CIPS’ 2024 Leader of the Year Jacqui Rock reflects on her unique leadership style; how procurement must use the language of executive boards; and the “enormous” pressures on the NHS.
Jacqui Rock is one of the most influential procurement and supply leaders in the world today. As the chief commercial officer for NHS England, she is responsible for a quarter of the UK’s health budget, and the 4,000 commercial, procurement and supply professionals who spend it.
Patients and clinical professionals alike rely on Jacqui’s leadership to deliver the life-changing medical supplies and services they rely on every day. This means people are paramount, and Jacqui keeps this belief as her north star – whether it be embracing the latest MedTech and AI diagnostics technologies or the innovation SMEs bring to help the NHS on its road to net zero.
All this calls for an open mind, and she attributes her success in this high-pressured environment to a varied 30-year career spanning both public and private sector, in senior roles at the Ministry of Defence, as well as major financial institutions like Credit Suisse, JP Morgan and Bank of America.
To celebrate Jacqui being named Leader of the Year in the CIPS Excellence in Procurement and Supply Awards 2024, we asked her to reflect on her own leadership style and some of her guiding principles.
“Why do we try so hard to fit in when we were born to stand out?” “I have had some dreadful managers in my career, as have we all. I watched and learnt how not to do it. We all know people who we would not want to work for in senior positions of power.
“I swore I would never manage through fear, intimidation, or with a false sense of superiority. Equally I have worked for some amazing people, and I watched and learnt how to do it right. I have learned what makes people work unquestionably – – with pride and joy, and what it feels like to be valued in a team.
“To be a good leader you need to know yourself and be yourself. I’ve embraced the diversity I bring to the role. I know I don’t look and sound like many other leaders, but that’s what makes me different and means I bring unique insights. Why do we try so hard to fit in when we were born to stand out?
“You must also know your team – take time to invest in your people, build teams and partnerships. You are likely to spend more time with the people you work with than your own family, so you better like them and find joy in what you all achieve together.”
Striving for harmony
“I aim to deliver an ‘affiliative’ style of leadership, one where you create harmony and emotional bonds to build relationships. I want to work in an environment and culture where there is psychological safety – the team feel empowered to challenge, say it how it is without the fear of reprisal or being belittled.
“A clear understanding of your job underscores it all. Bring professional excellence to all that you do and always be curious to develop professionally and personally. I have never stopped learning and accept that I still get it wrong sometimes, I believe I will be learning for the rest of my life.
“Last but not least, I must emphasise the importance of attracting, retaining, and recognising diverse talent. This focus on people helps keep a motivated workforce.”
Have the courage to stick your neck out
“We all need lots of courage to do our roles. I believe in calling things out, doing what’s right but in a thoughtful, objective way. You can’t be shy about addressing issues head-on. You need courage to be a critical thinker and to discern between genuine information and what is misleading or misinformation. This is a real art.”
Lead with your values
“My values have always been at the forefront of everything I do. Don’t be afraid of bringing what you truly believe into the workplace. For example, I am committed to the integration of true social value and sustainability into my strategies and vision for the NHS to ensure that we not only deliver high-quality healthcare, but also contribute positively to the community and environment.”
Good leadership requires foresight
“The polycrises of recent years have reinforced some of my leadership attributes. Resilience and adaptability are key. The pandemic exposed the fragility of global supply chains and highlighted the need for resilient systems. I had to ensure that the NHS could adapt quickly to disruptions and maintain essential services. We all had to lead under extreme pressure and adapt to rapidly changing circumstances.
“It is crucial to have the ability to articulate a clear vision and purpose. The interconnected global nature of these crises has required a more strategic approach to planning and risk management. It is important to me that I can anticipate potential disruptions and develop contingency plans to mitigate any potential impacts on the NHS.” “We must shift to procurement being insights-led rather than a reactionary service”.
Leading into an unknown future
“The biggest single biggest challenge I grapple with as a leader is balancing the tension between the political and strategic ambition of the NHS, versus the reality of resource and financial constraints. “There is enormous pressure on the NHS to deliver on commercial and organisational ambitions within a challenging climate.
“I feel passionately about modernising the procurement and commercial role in all organisations. We must change the thinking and therefore the narrative of what supply chain and world-class procurement brings to an organisation in terms of productivity. We must use the language of the executive boards to tell the story of how effective procurement can improve quality of service and deliver savings and generate profit.
“The government has been very clear, the NHS will not receive further financial resource without reform, so commercial intervention, looking at the way we spend and leveraging the market, will have a key role to play in supporting the NHS to deliver on its ambitions – including supporting an NHS that’s fit for the future.”