Job overview
Reporting to the Joint Head of Contracts and Commissioning, the Contract Manager is a Band 7 role responsible for supporting the effective management, negotiation, administration and performance oversight of NHS contracts and subcontracts. The post holder will work closely with operational, finance, performance, quality and commissioning colleagues to ensure that contractual arrangements are robust, deliverable and aligned to statutory, regulatory and organisational requirements.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will work as part of a wider contract management function. Key working relationships include operational directorates, finance and performance teams, quality and nursing leads, medical colleagues, commissioners, local authorities, NHS England, other NHS providers and independent or voluntary sector providers where relevant.
The role requires a sound understanding of the NHS contracting environment, including the NHS Standard Contract, provider and commissioner relationships, the Procurment Act / Provider Selection Regime, and the use of contract management processes to support safe, high-quality and financially sustainable services.
The post holder will manage a wide portfolio of contracts, support the annual contracting cycle, contribute to the development of service specifications and contract documentation, monitor delivery against agreed standards and performance requirements, and help identify and resolve contractual risks, issues and disputes.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
For further information on the advertised role, please refer to the job description located under the Supporting Documents heading. The full person specification can be accessed under the ‘About You’ Section of the document.
Applicant requirements
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Person specification
Skills
Essential
- Must have Full UK Driving License and access to own transport
Knowledge
Essential
- Master’s Level Degree or equivalent demonstrable work experience.
- Experience of NHS Contracts and subcontracts, negotiation and / or oversight and management.
- Experience of commissioning of healthcare services and development of associated service specifications
- Previous experience of contracts, with demonstrable understanding of contractual terminology (especially within NHS)
Desirable
- Experience of Supplier performance management, able to hold providers to account, leading to improvements in /recovery of performance targets
- Experience of working across organisational boundaries to build and operate within cross-functional teams to achieve goals
- Experience and Knowledge of Change Management principles
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Contract Manager with Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust in St Mary's Hospital Kettering. It is listed as a Band 7 Manager and corporate role. The advertised salary is £49,387 - £56,515 pa pro rata. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 30 Aug 2026.
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