Senior Contract Manager

Job overview

NHS Greater Manchester is looking for two Senior Contract Managers to join our Contract Management and Procurement team within the Strategic Finance Portfolio. This is a Band 7 role at the heart of how we hold our providers to account for the quality, performance and value of the services they deliver to the people of Greater Manchester.

You will manage a portfolio of provider contracts, deputising for the Senior Contract Lead as required, and working as part of a wider team to monitor the quality and performance of commissioned services across the health economy. It's a role for someone with strong NHS or commissioning experience who can build relationships with providers, get to grips with complex contract information, and turn it into clear, confident action.

Main duties of the job

You'll hold day-to-day responsibility for a defined portfolio of provider contracts — leading regular contract and performance review meetings, ensuring reporting is relevant and timely, and driving remedial or reinforcing action where provider performance needs to improve. You'll lead and assist in the annual contract negotiation cycle, including arbitration or mediation where necessary, and ensure contract levers are used in full and within agreed limits.

You'll translate NHS GM's commissioning intentions and priorities into signed contracts that meet national and local requirements, support the delivery of the organisational quality strategy, and challenge providers on poor quality performance where needed. You'll also provide specialist contract advice and guidance to colleagues, lead contract project meetings with internal and external stakeholders, and — where line management responsibilities are assigned — provide supervision, guidance and support to members of the Contract Management Team.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Manage a portfolio of provider contracts, monitoring contracted levels of activity and expenditure, contract, performance and quality issues, and general service delivery. Lead regular contract and performance review meetings with providers, ensuring reporting is relevant and timely and that remedial and reinforcing action improves performance. Ensure the financial, quality and operational performance of contracts are efficiently and effectively managed, and support the development and monitoring of Provider CQUIN schemes.

Negotiation and contract development Lead and assist in the annual contract negotiation cycle and documentation of contracts for your portfolio, including arbitration or mediation where necessary. Ensure NHS GM's commissioning intentions and priorities are translated into signed contracts meeting national and local requirements, and ensure contract levers are enacted in full within delegated limits.

Communication and stakeholder management Act as a key point of contact for procurement projects with third-party procurement specialists, providing contract support for healthcare service procurements requiring a tender process. Communicate complex and business-sensitive information to a broad range of internal and external stakeholders in formal and informal settings, and lead or chair regular provider performance meetings.

Analysis and reporting Plan, develop and evaluate methods for gathering, analysing and presenting contract data. Develop key performance indicators for contracting workstreams, and produce or contribute to reports summarising provider performance, risks and issues, and contractual options for resolution — including reporting to Contract Performance Groups, Boards or Chief Officers.

People management Support an effective matrix approach across NHS GM, provide mentorship to junior colleagues in contract management, and — where assigned — line manage members of the Contract Management Team, providing guidance, supervision and performance management as required.