Senior Contracts Manager

Job responsibilities

Key Relationships

Internal

• Associate Director of Operations
• Associate Director of Information
• General Managers
• Lead Clinicians
• Matrons
• Departmental / ward managers
• Other Senior Managers
• Internal Audit
• Information Department
• HR Department
• IT Department
• Finance Department Staff

External

• Local Area Teams
• CCGs and other NHS organisations
• Private Providers
• Voluntary Organisations
• External Audit
• External Consultants
• Suppliers

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

In depth, specialist knowledge of contracting, underpinned by theory and experience; acquired through degree or equivalent experience or training, plus further management and specialist contracting knowledge to masters level equivalent

Strong communication and judgement skills are essential. Detailed numerical analysis is required together with an ability to clearly information from multiple sources. An ability to demonstrate robust reasoning skills in often highly complex decisions.

Required to plan and organise own workload, managing and determining priorities for own workload and that of the Contracting team with minimal direct supervision.

Confident in planning and managing multiple pieces of work over differing timescales to ensure delivery within agreed timescales, and that appropriate actions are taken in the context of changing priorities. Linked with the ability to combine projects that range from short term specific projects to long term financial modelling across multiple organisations.

Measurable Results Areas/Responsibilities

Accountability The post holder will be expected to work autonomously, interpreting national and local guidance and advising the Head of Income & Contracting accordingly on changes and actions required.

The post holder will be expected to lead on both the contractual and the financial elements associated with the management of the contracts.

The post holder will be responsible for managing the contracting team on a day to day basis, including delegation/co-ordination of workload.

The post holder is required to have excellent communication skills and a strong ability to develop and maintain working relationships. The post holder will spend a large proportion of time dealing with non-finance professionals so requires the ability to clearly articulate complex financial assessments in a simple and transparent way. Relationships will span a wide range of levels from finance staff and ward managers to Board level directors.

Contract Management

Manage a portfolio of healthcare contracts, ensuring all contracts are signed in accordance with agreed timeframes; analysing performance, querying variances from plans or targets; verification of invoices. To agree contract schedules, variations for contracts.

Ensure the coordination across contracting, finance, information and quality functions to analyse and interpret highly complex data such as activity, demand and capacity data, finance or performance data, present findings and produce reports in order to query variances or anomalies and inform decision making. Work with quality and information colleagues to challenge performance and agree actions including action plans to address any risks and advise on contractual levers where appropriate.

The post holder is responsible for producing all contract documentation; ensuring the contract is unambiguous to minimise risk to the Trust.

Manage day-to-day contracting queries and provide expert advice relating to any of the contracts within the portfolio which may arise.

To support (and upon occasions deputise for) the Head of Income & Contracting in ensuring relevant national and local targets are met.

Interpret national guidance and policy, and work with clinical and managerial colleagues across organisations to implement agreed actions.

Work closely with the Head of Income & Contracting to review and negotiate a year end activity and finance position ensuring invoicing is agreed in line with Payment by Results guidance.

The post holder is responsible for ensuring that patient-identifiable data is used in accordance with information governance requirements and organisational policies.

To undertake contract negotiations as necessary with the main commissioners as part of a team, communicating highly complex information in an environment that can be challenging. This includes participation in negotiation meetings, review and agreement of contract documentation, preparation of contract schedules and preparation of contract variations and the development of mediation/arbitration cases as required.

To deputise for the Head of Income & Contracting during contract negotiations with Commissioners as required.

To be responsible for ensuring all contract income budgets accurately reflect agreed values, and that in year variations are recorded and invoiced accordingly.

Work closely with the quality team to ensure appropriate CQUIN, specifications, standards and key performance indicators are embedded within contracts.

To be responsible for contract negotiations with Provider to Provider SLAs. This includes participation in negotiation meetings, review and agreement of contract documentation, preparation of contract schedules and preparation of contract variations.

To liaise with financial services to ensure all contract income is being invoiced promptly and paid accordingly ensuring that contract under or over-performance is dealt with appropriately.

To review any calculations, particularly those used for business cases, for accuracy and completeness to ensure that income is fully recovered

Service Specifications and Service Improvement

To lead the development and regular review of service specifications which reflect national guidance and local agreements, developing a plan for development/review and ensuring they are agreed and signed off with the service and the commissioner.

To review any proposed pathway changes are fully worked up as business cases and service specifications to enable effective negotiation and translation into contracts, with the ability to effectively monitor performance outcomes.

Review contracted services at regular intervals and identify any fundamental changes required.

Other

To undertake training to budget holders and internal finance staff on contracting issues.

Manages own specialist workload and works independently on a daily basis to meet financial timetables/priorities/deadlines set by the Head of Income & Contracting.

Line manager for the Contracting team.

Any other duties as commensurate with the grade of the post

Qualifications

Essential

• Master's degree or equivalent demonstrable post graduate level learning or equivalent experience
• Commitment and evidence of continuing professional development
• Post graduate management qualification or equivalent experience
• Evidence of previous experience in commercial skills and negotiation

Experience

Essential

• Management experience within the NHS or a comparable complex environment
• Experience of successful planning and negotiation of large health care contracts (above £50m) as a core team member or team leader
• Experience of contract management across multiple contracts with single agreements in excess of £30m
• Proven experience of partnership working across organisations
• Experience of taking account of the needs of stakeholders from multiple organisations
• Experience of Acute Trust contract management
• Negotiating experience across a range of healthcare sectors and/or complex services outside the NHS
• Track record of delivery of significant change
• Experience of producing service specifications, including KPIs
• Expert knowledge of current NHS policy and the contracting and commissioning agenda
• Ability to understand and interpret complex financial information to inform contract negotiations and discussions
• Significant experience of applying appropriate contract mechanisms to support service redesign
• Significant experience of data management and analysis
• Line management of staff

Skills

Essential

• Interpret, compare and analyse highly complex information
• Detailed knowledge of contracting systems and processes
• A comprehensive knowledge of NHS commissioning and related policies and frameworks such as the NHS operating framework, patient choice, practice based commissioning, Payment by Results and performance frameworks
• Expert technical knowledge of the applicable NHS Standard Contract and Payment by Results
• Detailed knowledge of contracting activity and finance as well as key performance targets and quality standards
• An understanding of the operation of NHS, voluntary sector and/or independent sector acute, nonacute, mental health, drug and alcohol service and other health care providers and knowledge of other relevant agencies/sectors including ambulance trusts, primary care and social care (as applicable to the post)
• Knowledge of clinical quality indicators and CQUIN and their effective use in contracts
• Expert user of Financial Systems, Excel and databases
• Advanced report writing skills

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Committed and evidence of Continuing Professional Development
• Able to work at senior level, and to interpret and implement national guidance and directives
• Able to negotiate, communicate effectively, and build rapport and effective relationships at senior and junior levels
• Able to prioritise, time manage and delegate appropriately
• Highly organised and systematic with attention to detail and accuracy
• Can work across organisational boundaries to build and operate within or lead effective cross-functional teams to achieve goals
• Able to manage and diffuse conflict and overcome barriers to achieving aims through effective influencing
• Good facilitation skills; able to lead meetings with senior managers effectively
• Highly numerate and well developed analytical skills
• Strong verbal and written communication skills (including report writing) and presentation skills
• Strong critical thinking skills to rapidly analyse and see the implications of emerging and complex issues, and synthesise and summarise for others
• Political awareness and sensitivity when communicating on behalf of the Trusts
• Able to concentrate and work under pressure
• Professional and reputation for integrity

Other

Essential

• Knowledge and understanding of equal opportunities
• Able to travel between sites
• Occupational Health clearance

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).