Contract Manager
5 days ago
Nottingham
Job overviewThis is an exciting opportunity to join a newly established Contract Management Team and help shape how contract management is embedded across the Trust.The post-holder will lead the operational management of a defined portfolio of contracts, ensuring effective monitoring of activity, finance, and quality performance to deliver value for money and high-quality service delivery. Working closely with clinical, operational, and finance colleagues, the role supports contract negotiation, implementation, and resolution of performance issues, while contributing to annual contracting cycles and the Trust’s wider Contract Management Strategy.Bringing strong knowledge of contract management and procurement legislation, the role ensures compliance with Trust governance and audit requirements, supports the development of standard processes, and provides expert contractual and financial advice through high quality analysis and reporting. With line management responsibility and a strong focus on stakeholder engagement, the post-holder will build effective relationships across the organisation and with external providers, promoting best practice and confidently representing the contract management function.Main duties of the jobIn addition to the below summary you need to familiarise yourself with full Job Description and Person Specification documents attached to this advert.You will have the discipline to work to an agreed work plan, develop forward plans for your contract portfolio, and demonstrate strong data management and analytical skills.As a Contract Manager, you will be responsible for managing a defined portfolio of complex contracts across the Trust, ensuring effective performance monitoring, compliance, and value for money within a challenging healthcare environment, while supporting the management of key supplier and stakeholder relationships.Working for our organisationWith over 19,000 staff, we are one of the biggest employers in the city with a central role in supporting the health and wellbeing of our local population. We play a leading role in research, education and innovation.Come and join our wonderful team at NUH. We are big believers in diversity and welcome new ideas to help develop our team in order to deliver world class healthcare to the vast patient populations we serve. With endless personal development opportunities available, at NUH we will endeavour to turn your job into a career!We particularly welcome applications from people who identify as Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic, or Disabled, as we are striving to be better represented at NUH.Detailed job description and main responsibilitiesKey Job ResponsibilitiesContract Management and Service Delivery1. Lead the operational management of a defined portfolio of contracts, ensuring compliance with Trust policies, Standing Financial Instructions (SFIs) and procurement legislation.1. Undertake contract monitoring, including analysis of activity, finance, and quality performance indicators, to ensure value for money and effective service delivery.2. Support the negotiation, variation, and implementation of new and existing contracts, working with senior colleagues as required.3. Identify risks, performance issues, and under-delivery within contracts, escalating concerns appropriately and supporting resolution with providers and colleagues.4. Contribute to the Trust’s annual contracting processes and wider financial and service planning cycles.5. Resolve highly complex contract resolutions between the Trust and suppliers.6. Lead the design and delivery of contract management training programmes for staff across the organisation, ensuring colleagues understand procurement regulations, internal governance processes, and category specific best practice. Provide expert guidance and coaching to embed compliant and efficient procurement behaviours.7. Contributes to the Trust’s Contract Management Strategy.Governance and Compliance1. Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of all contracts, ensuring adherence to audit, governance, and statutory requirements.2. In depth specialist knowledge of contract management processes, ensuring compliance with Trust policies, SFIs and procurement legislation (Procurement Act 2023, Provider Selection Regime 2024 and Public Contracts Regulations 2015).3. Support the development and implementation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and contribute to continuous improvement of contract management systems and processes.4. Changes and implements process improvements to the contract management function.Advisory and Analytical Responsibilities1. Provide expert contract and financial contracting advice and guidance to clinical and corporate teams, ensuring services understand and comply with contractual obligations.2. Analyse highly complex contract performance, financial information and produce high-quality reports for senior colleagues, committees, and operational teams.3. Use financial and performance data to identify risks and trends, recommending actions to ensure effective contract delivery.4. Produce high-quality analytical reports, dashboards, and spend-analysis tools to support strategic decision-making, contract performance monitoring, and savings delivery. Interpret complex data and present insights to senior stakeholders, enabling informed and compliant contract management actions.People Management and Leadership1. Provide direct line management to a team of contract management staff, including the Contract Support Officer and Contract Administrator.2. Oversight and workload planning, including allocation of tasks for their team.3. Oversee objective setting, appraisals, supervision, and professional development to support a skilled and motivated workforce.4. Act as a role model in contract management, promoting best practice, teamwork, and continuous improvement.Communication, Stakeholder Engagement and Relationship Management1. Build and maintain effective working relationships with internal stakeholders, including operational, finance, and clinical teams.2. Engage with external providers to resolve performance issues, negotiate variations, and maintain collaborative partnerships.3. Communicate complex contractual and financial information in a clear and accessible manner to a range of stakeholders.4. Represent the contract management function in internal and external meetings, ensuring the Trust’s interests are effectively represented.Person specificationTraining & QualificationsEssential criteria- Educated to Masters level or equivalent relevant experience.