About this role
Job summary
South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust & George Eliot NHS Trust has an opportunity for the role of Contracts Manager. As an essential member of the Income & Contracting team you will be responsible for providing a comprehensive contracting management service, including ongoing management and monitoring of all contracts to ensure compliance, development of service specifications and coordination of key information to support contract performance.
Technically strong, with in-depth contracting experience and an appreciation of the current NHS regimes. Due to the complexities of the information that you will be dealing with, it is essential you have the capabilities to understand, interpret and convey financial concepts clearly and persuasively to finance and non finance colleagues. Strong Communication skills, both verbal and written will be essential.
Main duties of the job
The role will deliver robust and appropriate contract management, ensuring that the income to the Trust is maintained and increased to reflect agreed service changes and in line with national guidance and contractual agreements. The total portfolio of contracts to be managed represents over £135 million income.
To promote excellent working relationships with established Clinical Commissioning Groups and Local Area Team Specialised Commissioning allowing early dialogue on changing commissioning intentions in either service models and/or potential providers. The post holder will need to work to tight and conflicting deadlines and have a high level of resilience.
To carry out investigation and analysis which will support option appraisal and decision making with a view to growing the Trust's business whilst managing existing contracts.
To engage with clinical and managerial teams to translate the commissioning aspects of new models of care for patients so services are improved, income protected and debt reduced.
The Contracts Manager will also help forge and maintain close links between Information and Operational Directorates including raising awareness of the importance of contracting functions. This will include leading training of staff and representing the team at key meetings (both internally and externally).
About us
Come and join a Trust rated Outstanding by the CQC. South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust have been rated as outstanding following our latest inspection by the CQC and we are recruiting new staff to come and help us improve even further. In addition our staff survey results have placed us 4th in the country for recommended place to work.
We provide services across Warwickshire and beyond ranging from Hospitals in Warwick, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Royal Leamington Spa and Shipston-on Stour to Community Services across the county. We are a progressive, expanding organisation with great ambition around improving quality, integrating pathways and delivering high levels of productivity.Our values can be summed up in one sentence. We are 'Trusted to provide safe, inclusive, effective and compassionate care'. Throughout the recruitment process you will be asked to think about how you demonstrate these values and how they impact on your work. It doesn't matter what role you do, whether it is patient facing or not, we are all working in the same way with our values at the core.
As part of our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion we encourage all applicants to complete a short survey. This can be accessed via the link below:
https://forms.office.com/e/ahWY3eAGM2
We appreciate you completing the survey.
Job description Job responsibilities
Comprehensive Contract Management
To develop and maintain processes to ensure the Trust complies with the terms and conditions of the standard NHS contract (acute and community), APMS and PDS+ contracts for the above contract portfolio.
To actively support the development, negotiation and agreement of the contracts each year.
To lead the development of the contract schedules
To manage the ongoing contract processes e.g. drafting and responding to contract variations, performance notices etc.
To lead the development of new healthcare contracts in response to new business won by the Trust
To develop an internal contract monitoring framework designed to safeguard income, ensure compliance with performance standards and effectively manage ongoing issues with commissioners.
To maintain a highly detailed and comprehensive understanding of the terms of the standard NHS contract, APMS contract and PDS+ to provide advice and guidance to Executive Team and staff, considering options and making recommendations on the management of contractual issues.
In conjunction with finance and information colleagues, make available accurate, timely and detailed information and analysis relating to contract monitoring.
To support a comprehensive understanding of the standard NHS contract, APMS and PDS+ contracts within the Trust through effective communications, summary information and training.
To develop forward thinking and innovative approaches to contract development, and maximise the use of new technologies and leading edge contracting techniques
To support development, agreement and monitoring of healthcare sub-contracts and service level agreements
To provide a comprehensive contract management service for the Trust, working in close collaboration with the relevant personnel in the Finance, Performance and Information teams. Contracting responsibilities will include:
Contract Negotiations
To provide expert technical advice and guidance and ensure the accurate and timely production of costed activity proposals for contract negotiations with commissioners including CCGs, Specialised Commissioning, Local Authorities etc.
Directly coordinate the annual process of negotiation to establish key changes for contracts and write supporting business cases/briefing papers. In conjunction with Service Leads, the post-holder will negotiate key changes with commissioners, ensuring the development and maintenance of all associated contract documentation.
To ensure timely information, reports, and analysis is available to assist Service Leads in developing the Trusts negotiating strategy for each round of contract negotiations. This will involve working closely with colleagues in Performance and Information services and Finance.
