Job summary
ELFT has a significant requirement for robust income contracting and compliance management processes. The Contracts Manager will take operational responsibility for these functions across the Trust.
The post holder will ensure that ELFT deliver to agreed quality and core performance standards across all ELFT income contracts and that there is a process for regular review and audit of all contracts to ensure ongoing financial viability for the Trust.
The post holder will be expected to display technical capability combined with strong relationship skills and attention to detail in order to successfully engage commissioners and where appropriate joint providers.
The post holder will be managerially accountable to the Contracts Lead, with overall accountability to the Associate Director of Commercial Development.
Main duties of the job
The management of relationships with commissioners, including the management of appropriate information flows to commissioners such that commissioners are assured that contracts can be satisfactorily developed.
Support Commissioners in the development of formal contract documents and schedules ensuring the documents relied upon account for the discussions in the negotiation meetings.
Develop and maintain an effective contract repository and ensure an effective audit trail for contracting activities.
Develop robust and relevant contract templates.
Drafting contracts and variations.
Ensuring all schedules in each contract are effectively developed and communicated to relevant departments within ELFT so that the Trust always delivers to the agreed contract requirements. In developing these schedules ensuring very good communication and relation are developed with relevant departments and clinical units within the organization.
Ensure final copies of formal signed contracts are maintained safely for reference in a Contracts Register and Contracts Library
Provide technical support to the Contracts Lead and other ELFT directorates in relation to contracting matters, and to coordinate their response within a corporate-led contracting function.
Examine proposed contracts to assess the potential to improve efficiency, quality and value for money
About us
Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving the quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive - so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Develop and manage other Agreements that may be required in support of business development and tender processes such as MoUs, Exclusivity and Confidentiality Agreements, NDAs etc.
Manage Non Contract Activity (NCA) process alongside finance and performance teams.
Develop and manage contracts related to marketing of inpatient beds across the Trust held with various Providers.
Ensure contracts and all related documents are updated regularly onto the contract management systems.
Ensure systems are adhered to for all service elements for the safe storage of sensitive and commercial-in-confidence information.
Ensure that data storage and retrieval is accessible only to authorised individuals and in accordance with legislation, e.g., Data Protection Act, NHS guidelines, and IM&T security policies.
To plan and prioritise own work to ensure effective support to all areas and delivery of key objectives.
To ensure that allocated project plan(s) are kept updated and regular reports provided to the Associate Director of Commercial Development and Contracts Lead.
Ensure that the office environment runs smoothly and that systems are in place for ensuring adequate provision of supplies and technology.
Maintain technical knowledge and awareness of key national contractual policies and templates, including the NHS Standard and Local Authority contracts.
Maintain understanding of the technical principles and pricing mechanisms as outlined within the National Payment System (NPS).
Job description
Job responsibilities
Develop and manage other Agreements that may be required in support of business development and tender processes such as MoUs, Exclusivity and Confidentiality Agreements, NDAs etc.
Manage Non Contract Activity (NCA) process alongside finance and performance teams.
Develop and manage contracts related to marketing of inpatient beds across the Trust held with various Providers.
Ensure contracts and all related documents are updated regularly onto the contract management systems.
Ensure systems are adhered to for all service elements for the safe storage of sensitive and commercial-in-confidence information.
Ensure that data storage and retrieval is accessible only to authorised individuals and in accordance with legislation, e.g., Data Protection Act, NHS guidelines, and IM&T security policies.
To plan and prioritise own work to ensure effective support to all areas and delivery of key objectives.
To ensure that allocated project plan(s) are kept updated and regular reports provided to the Associate Director of Commercial Development and Contracts Lead.
Ensure that the office environment runs smoothly and that systems are in place for ensuring adequate provision of supplies and technology.
Maintain technical knowledge and awareness of key national contractual policies and templates, including the NHS Standard and Local Authority contracts.
Maintain understanding of the technical principles and pricing mechanisms as outlined within the National Payment System (NPS).
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Graduate or equivalent professional qualification in a relevant subject, such as business, finance, law
- Good understanding of the key NHS Standard and Local Authority contracts
Experience
Essential
- Experience of production of quality reports related to financial and service activity
- `Skills and experience in presenting succinct inferences from data analysis as relevant to service planning and contracting
- Experience of reporting on performance data as applied to clinical and service activity
- Experience of developing and maintaining contracts registers and contract libraries
- Experience of NHS contracting, financial administration and systems, negotiating and agreeing contract documentation
- Experience in developing performance and service reports following contracting and presenting information to formal and informal meetings
- Experience in working collaboratively with senior clinicians and service managers in a service delivery environment
Knowledge
Essential
- Information management and financial data analysis skills as applied to clinical and service data and contract monitoring
- Good knowledge of commercial contracting processes and mechanisms and experience of negotiating commercial agreements and contracts, including instances where joint venture and partnership models are used and are required to be accommodated by contracts
- Comprehensive understanding of the new commissioning environment, the new key organisational stakeholders, and the anticipated commissioning intent
- Understanding of the mental health and community and primary healthcare market, and the drivers of change during the ELFT strategic framework period
- Understanding of mental health and community health issues and terminology
- Good understanding of the fundamentals of contracts and contracting law
- Knowledge and experience of the role and nature of NHS Foundation Trusts, knowledge and experience of the wider NHS contracting and business environment
- Ability to understand, disseminate and present complex information
- Ability to present and negotiate on complex matters, under pressure, to secure the best outcome whilst maintaining good working relationships
- Ability to understand and develop policy and protocol frameworks
- Knowledge of the operation of contracts for healthcare services with the NHS, and the associated wider operating framework and business context
- Ability to work collaboratively with key staff inside and outside the organisation, with emphasis on direction, empowerment and partnership working
- High levels of numeracy, analytical and negotiation skills, high level of understanding of healthcare information, understanding of financial management
- Ability to work with a variety of clinical and management staff throughout the Trust and within Integrated Care Boards and the wider business environment
- Ability to communicate contentious information issues/briefings to senior managers
- Planning and collaborating on information use across organisational boundaries
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, producing reports and documentation to a professional standard with an ability to communicate complex issues/data in a simplified way
- Excellent proficiency in using Microsoft office software and tools
Other
Essential
- Proactive approach to problem solving and developing operational administration systems to support service and clinical delivery
- Ability to appropriately decide priorities when multiple urgent problems arise at the same time
- Ability to work effectively as part of a team
- A self-starter - highly motivated and results orientated
- Ability to maintain good working relationships within and outside the Trust
- Ability to cope with and manage high levels of change
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Graduate or equivalent professional qualification in a relevant subject, such as business, finance, law
- Good understanding of the key NHS Standard and Local Authority contracts
Experience
Essential
- Experience of production of quality reports related to financial and service activity
- `Skills and experience in presenting succinct inferences from data analysis as relevant to service planning and contracting
- Experience of reporting on performance data as applied to clinical and service activity
- Experience of developing and maintaining contracts registers and contract libraries
- Experience of NHS contracting, financial administration and systems, negotiating and agreeing contract documentation
- Experience in developing performance and service reports following contracting and presenting information to formal and informal meetings
- Experience in working collaboratively with senior clinicians and service managers in a service delivery environment
Knowledge
Essential
- Information management and financial data analysis skills as applied to clinical and service data and contract monitoring
- Good knowledge of commercial contracting processes and mechanisms and experience of negotiating commercial agreements and contracts, including instances where joint venture and partnership models are used and are required to be accommodated by contracts
- Comprehensive understanding of the new commissioning environment, the new key organisational stakeholders, and the anticipated commissioning intent
- Understanding of the mental health and community and primary healthcare market, and the drivers of change during the ELFT strategic framework period
- Understanding of mental health and community health issues and terminology
- Good understanding of the fundamentals of contracts and contracting law
- Knowledge and experience of the role and nature of NHS Foundation Trusts, knowledge and experience of the wider NHS contracting and business environment
- Ability to understand, disseminate and present complex information
- Ability to present and negotiate on complex matters, under pressure, to secure the best outcome whilst maintaining good working relationships
- Ability to understand and develop policy and protocol frameworks
- Knowledge of the operation of contracts for healthcare services with the NHS, and the associated wider operating framework and business context
- Ability to work collaboratively with key staff inside and outside the organisation, with emphasis on direction, empowerment and partnership working
- High levels of numeracy, analytical and negotiation skills, high level of understanding of healthcare information, understanding of financial management
- Ability to work with a variety of clinical and management staff throughout the Trust and within Integrated Care Boards and the wider business environment
- Ability to communicate contentious information issues/briefings to senior managers
- Planning and collaborating on information use across organisational boundaries
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, producing reports and documentation to a professional standard with an ability to communicate complex issues/data in a simplified way
- Excellent proficiency in using Microsoft office software and tools
Other
Essential
- Proactive approach to problem solving and developing operational administration systems to support service and clinical delivery
- Ability to appropriately decide priorities when multiple urgent problems arise at the same time
- Ability to work effectively as part of a team
- A self-starter - highly motivated and results orientated
- Ability to maintain good working relationships within and outside the Trust
- Ability to cope with and manage high levels of change
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.
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).
Additional information
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.
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).
