Job summary
We have an exciting opportunity to join the Trust's Contracts team as a Contracts Manager. The post holders will be responsible for managing a portfolio of contracts with Commissioners and other NHS Providers.
The post holders will also provide advice to Operational Managers and Clinical teams on commissioning and contractual issues.
The successful applicants will have knowledge of the NHS Contracts and the National Tariff Payment System and will understand the changing nature of commissioning policy. Effective communication, relationship building and problem solving skills are essential to this role. They will also be well organised, able to implement robust processes and have a sound understanding of project management principles.
Main duties of the job
The Contract Manager is responsible for managing a portfolio of small/medium/large contracts with Commissioners, including ICBs, NHS England, Local Authority Commissioners and with other NHS Providers. The Contract Manager will support the management of the entire process from the annual negotiation cycle to monthly analysis and reporting and provide regular strategic insight including development of NHS tariffs, financial analysis and overview to support the Head of Contracts & other stakeholders.
The post holder will ensure Trust compliance with all contractual obligations and interpret, advise and implement national guidance. They will manage complex and challenging discussions with Trust clinicians with regard to a range of contractual requirements, such as the implementation of clinical Service Specifications. They will offer expert advice on contracting and commissioning issues to General Managers, their service teams and other internal user groups. In their role they will foster a collaborative relationship with commissioners and ensure that contract performance is understood and that contract income is maximised.
The post holder will have responsibility for the development and successful delivery of a range of improvement plans and manage key projects from time to time. They will be a highly motivated individual able to demonstrate leadership and problem-solving skills.
About us
King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK's largest and busiest teaching Trusts with a turnover of c£1 billion, 1.5 million patient contacts a year and around 14,000 staff based across 5 main sites in South East London. The Trust provides a full range of local hospital services across its different sites, and specialist services from King's College Hospital (KCH) sites at Denmark Hill in Camberwell and at the Princess Royal University Hospital (PRUH) site in Bromley.
King's is committed to delivering Sustainable Healthcare for All via our Green Plan. In line with national Greener NHS ambitions, we have set net zero carbon targets of 2040 for our NHS Carbon Footprint and 2045 for our NHS Carbon Footprint Plus. Everyone's contribution is required in order to meet the goals set out in our Green Plan and we encourage all staff to work responsibly, minimising their contributions to the Trust's carbon emissions, waste and pollution wherever possible.
The trust-wide strategy Strong Roots, Global Reach is our Vision to be BOLD, Brilliant people, Outstanding care, Leaders in Research, Innovation and Education, Diversity, Equality and Inclusion at the heart of everything we do. By being person-centred, digitally-enabled, and focused on sustainability, we can take Team King's to another level
Job description
Job responsibilities
Main Duties and Responsibilities
Contract Management
- Deliver a robust contract management function for designated contracts from the Trusts contract portfolio.
- Provide advice and guidance as an expert in their field with an in-depth knowledge of complex contract arrangements for designated areas of responsibility and lead on contract management for this area for the team.
- Keep abreast of changing complex contractual guidance from all commissioner, including ICBs, NHS England, and Local Authority contracts for services.
- Receive highly complex information from commissioners and interpret this appropriately for relevant trust services and communicate key messages in an accessible manner for internal stakeholders.
- Develop detailed service specifications for inclusion within contract documentation.
- Lead contract negotiations for designated contracts and provide contract negotiation support to the Head of Contracts on wider contract portfolio through expert knowledge of wider provider landscape and leverage opportunities.
- Responsible for contract development and contract finalisation including contract value, with clearly defined processes for engaging the internal and stakeholders.
- Act in collaboration with Care Group Managers and Finance Business Partners to develop and agree contractual agreements for new service arrangements with other providers.
Financial Management
- Provide and present complex contract and financial management information, analysis and advice to the finance senior management team, operational managers and other senior staff throughout the Trust to support understanding of performance against contractual agreements.
- Respond to variances in activity and financial information with external stakeholders, sensitively navigating negotiations where this is highly contentious.
- Ensure the Contract Performance (Financial and Activity) is monitored to the agreed timeframes i.e. monthly, quarterly or half yearly and any variances investigated with Care Group teams and highlighted to the Head of Contracts.
- Manage the development and maintenance of an integrated financial performance report, including analysis of trends and forecasts for key areas of responsibility e.g. Drugs or Devices to support financial decision making.
- Monitor and evaluate services in accordance with contracted activity levels and key performance/quality indicators identifying risks/adverse variances and contribute to action plans and service developments.
- Work with Care Groups teams and other senior staff to maximise income generation.
- Act in collaboration with Care Group teams in reviewing all costs and prices and recommend changes required for contracting arrangements.
- Ensure that all managers are aware of, and act in accordance with Standing Financial Instructions and internal Trust contract management processes.