- Evidence of continuing professional development in contract management, procurement, or NHS management.Desirable criteria- Chartered membership of CIPS (or working towards) Leadership or management qualification.ExperienceEssential criteria- Extensive experience of contract management in a large, complex organisation, preferably within the NHS.- Significant experience of leading contract negotiations or contributing to commercial decision-making.- Significant experience of managing a portfolio of contracts with a high level of autonomy.- Experience of identifying and managing contract risks, escalating as appropriate.- Extensive experience of interpreting and applying contractual terms and NHS standards.- Experience of managing staff, including appraisals and development planning.Desirable criteria- Experience of working directly with healthcare providers or commissioners.- Experience supporting contract negotiations and service redesign.Communication and Relationship SkillsEssential criteria- Strong communication skills with the ability to explain highly complex information clearly.- Ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues and external providers.- Ability to influence and challenge providers constructively to ensure contractual compliance.- Experience chairing meetings or leading contract review discussions.Desirable criteria- Experience of contributing to stakeholder meetings, contract review boards, or committees.Analytical and Judgement SkillsEssential criteria- Ability to analyse complex data and performance information to identify issues and recommend solutions.- Good problem-solving and judgement skills in a contract management environment.- Ability to undertake highly complex financial analysis, forecasting, or scenario modelling to support decision-making.- Confident in making recommendations on contractual variations, performance interventions, or financial implications.Planning and Organisation SkillsEssential criteria- Ability to manage own workload and meet deadlines in a busy environment.- Ability to plan and lead contract transitions, service changes, or procurement-related activities.- Experience of coordinating contract monitoring processes and reporting.___________________________________________________________________________________Come and join our wonderful team at NUH. We are big believers in diversity and welcome new ideas to help develop our team in order to deliver world class healthcare to the vast patient populations we serve. With endless personal development opportunities available, at the NUH we will endeavour to turn your job into a career!We particularly welcome applications from people who identify as Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic, or Disabled, as we are striving to be better represented at NUH.Applicants are kindly requested to refrain from using AI at any stage during the recruitment process.Closing Dates: Please submit your application form as soon as possible to avoid disappointment; we reserve the right to close vacancies prior to the published closing date if we receive a sufficient number of completed application forms.Communication: All communication related to your application will be via the email address you have provided. Please ensure you check your email account including your junk email regularly.Easy read application: If you have a disability and find online job applications difficult, you can use an easy read application form instead.To get this form, please email [email protected] and ask for an easy read application.NUH are now able to offer application completion support and interview preparation support. Please follow the link to book onto our sessions: Support for NUH Job ApplicationsIf you are aged 16 or 17 and applying for a role that is more than 20 hours a week, please be aware that you will be asked to commence an Apprenticeship within the Trust alongside your role, as long as there is a suitable apprenticeship standard available. This is in line with the current guidance in England that whilst young people under the age of 18 can leave school (on the last Friday in June) they must then do one of the following:- Stay in full-time education, for example at a college- Start an Apprenticeship- Spend 20 hours of more a week working or volunteering, while in part-time education or trainingFor more details visit; School leaving age - GOV.UK (: The quoted salary will be on a pro rata basis for part time workers.Disability Confidence: All applicants who have declared a disability and who meet the essential criteria for the post will be shortlisted.At Risk of redundancy: NHS employees within the East Midlands who are ‘at risk’ of redundancy will be given a preferential interview where they meet the essential criteria of the person specification.International Recruitment: If you are applying for a role with us from outside of the UK then please read the guidance on applying for a health or social care job in the UK from abroad.ID and Right to work checks: NUH authenticate ID and right to work documentation including passports and driving licenses through a system called Trust ID. NUH will scan your ID and right to work documentation in to the Trust ID system at your face to face ID appointment. The system will run a check against the key security features within your documentation. The system will provide us with an outcome of your check which will be stored securely on your personal file along with all other pre-employment check documentation. Consent:- Transfer of information: If I have previous NHS service - I consent to the transfer of my Electronic Staff Record (ESR) data between this and other NHS Trusts. I also consent to the Occupational Health Department confidentially accessing my occupational health records from my current or previous employer in order to check the status of my vaccinations, immunisations s and screening tests as relevant to the post. I understand this is an automated process and the information will only be used for these purposes prior to me taking up the position at NUH.- Disclosure and Barring Service: Your post maybe subject to a DBS check which incur a cost dependent on the level of check required (£49.50 for enhanced and £21.50 for standard). I agree to reimburse Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust the cost of a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check if it is required (by deduction from first month’s pay). Should I decide to withdraw from my job offer, I agree to reimburse Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust the cost of the DBS check undertaken by cheque or other agreed method.- For more information about our organisation and the career opportunities available, please visit our website and/or follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook