Job summary The Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland ICB are looking for an enthusiastic and pro-active individual to join the Contracts and Procurement team. The Contracts and Procurement team has a wide portfolio and covers acute, community, primary care and independent sector contracts. This post will have a focus on the acute portfolio (NHS Hospital Trusts & Independent Sector Hospital Providers) but may also cover other areas in a flexible matrix approach. Its an exciting time to join the team as we work ever more closely with our provider partners to ensure that we can maximise value for money and deliver effective care to patients. The team also has the responsibility for leading procurements to secure appropriate providers utilising the NHS Frameworks & ensuring the ICB is compliant with the new Provider Selection Regime (PSR). One of the key objectives of the team is to work in partnership across the ICBs directorate teams and wider ICS system partners to facilitate delivery of the LLR objectives - recovery, sustainability and transformation. Main duties of the job We are looking for a Contracts Officer to join our friendly and welcoming team. The post holder is a key member of the contracts team whose overarching goal is to enable, promote and support the effective use of contract data, information, knowledge and technology to improve, inform and support a portfolio of contracts and services. The successful individual will provide high quality contract management support to ensure requirements are met and upheld, promoting quality improvement and best practice through application of robust contract management. We are looking for some who can undertake complex and detailed information analysis of specific activities / reports requiring high levels of concentration, which may require comparing a range of options to support projects and the contract cycle. About us Integrated Care Boards are at the heart of a new way of working for the NHS, bringing together providers of NHS services with local authorities and other local partners to plan, co-ordinate and arrange health services as part of an Integrated care System. They are part of a fundamental shift in the way the health and care system is organised - away from competition and organisational autonomy and towards collaboration, with health and care organisations working together to better integrate services, improve population health and reduce health inequalities. Date posted 21 January 2025 Pay scheme Agenda for change Band Band 7 Salary £46,148 to £52,809 a year pa Contract Permanent Working pattern Full-time, Flexible working, Home or remote working Reference number 994-ICB-6711158-A Job locations Pen Lloyd Building County hall Glenfield Leicester LE3 8TB Job description Job responsibilities Main duties of the job: The Senior Contracts Officer will support and underpin transformation by: Actively participate in the implementation of new innovative contracting models to support the LLR System in the delivery of the changing strategic commissioning and transformational agenda Ensuring that contracts are secured to deliver value for money, service transformation and adoption of best practice. Ensure that all agreed contracts contain clear and agreed clinical pathways, service standards and outcome-based service specifications. Establishing constructive commercial relationships with Providers with systematic, proactive management of contract compliance and delivery of service standards and prompt resolution of contractual and customer service issues. Manage a portfolio of healthcare contracts, analysing and reporting on delivery, querying variances from plans or targets, working collaboratively in the system to achieve the agreed expected outcomes. Contribute to service reviews, service specification development and pathway redesign to help ensure that the best value for money and highest quality health services are secured within the available resources and specifications comply with contract terms and conditions. Produce assurance reports to the ICBs Boards and Committees and other forums as required on the portfolio of contracted services 1. Job purpose The Senior Contracts Officer will: Manage a portfolio of healthcare contracts, analysing and reporting on performance, querying variances from plans or targets, raising performance issues and pursuing actions to recover performance. Analyse, interpret and present complex data such as contract activity, demand and capacity data, finance or performance data, present findings and produce reports in order to query variances or anomalies, inform planning decisions or hold providers to account for delivery of activity plans and performance indicators within budgets. Monitor the quality of data and information and take the necessary action to deal with any problems and maintain data quality Manage day-to-day contracting queries and provide expert advice relating to any of the contracts in the ICBs portfolio, from Localities, GP Practices, PCNs and/or other healthcare providers. Contribute to service reviews, service specification development and pathway redesign to help ensure that the best value for money and highest quality health services are secured within the available resources and specifications comply with contract terms and conditions. Co-ordinate the in-year contract management process including the work programme for contract technical and performance meetings and the annual contract review and negotiation process, delivering key components of the contract review and negotiation work plan. Authorise requests for funding for non-contract activity (NCA) including patient transport and authorise NCA invoices (following validation by the finance department). Investigate and respond to contract-related patient complaints, MP letters and Freedom of Information requests. Take an active part in the development review of own works against the KSF outline for the post with their reviewer and suggest areas for learning and development in the coming year Core Duties and Responsibilities (Key Result Areas) Key responsibilities will include: Writing, evaluating, negotiating and executing various contracts covering a range of transactions Creating and maintaining relationships with providers and stakeholders Maintaining correspondence and documentation related to contracts Communicating and presenting information to stakeholders regarding contracts Monitoring contracts and moving forward with close-out, extension or renewal of contracts Draft contract documentation including contract variations as required Supporting the problem-solving of contract-related issues Providing project support to procurement exercises Lead on specific projects that may span cross directorates/system Planning & Organising Manage the teams contracting function, including developing and managing the teams business plan, progress and reporting risk and issue management. Liaise with appropriate functions within the Directorate and key stakeholders of the ICB. Contribute and support the coordination of training & development and recruitment activity across the team. Contribute to the strategic planning of team projects, identifying interdependencies, and potential impacts on wider organisation, resource requirements and building in contingency and adjustments as necessary. Contribute to short, medium, and long-term business plans. Service Improvement Develop and implement a content management system to ensure information is properly managed and best practice is shared across the team, directorate and the wider NHS organisation. Devise and provide improvements to current management information, analysing, reporting and suggesting procedures to enhance decision making processes. Contribute to performance improvement, taking a lead for identified areas. Pro-actively identify business improvement needs and opportunities, by complex audits or surveys, and prioritise improvement activities across the directorate. Analysis & Judgment Ensure timely and accurate information analysis and reporting to management on agreed areas of work. Work with members of the team to investigate the causes of any variance from plan and proactively contribute to the implementation of solutions Management of a risk and issues tracking mechanism and the resolution and escalation processes. Using autonomous judgement and initiative, where there may be conflicting views, to respond to communications on complex issues and draft non-standard responses that may include the analysis of technical information. Communication Maintain constructive relationships with a broad range of stakeholders. Provide relevant and timely specialist advice and guidance on own portfolio. Maintain strong links with directorates using tact, negotiation and influencing skills to facilitate the development of effective networks / working groups / projects and the delivery of their key objectives. Using influencing, persuasion and negotiating skills, supporting the Senior Managers to update and manage directorate wide forums such as senior leadership team meetings and working groups on specific topics. Produce material for and present complex presentations which are engaging, influential and effective in delivering key messages, the content of which may include highly complex technical, contentious or very sensitive information. Financial Management Oversight and management of all aspects of the team budgets. Provide regular reporting on the targeting of resources and monitor their implementation from a value for money perspective. Provide oversight and monitoring of all aspects of team budgets. Ensure activity expenditure is monitored accordingly. Manage team resources to ensure service continuity. People Management Take a lead in the coordination of training, development and recruitment activity across the team. Manage staff, undertaking appraisals, and managing any employee relations issues. Research & Development Contribute to the development of key performance indicators. Delegate aspects of research and development activities, collating information, analysing and reporting findings. Policy & Service Development Develop policies and procedures in own work function with an impact on the wider organisation, as required. Contribute to the review and development of existing information management systems. Contribute to the development of an integrated approach to service management. 6. Key relationships Establish and maintain collaborative working relationships with: ICB colleagues, Senior Managers and wider colleagues Local system stakeholders including healthcare providers and local authorities Other Integrated Care Boards; NHS England / Improvement; Commissioning Support Unit Governing Body Members (clinical, managerial and lay) Executive Team GP Portfolio leads Primary Care Network Clinical Directors Member GP practices and other practice staff Public Health England ICS stakeholders including Health and Wellbeing Board members Patients, carers and communities Local professional committees (LMC, LPC, LOC, LDC) Health Education England Academic Health Science Networks and Centres Voluntary Groups Other local and national organisations as required, including Regulatory Bodies Job description Job responsibilities Main duties of the job: The Senior Contracts Officer will support and underpin transformation by: Actively participate in the implementation of new innovative contracting models to support the LLR System in the delivery of the changing strategic commissioning and transformational agenda Ensuring that contracts are secured to deliver value for money, service transformation and adoption of best practice. Ensure that all agreed contracts contain clear and agreed clinical pathways, service standards and outcome-based service specifications. Establishing constructive commercial relationships with Providers with systematic, proactive management of contract compliance and delivery of service standards and prompt resolution of contractual and customer service issues. Manage a portfolio of healthcare contracts, analysing and reporting on delivery, querying variances from plans or targets, working collaboratively in the system to achieve the agreed expected outcomes. Contribute to service reviews, service specification development and pathway redesign to help ensure that the best value for money and highest quality health services are secured within the available resources and specifications comply with contract terms and conditions. Produce assurance reports to the ICBs Boards and Committees and other forums as required on the portfolio of contracted services 1. Job purpose The Senior Contracts Officer will: Manage a portfolio of healthcare contracts, analysing and reporting on performance, querying variances from plans or targets, raising performance issues and pursuing actions to recover performance. Analyse, interpret and present complex data such as contract activity, demand and capacity data, finance or performance data, present findings and produce reports in order to query variances or anomalies, inform planning decisions or hold providers to account for delivery of activity plans and performance indicators within budgets. Monitor the quality of data and information and take the necessary action to deal with any problems and maintain data quality Manage day-to-day contracting queries and provide expert advice relating to any of the contracts in the ICBs portfolio, from Localities, GP Practices, PCNs and/or other healthcare providers. Contribute to service reviews, service specification development and pathway redesign to help ensure that the best value for money and highest quality health services are secured within the available resources and specifications comply with contract terms and conditions. Co-ordinate the in-year contract management process including the work programme for contract technical and performance meetings and the annual contract review and negotiation process, delivering key components of the contract review and negotiation work plan. Authorise requests for funding for non-contract activity (NCA) including patient transport and authorise NCA invoices (following validation by the finance department). Investigate and respond to contract-related patient complaints, MP letters and Freedom of Information requests. Take an active part in the development review of own works against the KSF outline for the post with their reviewer and suggest areas for learning and development in the coming year Core Duties and Responsibilities (Key Result Areas) Key responsibilities will include: Writing, evaluating, negotiating and executing various contracts covering a range of transactions Creating and maintaining relationships with providers and stakeholders Maintaining correspondence and documentation related to contracts Communicating and presenting information to stakeholders regarding contracts Monitoring contracts and moving forward with close-out, extension or renewal of contracts Draft contract documentation including contract variations as required Supporting the problem-solving of contract-related issues Providing project support to procurement exercises Lead on specific projects that may span cross directorates/system Planning & Organising Manage the teams contracting function, including developing and managing the teams business plan, progress and reporting risk and issue management. Liaise with appropriate functions within the Directorate and key stakeholders of the ICB. Contribute and support the coordination of training & development and recruitment activity across the team. Contribute to the strategic planning of team projects, identifying interdependencies, and potential impacts on wider organisation, resource requirements and building in contingency and adjustments as necessary. Contribute to short, medium, and long-term business plans. Service Improvement Develop and implement a content management system to ensure information is properly managed and best practice is shared across the team, directorate and the wider NHS organisation. Devise and provide improvements to current management information, analysing, reporting and suggesting procedures to enhance decision making processes. Contribute to performance improvement, taking a lead for identified areas. Pro-actively identify business improvement needs and opportunities, by complex audits or surveys, and prioritise improvement activities across the directorate. Analysis & Judgment Ensure timely and accurate information analysis and reporting to management on agreed areas of work. Work with members of the team to investigate the causes of any variance from plan and proactively contribute to the implementation of solutions Management of a risk and issues tracking mechanism and the resolution and escalation processes. Using autonomous judgement and initiative, where there may be conflicting views, to respond to communications on complex issues and draft non-standard responses that may include the analysis of technical information. Communication Maintain constructive relationships with a broad range of stakeholders. Provide relevant and timely specialist advice and guidance on own portfolio. Maintain strong links with directorates using tact, negotiation and influencing skills to facilitate the development of effective networks / working groups / projects and the delivery of their key objectives. Using influencing, persuasion and negotiating skills, supporting the Senior Managers to update and manage directorate wide forums such as senior leadership team meetings and working groups on specific topics. Produce material for and present complex presentations which are engaging, influential and effective in delivering key messages, the content of which may include highly complex technical, contentious or very sensitive information. Financial Management Oversight and management of all aspects of the team budgets. Provide regular reporting on the targeting of resources and monitor their implementation from a value for money perspective. Provide oversight and monitoring of all aspects of team budgets. Ensure activity expenditure is monitored accordingly. Manage team resources to ensure service continuity. People Management Take a lead in the coordination of training, development and recruitment activity across the team. Manage staff, undertaking appraisals, and managing any employee relations issues. Research & Development Contribute to the development of key performance indicators. Delegate aspects of research and development activities, collating information, analysing and reporting findings. Policy & Service Development Develop policies and procedures in own work function with an impact on the wider organisation, as required. Contribute to the review and development of existing information management systems. Contribute to the development of an integrated approach to service management. 6. Key relationships Establish and maintain collaborative working relationships with: ICB colleagues, Senior Managers and wider colleagues Local system stakeholders including healthcare providers and local authorities Other Integrated Care Boards; NHS England / Improvement; Commissioning Support Unit Governing Body Members (clinical, managerial and lay) Executive Team GP Portfolio leads Primary Care Network Clinical Directors Member GP practices and other practice staff Public Health England ICS stakeholders including Health and Wellbeing Board members Patients, carers and communities Local professional committees (LMC, LPC, LOC, LDC) Health Education England Academic Health Science Networks and Centres Voluntary Groups Other local and national organisations as required, including Regulatory Bodies Person Specification Education / Training / Qualifications Essential Educated to degree level in relevant subject or equivalent level of experience of working at a similar level in specialist area. Further training or significant experience to post-graduate diploma level. Evidence of continued professional development. Desirable Master level qualification or equivalent experience Knowledge & experience Essential Experience of providing business support to Senior leaders and managing relationships between senior professionals. Experience of drafting briefing papers and correspondence at senior management team level. Experience of monitoring budgets and business planning processes. Good understanding of current and anticipated developments that will affect the health sector. Desirable Demonstrated experience in a Healthcare environment. Skills & Abilities Essential Ability to analyse very complex issues where material is conflicting and drawn from multiple sources. Numerate and able to understand complex financial issues combined with deep analytical skills. Demonstrated capability to plan over short, medium and long-term timeframes and adjust plans and resource requirements accordingly. Able to work on own initiative and as part of a multi-disciplinary team in a fast paced and pressurised environment. Interpersonal Skills Essential Clear communicator with excellent written and presentation skills; capable of constructing and delivering clear ideas and concepts concisely and accurately to a diverse and varied range of audiences consisting of internal and external stakeholders. Mobility Essential Car driver / owner or reasonable alternative due to travel required across Leicestershire, and other locations as required. Person Specification Education / Training / Qualifications Essential Educated to degree level in relevant subject or equivalent level of experience of working at a similar level in specialist area. Further training or significant experience to post-graduate diploma level. Evidence of continued professional development. Desirable Master level qualification or equivalent experience Knowledge & experience Essential Experience of providing business support to Senior leaders and managing relationships between senior professionals. Experience of drafting briefing papers and correspondence at senior management team level. Experience of monitoring budgets and business planning processes. Good understanding of current and anticipated developments that will affect the health sector. Desirable Demonstrated experience in a Healthcare environment. Skills & Abilities Essential Ability to analyse very complex issues where material is conflicting and drawn from multiple sources. Numerate and able to understand complex financial issues combined with deep analytical skills. Demonstrated capability to plan over short, medium and long-term timeframes and adjust plans and resource requirements accordingly. Able to work on own initiative and as part of a multi-disciplinary team in a fast paced and pressurised environment. Interpersonal Skills Essential Clear communicator with excellent written and presentation skills; capable of constructing and delivering clear ideas and concepts concisely and accurately to a diverse and varied range of audiences consisting of internal and external stakeholders. Mobility Essential Car driver / owner or reasonable alternative due to travel required across Leicestershire, and other locations as required. 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. Employer details Employer name NHS Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Integrated Care Board Address Pen Lloyd Building County hall Glenfield Leicester LE3 8TB Employer's website https://www.leicesterleicestershireandrutland.icb.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)