Leadership
- Play a key role in the relationship management with the commissioners and other external stakeholders, developing a deep understanding of their needs and helping to coordinate an organisation wide response.
- Responsible for developing and maintaining excellent relationships with internal and external staff founded on provision of expert contracting support and an understanding of their contracting priorities and limitations.
- Develop a deep understanding of services provided by the trust, and their ongoing development, utilising strong relationships with Care Groups teams and Finance Business Partners, to support high quality discussions with commissioners.
- Responsible for fostering positive and constructive relationships, engendering honest and open communication and mutual respect between commissioners and providers.
- Responsible for providing contract dispute resolution support to reach mutually acceptable solutions to contract issues.
- Recommend improvements and changes to local working practices and propose department wide policy improvements
Job description
Job responsibilities
Main Duties and Responsibilities
Contract Management
- Deliver a robust contract management function for designated contracts from the Trusts contract portfolio.
- Provide advice and guidance as an expert in their field with an in-depth knowledge of complex contract arrangements for designated areas of responsibility and lead on contract management for this area for the team.
- Keep abreast of changing complex contractual guidance from all commissioner, including ICBs, NHS England, and Local Authority contracts for services.
- Receive highly complex information from commissioners and interpret this appropriately for relevant trust services and communicate key messages in an accessible manner for internal stakeholders.
- Develop detailed service specifications for inclusion within contract documentation.
- Lead contract negotiations for designated contracts and provide contract negotiation support to the Head of Contracts on wider contract portfolio through expert knowledge of wider provider landscape and leverage opportunities.
- Responsible for contract development and contract finalisation including contract value, with clearly defined processes for engaging the internal and stakeholders.
- Act in collaboration with Care Group Managers and Finance Business Partners to develop and agree contractual agreements for new service arrangements with other providers.
Financial Management
- Provide and present complex contract and financial management information, analysis and advice to the finance senior management team, operational managers and other senior staff throughout the Trust to support understanding of performance against contractual agreements.
- Respond to variances in activity and financial information with external stakeholders, sensitively navigating negotiations where this is highly contentious.
- Ensure the Contract Performance (Financial and Activity) is monitored to the agreed timeframes i.e. monthly, quarterly or half yearly and any variances investigated with Care Group teams and highlighted to the Head of Contracts.
- Manage the development and maintenance of an integrated financial performance report, including analysis of trends and forecasts for key areas of responsibility e.g. Drugs or Devices to support financial decision making.
- Monitor and evaluate services in accordance with contracted activity levels and key performance/quality indicators identifying risks/adverse variances and contribute to action plans and service developments.
- Work with Care Groups teams and other senior staff to maximise income generation.
- Act in collaboration with Care Group teams in reviewing all costs and prices and recommend changes required for contracting arrangements.
- Ensure that all managers are aware of, and act in accordance with Standing Financial Instructions and internal Trust contract management processes.
Leadership
- Play a key role in the relationship management with the commissioners and other external stakeholders, developing a deep understanding of their needs and helping to coordinate an organisation wide response.
- Responsible for developing and maintaining excellent relationships with internal and external staff founded on provision of expert contracting support and an understanding of their contracting priorities and limitations.
- Develop a deep understanding of services provided by the trust, and their ongoing development, utilising strong relationships with Care Groups teams and Finance Business Partners, to support high quality discussions with commissioners.
- Responsible for fostering positive and constructive relationships, engendering honest and open communication and mutual respect between commissioners and providers.
- Responsible for providing contract dispute resolution support to reach mutually acceptable solutions to contract issues.
- Recommend improvements and changes to local working practices and propose department wide policy improvements
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to Masters level or equivalent level of experience of working at a senior level in specialist area.
Skills and Competencies
Essential
- Highly developed analytical and interpretative skills to enable an extensive understanding of complex financial, information and performance management needs of a large and complex organisation they will be able to produce and present financial and non-financial information to employees across the organisation
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Extensive in-depth professional knowledge in a number of disciplines e.g. contract negotiation, financial management, performance management, information systems, acute operational management.
- Detailed theoretical and practical knowledge of NHS Contracting/Commissioning regime; knowledge of the structure of the national tariff, and also the effects of policies such as CQUINS.
Desirable
- Experience of project management
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to Masters level or equivalent level of experience of working at a senior level in specialist area.
Skills and Competencies
Essential
- Highly developed analytical and interpretative skills to enable an extensive understanding of complex financial, information and performance management needs of a large and complex organisation they will be able to produce and present financial and non-financial information to employees across the organisation
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Extensive in-depth professional knowledge in a number of disciplines e.g. contract negotiation, financial management, performance management, information systems, acute operational management.
- Detailed theoretical and practical knowledge of NHS Contracting/Commissioning regime; knowledge of the structure of the national tariff, and also the effects of policies such as CQUINS.
Desirable
- Experience of project management
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.
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).
Additional information
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.
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).
