Data Analyst

Band 5 £25,655 - £27,780 per annum

Directorate: Corporate Services Directorate

Department: MSE - Procurement and Supplies

Responsible to: Head of Systems & Governance

Accountable to: Director of Procurement and Supply Chain

Job summary

To provide a proactive data analytics capability for the MSE procurement & supply chain team.
Responsible for generating cost modelling tools and processes to capture, control and report against spend for all spend categories to support the procurement team in driving spend reduction and supporting strategic sourcing from a range of different data sources.
Support the Logistics team in analysing current operational performance to identify areas for operational improvement
Deal will ad hoc requests from the Director of Procurement & Supply Chain or Head of Operations to undertake detailed analysis to support Business Cases or Board Papers on an as required basis
Be attuned with developments in data analytics including Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning and provide a Point of View on future strategy for the Director of Procurement & Supply Chain or Head of Operations
Work closely with the Category Leads and Category Managers to leverage data to understand category attributes in more detail, identify actionable cost releasing financial savings, understand supplier spend & performance and understand contract compliance.
Develop and provide a comprehensive suite of commercial and cost management information to ensure that purchasing decisions are made against informed information.
Report on procurement performance e.g. Procurement Dashboard highlighting Monthly savings performance, spend reports, compliance reports, Helpdesk performance and seek stakeholder sign off with relevant stakeholders
Report on Data Quality and drive actions to ensure data quality is optimized.
Represent the procurement Directorate at corporate meetings when ask by Senior Management
Produce management information and data reports in partnership with the Logistics team to ensure compliance with NHS Improvement’s requirements.

Main duties

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Main duties and responsibilities

People management & People development

Provide specialist analytics training for Procurement & Supply Chain staff or staff from other disciplines on own subject area, when required. This will include on the job training of staff to further develop their knowledge and skills, to share knowledge across the team thereby building the teams’ continued development and strength.
Ensure the appropriate level of cover is provided, arranging on call and 24 hour working where appropriate.
Chair/manage internal and external meetings as required

Financial Management

To work in line with procurement policies and procedures; Standing Financial Instructions; Standing Orders; Scheme of delegation.
Comply with all procurement processes and procedures and where relevant providing assistance for the development of procurement documentation as required.

Analytics Function

Responsible for the maintenance, and production, of Procurement Dashboard reports aligned with those used within Finance, to allow regular review and update of progress against savings targets
Responsible for reporting on Data Quality. Identify where data entered into procurement systems is insufficient for reporting requirements. Work with systems colleagues to identify corrective actions to prevent inaccurate data being entered into systems.
Responsible for capturing data, developing models (e.g. spend cubes, waterfall reports, etc.) and presenting spend data to allow the Category Management team to develop category strategies. This will include the pictorial representation of data to allow Category Managers and senior management to present to key stakeholders in a way that is meaningful to them;
Responsible for working with the procurement team to ensure that all analysis can allow informed decision-making on sourcing and procurement activities and in identifying and quantifying savings opportunities;
Develop reports and analytical outputs based on existing systems and processes where possible to report on agreed KPIs agreed with the Head of Operations and Head of Systems & Governance.
Use of the procurement analytics solutions and support the Category Managers to gain the maximum advantage from them.
Establish strong working links with key stakeholders, both within the Procurement team and particularly with Finance, Care Group Leads and Corporate areas such as Facilities and Estates, IT etc. to capture spend data, and to profile the future requirements of these teams eg Project future requirements based on previous expenditure, modelling of trends, peaks, seasonality etc.
Lead on the collation, collection, validation and verification of spend, and other related, data to support the use of internal and external spend analysis tools or to support tendering / contracting activities.
To support the work being undertaken other NHS Trusts and any relevant external body to develop data analysis;
Expected to participate in project management of relevant projects. Completing all project governance steps as required.
Work with the Helpdesk to identify data analysis required to drive continuous improvement. Support the implementation of regular data analysis to understand trends.
Ensure the provision of timely and accurate data feeds to external bodies i.e. NHS Improvement and the Model Hospital. Actively review the data and these systems to develop strategies to deliver continuous improvement.

System Strategy

Responsible for developing IT policies and procedures for the use of any systems and to enable, through team training, the best use of the system.
Support the Head of Systems & Governance in developing the future system strategy including use of new technology such as Artificial Intelligence to drive improvement.
Assist the Head of Operations with achieving the departmental objectives and management of the department

Customer Liaison

To undertake such other duties as may be reasonably required from time to time as are consistent with the responsibilities of the post.
Develop and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues at all levels within the Service.
Communicate and disseminate procurement statistics and data to colleagues involved in selecting suppliers and service providers and in committing MSE expenditure. Support and promote the MSE policies at all times.