Provide oversight of contract negotiations, maintaining records, data, and documentation pertaining to the developing contractual process within strict deadlines.
Maintaining Technical Knowledge
Develop a thorough knowledge of current NHS contractual and procurement policy/guidance, and organise this information so that it is readily available and understood within the wider Trust advising senior colleagues where necessary.
To internally communicate and explain the implications of changes to national or local contracting policy and supporting in the production of appropriate impact assessments (e.g. Best Practice Tariffs).
Research and maintain up to date knowledge of local and National initiatives, guidance, and direction.
The post-holder will be required to represent the team in key presentations to internal forums to raise the profile of the contract.
In Year Contract Management
In conjunction with locality teams, play a lead role in the in-year contract management meetings with commissioning. Ensure that all information, analysis, and documentation are prepared and available in a timely manner. In so doing to ensure that the meetings are productive, effective and reflect the Trust in a professional and business like way during our contacts with these organisations and other agencies. Elements may include the information schedules, the performance assurance framework, registers and schedules.
To support Service Leads in regular discussions with commissioners to maintain appropriate records of such discussions, and ensure that there is a robust system within the directorate to capture and disseminate this information.
Maintain and develop a central register containing the status of all remedial action plans across the Trust is fully operational, working with Service Leads to ensure these are achievable and delivering. The postholder will be directly responsible for pulling together robust responses to all Contract Performance Notices, Activity Query Notices etc. and ensuring all supporting plans offer the right level of assurance and are achievable.
Develop and maintain systems to ensure corporate oversight of all Commissioning for Quality and Innovation (CQUIN) schemes
Other Contracting Duties
Lead on all key sub-contracts including the direct negotiation and achievement of cost savings where appropriate.
Working with colleagues in Finance, and other teams, to identify, analyse and report on areas where the Trust is under recovering income. Identify areas where income is at risk due to non-compliance with contract conditions, and ensure that such information is actioned and escalated where necessary.
Make decisions on a range of complex project issues where there might be more than one course of action by interpreting national guidance.
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
Educated to degree level or equivalent experience Evidence of ongoing professional development
Experience Essential
Proven experience in establishing and maintaining relationships with key internal and external individuals, developing alliances and partnerships Advanced written and verbal presentation, communication skills, demonstrating excellent attention to detail Proven ability to work in a challenging performance management environment, delivering on targets within agreed timescales
Desirable
Experience in a management role in the NHS, including managing people and budgets
Skills Essential
Excellent technical knowledge of the contracting arrangements between Trusts and commissioners and the issues that can trigger risk for both parties Understanding of NHS policy, key targets and the NHS financial and commissioning processes. A sound knowledge of and experience of project management skills in the development of new services Knowledge of NHS commissioning and procurement processes Excellent interpersonal skills - influencing, negotiating and communication (written and verbal) across all levels both internal and external audiences Ability to produce reports and present highly complex information and concepts to a variety of audiences Aptitude and confidence for working in a rapidly changing environment Ability to assimilate and organise disparate and partial data to inform decision making Sound grasp of information and data and well developed skills in collating and interpreting data to support decision making, including those decisions with significant financial implications
Desirable
Experience of developing and implementing systems and processes Knowledge of NHS policy and reforms Highly proficient in the use of IT applications, specifically MS office and internet Able to analyse data and systems to determine and highlight areas of risk.
Personal Qualities Essential
Strong commitment to improving health and social care services Good negotiator with evidence of an ability to influence others across the full range of professions and organisations Ability to manage time and prioritise competing demands to ensure deadlines are met by self and others Ability to maintain detailed records, processes and systems A flexible and adaptable approach can handle people of all capabilities and attitudes Excellent team player with open and flexible style of working Self-motivated, pro-active, and innovative Can demonstrate excellent interpersonal and communication skills and be tactful and diplomatic. High level of political awareness and ability to deal with highly contentious issues with professionalism and integrity Ability to build strong alliances across a wide range of stakeholders Sound conceptual thinking, reasoning and numeracy, with strong analytical abilities Political awareness and sound judgement Able to project a professional image of the department and trust outside of the organisation Able to receive, discuss and present complex and commercially sensitive issues in an appropriately professional way Ability to evidence / demonstrate key values and behaviors Commitment to continual learning and personal development
Other Essential
Ability to travel between sites Flexible attitude with respect to hours of work
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship 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).
Employer details Employer name South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust
Address Warwick Hospital
Warwick
CV34 5BW
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.swft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)