Procurement Officer

As a Procurement Officer at Athena Care Homes, you will be responsible for ensuring our care homes are supplied with the highest quality products and services at the best value.

About Athena Care Homes:
Athena Care Homes is an award winning, family-owned business operating seven residential nursing homes in East Anglia where care and compassion runs through to our very core. There is a shared vision across all of our specialist care homes: we strive to provide happy, safe and comfortable care to every resident.

At Athena we celebrate everyone as an individual. Whether that’s delivering authentic care, supporting our team to make moments for our residents and their loved ones, or whether that’s learning and growing together.

About the role:
Reporting to the Finance Director, the Procurement Officer will be responsible for overseeing the procurement process for care home supplies, including food, medical, and hygiene products, as well as equipment and furnishings.

Salary:
Up to £40,000 per annum.

Shift Pattern:
37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday based in our Central Office.

Location:
Central Office, Russel House, Basildon, Essex, SS15 6TF.

Key Duties & Responsibilities:

• Build and maintain strong relationships with suppliers to negotiate competitive prices and service agreements.
• Monitor and evaluate supplier performance to ensure timely delivery and high-quality standards.
• Conduct regular market research to identify new suppliers, products, and cost-saving opportunities.
• Collaborate with care home managers to assess needs and forecast demand, ensuring supplies are consistently available.

Training, Skills & Experience Required:

• Proven experience in a procurement or purchasing role, ideally within healthcare, hospitality, or a similar sector.
• Strong negotiation skills with a keen eye for detail and a focus on cost-saving without compromising on quality.
• Knowledge of procurement practices and an understanding of compliance and regulatory requirements.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to build effective working relationships with suppliers and internal teams.
• Strong IT skills including systems and Microsoft Office packages.

What we can offer:

• Fully comprehensive induction.
• Competitive salary, plus enhancements on bank holidays.
• 33 days of holiday per year.
• Free Blue Light Card & access to the Blue Light discount platform.
• Annual recognition awards ceremony – The AFTAS.
• Refer a friend scheme.

About Athena:
Athena Care Homes are a family run business with seven homes across East Anglia. We have care homes in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, Kings Lynn (West Norfolk) & Ipswich (Suffolk).

Our aim is to be the provider of choice for our residents and the employer of choice for our team members.

Our purpose is to create excellent quality homely environments with the highest standards of care, catering, housekeeping and activities.

We aim to enhance the lives of our residents and enable them to enjoy life to the full as individuals in happy, comfortable and safe surroundings.