Building a Career in NHS Procurement: Ella’s Story
The Pathways 2 NHS Procurement Graduate Scheme has been an important starting point for the careers of several members of the NOE CPC team. One of the most recent team members to join us through the scheme is Ella Gruszyk, who has now secured a permanent position with the Facilities and Office Solutions Helpdesk team in the Customer Support/Assistant Buyer role.
Ella discusses how she came to join the graduate scheme, moving into her new role and the ways in which she continues to support current and future graduates on the scheme.
Background and joining NOE CPC as a graduate
“I studied Sustainability and Environmental Management at University and there were lots of opportunities related to sustainability out there and I wanted to apply to something where I could learn and apply it to other areas. Procurement provided a good opportunity for this as I can learn and develop new skills both on the job and through the CIPS Level 4 qualification, while bringing in the perspective of sustainability through mechanisms such as the 10% social value weighting in all our procurements and the NHS Road to Net Zero plan. With the NHS being a global healthcare leader in sustainability, I was excited to support this mission and work in sustainability in this area.”
“When I joined NOE CPC as a graduate, I enjoyed getting involved in projects on the Cleaning Equipment, Supplies and Associated Products framework which is a large and very busy framework. As part of this project team, I learned a lot of skills very quickly, particularly in terms of the contract management of this framework. I’m just now getting involved in a tender for a different framework which is rounding out my procurement experience well.”
Moving into the Customer Support/Assistant Buyer role
“When a permanent role as Customer Support/Assistant Buyer within the Helpdesk team came up, I saw the opportunity to develop further in my career and gain more long-term experience. Working for the NHS involves having a meaningful career with real impact on people and patients and it’s important to me that I get to continue to be a part of this.”
“As I move into this role, I’m excited to get involved in the tender for the next iteration of the Printable Patient Identification Wristbands framework and expand my experience in this area. We’re also welcoming two new starters to the team this month and I look forward to supporting with their onboarding and working together on projects going forward.”
“In October, I’ll be attending the HCSA Procurement Development Programme, which will help me further understand how to get value from my procurement activities and develop my confidence and procurement skills. I hope this will set me up well to work more efficiently in my role and be able to progress further in the future.”
Supporting future graduates
“As part of the Pathways 2 NHS Procurement Graduate Scheme, I’ve supported with interviews and an assessment centre for the next cohort of the scheme. I also attended a careers fair to engage potential future applicants. Through these events, I enjoyed bringing procurement from a behind-the-scenes function to the foreground and open up the possibility of a career in procurement to more people, emphasizing how meaningful the work can be. It’s always nice to have the opportunity to meet new people, network and support graduates in their journey. I look forward to welcoming more graduates in the future.”