Professional Development

Keep abreast with developments in procurement best practice.
Be responsible with maintaining own analytics skills and capabilities. This will include undertaking continuous personal development by learning about new software and reporting software relevant to the job.

Ways of Working

Primarily focused on being alongside the internal client. Using this interface to understand that they are doing, what they have planned
Peripatetic working across all locations using Hot desking where appropriate
Promote an environment of open and transparent data where possible
Foster a culture of innovation and improvements and encourage ideas and suggestions from others
Establish regular Team meetings to share learning, facilitate discussion on issues and to listen to concerns/objections from staff

Effort, skills and working

Physical Skills: Standard keyboard skills required

Physical Effort: The role does not involve the post holder in a high level of physical effort, however he/she may be stationed at a computer for prolonged lengths of time.

Mental Effort: Concentration required for effectively multi-tasking, analysing data, writing reports and working in a team based environment

Emotional Effort: The post holder must manage successfully under resource and time pressure including managing challenging discussions with employees

Working Conditions: The post holder will be based in an office environment and required to travel regularly across the 5 Trust’s sites

Key working relationships

Trust’s Board and Site Leadership Team: To support the Director of Procurement & Supply Chain with written submission and verbal briefing of contract award recommendations, waivers and reporting progress on the implementation of the Procurement and Supply Strategy.

Trust’s Executive Group: To support the Director of Procurement & Supply Chain in the submission of written changes or updates of policy and strategic issues.

Efficiency Board: Support the reporting of procurement schemes to the efficiency board. Capture data to enable reporting against Trust targets on performance of identified sourcing & procurement savings schemes.

Clinical Strategy Group: Coordinate written submissions for the Clinical Strategy Group that outline recommendations for new products and standardisation requests. Support clinical colleagues in explaining the proposed approach.

Audit Committee: Provide update to Director of Procurement & Supply Chain against key metrics e.g. Number of Waivers signed.

Use of Resources: To support the Director of Procurement & Supply Chain with written submission and verbal briefing of status of Key Lines of Enquiry metrics.

NHS Supply Chain Customer Board: Deputises for the Director of Procurement & Supply Chain at the NHS Supply Chain Customer Board that will set strategic direction, guidance and advice on supply chain best practice for the NHS.

Other: Other NHS bodies. Suppliers, distributors and purchasing agencies e.g. NHS Supply Chain and The Government Procurement Service. Government departments e.g. Department of Health, Department of Environment.

Person spec

Person specification

Key: Essential (E), Desirable (D), Application form (A), Interview (I), Certificate (C)

Qualifications

A high standard of education, to a minimum of 5 GCSEs including English and Maths. (E/A/C)
Higher education preferably in a business related subject. (E/A/C)
Degree or equivalent business qualification. (D/A/C)
Member of Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) or appropriate professional institute or relevant experience. (D/A/C)
A relevant qualification in informatics. (D/A/C)

Knowledge and experience

Proven experience in a procurement or an analytical environment providing data support e.g Supporting financial projects (E/A/I)
Advanced data interpretation and presentation skills (E/A/I)
Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office specifically Excel (E/A/I)
Able to explain complex analytical activities to various audiences in a straightforward was so all assumptions are clear (E/A/I)
Experience of database design and data import / export experience. (E/A/I)
Experience in a Procurement or Finance Department in the NHS or private healthcare setting (D/A/I)

Communication skills

High level of analytical skills, able to interpret contradictory and misleading information to provide a clear solution. (E/A/I)
High level of numeracy. (E/A/I)
Manage a range of tasks without losing focus, holding a clear overview while paying attention to key aspects of detail (E/A/I)
Time Management and organisation skills, applicable to working in a pressurised environment often with conflicting demands. (E/A/I)
IT literate in procurement systems, Microsoft applications, contract and compliance monitoring tools. (E/A/I)
Ability to produce business critical written documentation such as Business Cases. (E/A/I)
Ability to engage with stakeholders to shape requirements in line with existing procurement regulations (E/A/I)
Ability to present complex information to wide audiences with authority and credibility (E/A/I)
Ability to influence at all levels (E/A/I)
Project Management (D/A/I/C)

Personal and People development

Possess a positive attitude and be self-motivated
Strong motivational skills
Ability to identify development opportunities for co-workers
Ability to prioritise work and to meet challenging deadlines
Finds positive solutions to challenging issues
Builds effective relationships with all others. Uses listening and empathy skills

Physical requirements

Sufficient to perform the duties of the post with any aids and adaptations. (E/A/I)

Other

Strong organisational management skills. (E/A/I)
Exceptional interpersonal skills and the ability to forge effective professional relationships. (D/A/I)

General statements

Competency based appraisal

The post holder will be appraised on an annual basis and the process will include a review of the past year’s performance, setting of aims and objectives for the coming year and identification of educational needs.

