid working
- Enhanced Maternity and Paternity Leave
- 24 Hours Employee Assistance Programme
- Cycle to Work Scheme
- Perkbox membership
- Subsidised restaurant in our Portland Place office
- Season ticket loans
Additional Information
The role you are applying for is a flexible role, and whilst you will be posted initially to a team, this may require movement between teams as the flow of work dictates. You will of course understand that this flexible approach enables us to provide the best possible service to our registrants and reach the outcomes to our cases quickly and within a reasonable timeframe. This will not change your terms and conditions and will be discussed with you prior to you taking up the post.
We are currently working to a policy of office attendance for two days per week with the rest of the time working from home. Before submitting your application, please ensure you are able to commit to working in one of our office locations twice per week. If you are applying for a part-time role, please pro-rata office attendance based on the number of days you would be working.
Our Pay Policy
It is expected that staff new to the NMC will ordinarily be appointed to the bottom of the relevant pay band. However in exceptional circumstances, it may be possible to offer a salary above the bottom of the relevant pay band but we may request proof of current earnings. Please note that we offer an annual review of salaries and adopt a generous progressive pay approach. Further details of which are available on request.
For our internal colleagues, you will be paid in accordance to our internal pay policy.
Reasonable adjustments
We will provide reasonable adjustments to support disabled candidates throughout the recruitment process. Please let us know if you need any additional support to enable you to make an application with us.
Screening and vetting
All of our roles are subject to pre-employment checks. We are in the process of introducing a vetting policy, and it is possible that this role may become subject to DBS and further vetting checks in future.
About The Nursing and Midwifery Council
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