JOB PURPOSE
:
The Education Authority requires two Transport Contract Managers to work within the EA Transport Service.
Reporting directly to the Head of Service, the post holder will manage a complex portfolio of contracts in the excess of £80m. These contracts include the full range of contracted transport provision and on vehicle safety equipment for the EA, including a significant contract with Translink to provide Ulsterbus, Metro and NIR travel for eligible pupils and a Dynamic Purchasing System contract for private hire taxi and bus services, with an ever increasing focus on SEN transport requirements.
As a Contract Manager within the EA Transport Service, the post holder will play a vital role in ensuring supplier compliance with legislation and guidance and that spending is effectively monitored, achieving value for money. The post holder will ensure that delivery and service/product quality are consistent and that all end users’ satisfaction ratings remain high.
The post holder will be responsible for creating and managing an agreed supplier recording and auditing system, which they will administer across all transport contracts, endeavouring to increase efficiencies and improve the service deliverables while reducing costs where possible.
The post holder will regularly present your reports and outcomes to the Head of Service and Transport Management Team.
In this challenging role, the post holder will work closely with all our stakeholders and be instrumental in delivering a quality service that meets our goals and objectives and exceeds our customers’ expectations.
MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Contract Administration
1. Responsible for ensuring that all contract management activities listed in the EA Contract Management Guide are completed on time and to the required level of detail.
2. Develop and manage the contract administration processes to ensure compliance with all contract service level agreements, including variations/change control, financial monitoring, performance monitoring as well as other contract mechanisms
3. Actively manage the contract management system, ensuring all actions have been identified and recommendations are made to meet compliance and objectives.
4. Maintain intimate knowledge of the contracts and associated terms within the portfolio
5. Arrange schedules of contracts due in advance, arrange panel members, contract specifications, panel meetings and evaluation panels
6. Coordinate and agree with Transport Senior Managers, panels and HoS on contract requirements and specifications
7. Assess the services supplier requirements and ensure that these expectations are met
8. Act as the interface between external suppliers, internal colleagues and procurement / legal teams concerning contract reviews, changes and retendering
9. Play a supporting role in the commissioning and procurement of Home to School Transport Services across the EA
10. Comply with all Departmental controls relating to commercial practice and otherwise, including strict adherence to their delegated authorities, governance, legislation, and policy as appropriate
11. Contribute to the review, revision and development of existing and new contracts.
12. Drive service improvement across all contracts for all goods and services for the Transport Service
Auditing and Reporting
13. Oversee the management of contracts through auditing and reporting
14. Manage and oversee all Transport audits, report writing and action planning within the remit of Contract Management
15. Create, maintain, and operate Management Information Reports that ensure all processes and procedures are in place and working effectively within the Service
16. Provide timely reports and presentations to the Head of Service on all Transport contract review and performance matters, spending and satisfaction levels with each service provider.
17. Put in place an annual onsite supplier auditing schedule
18. Set deadlines and ensure timelines are met, often under challenging circumstances and competing priorities
19. Support the Transport Service in the monitoring and control of contract expenditure in line with agreed budget limits, facilitating action plans to address over and underspend
20. Provide support and recommendations to the Transport Senior Management Team from the findings identified from audits, reports and end-user complaints
Continuous Improvement
21. Identify areas for improvement opportunities across EA Transport to ensure best value is being achieved at all times.
22. Regularly monitor supplier performance against agreed key performance indicators ensuring achievement and improvement where required
23. Put in place an effective end-user complaint system embedded at the user level that easily identifies trends and service provider failures
24. Act as a point of escalation for the Transport Service in the event of poor supplier performance, including providing advice on contract terms and conditions and how and when to enact them
25. Investigate quality failures and issues, and record and identify trends
Training & Meetings
26. Attend all meetings, training courses including professional development courses and working groups as required and carry out all tasks as requested to ensure contracts are developed, evaluated, implemented and managed within the agreed procurement requirements, strategy and timeframes
27. Contribute to developing and delivering service initiatives and programmes such as workshops, training, and development initiatives to support the Transport Service and Senior Managers
28. Arrange and coordinate initiation meetings with members of the Transport Service before the tendering for products and services commences ensuring that all contracts deliver the Transport Services requirements
29. Arrange onsite supplier visits with Transport Senior Managers
30. Arrange and coordinate Category Council meetings, providing agendas, information for agenda items, minute taking and following up on actions delegated
31. Actively participate in service and procurement meetings and consult with internal and external stakeholders as requested
32. Participate in learning and development activities and professional development, as required with the role
ICT
33. Prioritise the smooth running of the contract management portal, ensuring deadlines and value for money are met whilst maintaining a high standard of analysis and insight into each contract
34. Use electronic sourcing and management systems to ensure all commerical decisions are evidenced.
Quality and Procurement
35. Ensure the EA Transport Contract Register and Risk Register (Category Council) is reviewed and assessed regularly, ensuring significant risks are escalated accordingly
36. Prepare Procurement Needs Requests for the Transport Service
37. Prepare Business Cases as required for products and new services as the Transport Service evolves
38. Support and carry out procurement projects when requested by the Transport Management Team.
Leadership and People
39. Promote and support the EA Procurement and Transport Service vision and values
40. Build and maintain effective, professional, and respectful stakeholder relationships
41. Develop and maintain clear lines of communication and effective working partnerships with relevant internal/external stakeholders.
42. Work with the Transport Management team, Transport Private Hire Compliance team and Procurement Service to lead and support procurement and compliance
Other Responsibilities
43. Comply with the EA’s policy on Data Protection (in particular, the processing of sensitive personal information)
44. Ensure that the EA’s Equal Opportunities Policy, relevant Codes of Employment and Practice and other relevant legislation are adhered to
45. Respond to or provide relevant information for Parliamentary Questions, Assembly Questions, Minister’s cases, FOI requests and other correspondence within set deadlines
46. Deal with whistleblowing complaints in accordance with the EA’s Whistleblowing procedure
47. Undertake such other relevant duties as may be reasonably expected of the post-holder
48. The post holder may be required to work outside normal office hours on occasions