Senior Contract Manager

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The information below sets out some of the key elements that the post holder will be expected to fulfil, but greater detail can be found in the attached full Job Description and Person Specification.

 JOB SUMMARY AND KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Support work designed to improve the health of the Derby and Derbyshire population through the effective commissioning and equitable delivery of health care by leading and managing the development and delivery of designated contracts so that the JUCD operational plan is effectively negotiated into NHS and non-NHS provider contracts ensuring the effective delivery of the JUCD NHS five year and operational plans. 
• Lead on and manage a set of contracts for a defined set of providers or portfolio either directly with providers or through the co-ordinating commissioner, analysing performance, querying variances from plans or targets, managing performance issues and pursuing actions to recover performance, authorising payment of invoices.
• Assess contract performance to track progress against contractual obligations, working with colleagues to identify the reasons for variance and basis for amendments of existing contracts where required by analysing and interpreting complex data such as contract activity, demand and capacity data, finance, or performance data.
• Ensure the ICB discharges its responsibilities under the relevant ICB agreement/constitution for contracts within the post holder’s portfolio to which the ICB is party to a Collaborative Commissioning agreement.
•  Manage day-to-day contracting queries and provide expert advice relating to any of the contracts within the portfolio. 
• Contribute to service reviews, service specification development and pathway redesign to help ensure that the best value for money and highest quality health services are secured within the available resources and specifications comply with contract terms and conditions.
• Manage the in-year contract management process for allocated contracts including the work programme for contract technical and performance meetings and the annual contract review and negotiation process, delivering key components of the contract review and negotiation work plan.

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

• Operate effectively in a flexible and demanding environment and proactively engage with NHS staff, consultants and contractors working on a variety of topics.
• Work effectively with a variety of external consultancies working on other projects and programmes within other NHS directorates as required.
• Provide and receive highly complex, sensitive and contentious information, presenting information, to a wide range of stakeholders in a formal setting.
• Have the ability to deal with resulting potentially aggressive/antagonistic situations.
• Committed to working and engaging constructively with internal and external stakeholders on a range of business sensitive issues.
• Nurture key relationships and maintain networks internally and externally, including national networks.
• Link with managers and members of other functions, to address inter-dependencies and ensure alignment. 

FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Oversee team members to deliver the requirements listed above, engaging and liaising with key stakeholders, in particular: 

§    supporting the delivery of day-to-day activities and projects;

§    managing the team and driving delivery of a range of business initiatives and projects.

§    supporting the identification and sharing of best practice in employee engagement.

§    operating in a highly political and sensitive environment.

§    supporting the portfolio of initiatives in demonstrating value for money for the current spend through tracking, managing and delivering agreed benefits. 

• Lead the team in the delivery of project plans, allocating tasks as appropriate, identifying risks, issues and dependencies, considering best practice and current options and ultimately make decisions in the best interest of the project.
• Pro-actively manage stakeholders, responding to and resolving conflict between different stakeholders when this arises through facilitation or other appropriate mechanisms.
• Responsible for a high standard of work supporting the delivery of projects on time, to quality standards and in a cost-effective manner.  Maintain the project initiation document and associated plans with regular team meetings to monitor progress and resources.
• Responsible for the planning and organisation of numerous events/meetings. Ensuring communication tools are used to their maximum value for circulating the minutes, agenda and presentations in a timely manner.
• Responsible for making recommendations, providing advice and able to prepare strategic reports/briefings for the Head of Department, Steering/ Reference Groups and others as required.
• Accountability to deliver a break-even position on all delegated areas of budget responsibility and also help ensure the ICB manages within its overall financial envelope. Alongside this, mandatory training on financial stewardship must be completed annually.
• Directly manage the team and responsible for day to day work assigned to the team.
• Responsible for the recruitment of team staff, chair of recruitment panels and acting as the recruiting officer.
• Responsible for undertaking appraisal and personal development including progressing any disciplinary or capability issues.
• Support, motivate and develop staff within the team to ensure that they are able to deliver the new responsibilities of the NHS strategy.
• Draft reports summarising status on issues, appraising outcomes, and providing progress reports for the Head of Department.
• Collate as required, qualitative and quantitative information and lead appropriate analysis to develop robust business cases and contribute to project ‘products’.
• Responsible for proposing and drafting changes, implementation and interpretation to policies, guidelines and service level agreements (SLA’s) which may impact service.
• Plan, develop and evaluate methods and processes for gathering, analysing, interpreting and presenting data and information.