About this role
Job summary
Strategic Commissioning Development Opportunity - 4x 8c Head of Contracting roles in the SWL Commissioning Contracting Team (COO Directorate SWL) -
2 posts will have an acute and planned care services contract portfolio, including leading on two large NHS acute providers.1 post will have a mental health care services contract portfolio including leading on two large NHS mental health providers.
1 post will have a community health care services contract portfolio, including leading on three large NHS community service providers. These roles will support the Strategic Commissioning Cycle and development of the model ICBin the Commissioning Contracting team as part the Chief Commissioning Officer's Directorate. This is an exciting opportunity within the model ICB and managing significant provider relationships in SWL.
Interview between 9-11th December 2026.
Main duties of the job
The posts will develop the needs of the contracting portfolio across SWL, including the host role for hosted SWL NHS Trusts, associate NHS contracts, Voluntary andIndependent Sector Providers.
Establishing appropriate and effective approaches and methodologieswhich deliver the needs and requirements of both the StrategicCommissioning strategy, commissioning operations through providerinterface.
Development and review of the approach to contracting andcommissioning healthcare services in SWL, working withcommissioning colleagues within the SWL Integrated Commissioningand Contracting Team. This will align to the re-establishment andstrengthening functions in the model ICB to enable the ICB to delivereffectively in its new role.
About us
On 1 July 2022, NHS South West London Integrated Care Board (ICB) was established. The ICB, as part of South West London Integrated Care System (ICS), is a partnership of organisations that come together to plan and deliver joined up health and care services to improve the lives of people in our six boroughs: Croydon, Merton, Kingston, Richmond, Sutton and Wandsworth.
Each ICS consists of two statutory elements:
an Integrated Care Board, bringing the NHS together with its partners locally to improve health and care services
an Integrated Care Partnership (ICP): the broad alliance of organisations and representatives concerned with improving the care, health and wellbeing of the population, jointly convened by the ICB and local authorities in the area.
ICBs are statutory NHS bodies responsible for planning and allocating resources to meet the four core purposes of integrated care systems (ICSs):
to improve outcomes in population health and healthcare;
tackle inequalities in outcomes, experience and access;
enhance productivity and value for money and;
help the NHS support broader social and economic development.
NHS South West London Integrated Care Board decides how the South West London NHS budget is spent and develops plans to improve people's health, deliver higher quality care, and better value for money.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The post holder will lead the development of the SWLCommissioning and Contract team at both a functional andprofessional level, in collaboration with internal and externalstakeholders wherever appropriate;
Establishing appropriate and effective approaches andmethodologies which deliver the needs and requirements of theStrategic Commissioning Plan.
Ensuring that approaches are informed by national andinternational best practice requirements
Commissioning Expertise - providing expert contracting advice tosupport the ICB in the effective commissioning of all services andsupport the development of contract management expertise in theICB
Please see the job description for full details.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to masters level or equivalent level of experience of working at a senior level in specialist area.
- Evidence of continued professional development
Experience
Essential
- Previously responsible for a budget, involved in budget setting and working knowledge of financial processes
- Experience of setting up and implementing internal processes and procedures.
- Significant experience as a senior NHS commissioner and/or contracts manager
- In depth understanding of NHS policy, contract levers funding mechanisms particularly related to NHS contracting and operational management.
Skill and Ability
Essential
- Able to provide and receive highly complex, sensitive and contentious information, negotiate with senior stakeholders on difficult and controversial issues, and present complex and sensitive information to large and influential groups.
- Ability to persuade board and senior managers of the respective merits of different options, innovation and new market opportunities.
- Ability to negotiate on difficult and very complex and detailed issues
- Ability to carry out procurements for highly detailed, high value contracts that require analysis, comparison and assessment
- Ability to make decisions autonomously and on difficult and contentious issues where there may be a number of courses of action.
- Skills for delivering results through managing through others and using a range of levers in the absence of direct line management responsibility.
- Skills for managing relationships with a range of different stakeholders.
What our service users expect of this post holder
Essential
- Ability to work as part of a team and work flexibly to provide support to other departments and teams as and when necessary
- Strong compassionate and inclusive leadership
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details
Employer name
South West London Integrated Care Board
Address
120 The Broadway
Wimbledon
SW191RH
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.southwestlondon.icb.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)