Training

All staff will undertake such training as is necessary to perform the duties allocated.

Equal opportunities

The Trust has an Equal Opportunities Policy and/or Single Equality Scheme. The aim is to ensure that no individual receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity related matters, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation or is disadvantaged by conditions or requirements, which cannot be shown to be justifiable. Whilst the Trust recognizes specific responsibilities fall upon management, it is also the duty of all employees to accept personal responsibility for the practical application of the Policy.

No smoking policy

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust (MSE) operates a non-smoking policy. The restrictions will apply to patients, staff and visitors alike. While the Trust will not discriminate against employing smokers, all prospective employees should be aware of this policy. If you would like help to give up smoking you should contact your GP or call the NHS Stop Smoking Help Line on 08001690169 to find details of your local stop smoking service.

Data Protection Act 2018

All employees are required:

To ensure compliance with all Trust’s policies, and those procedures relevant to the area of work.
To maintain high levels of confidentiality and information security at all times, complying with the relevant legislation such as the Data Protection Act and the Computer Misuse Act.
To ensure that the data is of good quality, accurate and relevant for purpose, where any processing of information takes place (paper records or electronically).

Information Governance

All staff must be familiar with and comply with the contents of the Information Governance Handbook, a personal copy will be provided at Induction to all staff.
All staff are required to maintain confidentiality of patient and Trust’s information as set out in the Trust’s Confidentiality Policy.
All staff are required to read and comply with all policies that are issued relating to the electronic security of Trust’s information.
All staff who create, access, transfer, modify sensitive Trust’s records have a responsibility to be both accurate and timely and ensure that all the information that they record either on paper or electronically is complete.

Confidentiality

Your attention is drawn to the confidential nature of information collected and used throughout the NHS. The unauthorised use or disclosure of patient, staff or other personal information is a dismissible offence. The unauthorised disclosure of information could also result in a prosecution for an offence, or action for civil damaged, under the Data Protection Act.

All matters relating to patients’ diagnosis and treatment, staff or the Financial or contractual position of the Trust are strictly confidential and under no circumstances is such information to be divulged or passed to any unauthorised person(s) under penalty of summary dismissal.

All staff should take particular care relating to the electronic storage and transfer of confidential information. This should only be done in accordance with the Trust’s Information Security Policy.

Health and safety

All employees must be aware of the responsibilities placed upon them under the Health & Safety at Work Act (1974) to ensure that the agreed safety procedures are carried out to provide a safe environment for employees and visitors.

Quality

The Trust aims towards maintaining the goodwill and confidence of its own staff and of the general public. To assist in achieving this objective, it is essential that at all times, employees carry out their duties in a courteous and sympathetic manner.

Infection prevention and control

All employees are required to:

Make themselves aware of their responsibilities for Infection Prevention and Control.
Co-operate with the employer in ensuring that all infection prevention and control policies and procedures are complied with.
Maintaining a high standard of infection control practice.

Safeguarding children

All employees of the Trust, regardless of the work they do, have a statutory duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. When children and/or their carers use our services, it is essential that all child protection concerns are both recognised and acted on appropriately. You have a responsibility to ensure you are familiar with and follow the child protection procedures and the Trust’s supplementary child protection guidance which is accessed electronically on the Trust’s Intranet sites. To ensure you are equipped to carry out your duties effectively, you must also attend child protection training and updates at the competency level appropriate to the work you do and in accordance with the Trust’s child protection training guidance.

Safeguarding adults

All employees of the Trust, regardless of the work they do, have a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of vulnerable adults. When patients and/or their carers use our services, it is essential that all protection concerns are both recognised and acted on appropriately. You have a responsibility to ensure you are familiar with and follow Trust policies in relation to safeguarding vulnerable adults. To ensure you are equipped to carry out your duties effectively, you must also attend vulnerable adult protection training and updates at the competency level appropriate to the work you do and in accordance with the Trust’s vulnerable adult protection training guidance.

Location

You will generally be expected to undertake your normal duties at the principal place of work, however, in the course of your duties you will be required to work at any of the sites within the Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust areas as well as other NHS sites as part of the delivery of the service.

Note

These guidelines are provided to assist in the performance of the contract but are not a condition of the contract.

This job description is a reflection of the present requirements of the post and the content may be subject to review and amendment in light of changes and developments.

All Staff will also be expected to abide by the relevant code of professional practice relating to their discipline.