Job overview
We are looking to recruit a Senior Contracts and Performance Manager to join the Estates & Facilities Division and support the effective management of key contracts and performance arrangements.
Working as part of the Estates & Facilities team and reporting to the Strategic Programme Manager, the role provides specialist commercial and contractual support across a defined portfolio of services. You will work closely with operational managers, finance and procurement colleagues to monitor performance, manage risk and support good financial control.
The role includes line management responsibility for the Contracts Team and plays an important part in maintaining strong governance, consistency and assurance across Estates & Facilities contracts.
We are seeking an experienced and collaborative professional who is comfortable working in a complex environment and who wants to contribute to services that support high‑quality patient care.
At the heart of everything we do are our core values: Include, Respect, and Improve. We encourage you to embrace these values throughout the recruitment process and in your role with us.
Main duties of the job
Lead on the day‑to‑day management and performance monitoring of a portfolio of Estates & Facilities contracts.
Provide professional commercial and contractual advice to operational managers, finance and procurement colleagues.
Manage and develop the Contracts Team, ensuring clear objectives, good performance and appropriate support.
Oversee contract renewals, variations and negotiations, ensuring value for money and compliance with Trust governance.
Monitor contract performance, KPIs and financial position, escalating risks and issues through agreed governance routes.
Support delivery of cost improvement plans (CIPs) and efficiency programmes linked to Estates & Facilities services.
Ensure contracts operate in line with statutory, regulatory and Trust requirements.
Produce clear reports and assurance for senior manager(s) to support decision‑making.
Working for our organisation
At East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, we are proud of the range of general & specialist services we provide & our 6,000 or so dedicated staff ensure our patients get the best care. Our ability to be flexible & innovative in the way in which we work and deliver our services to our catchment has never been more important than it is now.
We run the following hospitals:
* The Lister Hospital, Stevenage
* New Queen Elizabeth II (New QEII), Welwyn Garden City
* Hertford County, Hertford
* Mount Vernon Cancer Centre (MVCC), Northwood
We have ambitious plans to become an outstanding, patient-led Trust where dedicated staff provide high-quality, compassionate care to our patients. We continue to undergo significant transformation; our staff & patients are at the heart of delivering this ambitious agenda.
We are committed to a positive work life balance for our employees. Employees are entitled to seek to work flexible working patterns & we are committed to listen and consider all requests. Such requests, of course, have to be made & considered formally, & will need to be balanced against service needs, but our starting point will always be to find ways to support making them happen.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification applicant pack for further detailed information regarding this role.
Person specification
Qualifications/ Training
Essential criteria
* Educated to master’s degree level or equivalent level of experience of working at a senior level in specialist area
* Expert knowledge of contracting systems and processes
* Further training or significant experience in Contracts Management
* Management experience or supporting change management process
Desirable criteria
* Project Management Qualification
* Expert level NHS “Contract Management Capability Programme”
Previous Experience
Essential criteria
* Experience and understanding of evaluating and measuring the performance of health services.
* Significant experience of managing a wide and diverse range of contract management issues and ability to demonstrate a track record of achievement
* Experience of dealing with high value contracts
* Knowledge of Procurement, contracting and performance management either within the NHS or Private Sector
* Ability to manage Teams
* Experience of developing/compiling Service Level agreements and service specifications.
Desirable criteria
* High levels of expertise in a variety of contract scenarios and familiarity with the NHS standard contracting documents and process
* Knowledge and experience of PLACE Inspections/ auditing / CQC
Skills
Essential criteria
* Strong written and verbal skills, able to form effective communications with technical, clinical and administrative audiences
* Must possess excellent interpersonal skills and be able to demonstrate an ability to communicate at all levels
* Must possess excellent IT skills to allow full use of Microsoft 365 packages
* Ability to work under pressure and deal sensitively with the problems of a stakeholders and with the ability to provide necessary support
* Good presentation skills
* Work well under pressure and able to respond positively to problems and formulate effective solutions.
* Works well with all stakeholders and E&F managers; able to form effective working relationships with peers and be able to junior staff
* Ability to work effectively with others, working towards the common goal of the team
Desirable criteria
* Approachable and supportive
* Must demonstrate a flexible approach to work
Knowledge
Essential criteria
* Knowledge of current developments within the NHS
* Expert knowledge of contracting systems and processes
* Expert level NHS Contract Management Capability Programme
Desirable criteria
* Knowledge of NHS long-term strategic and business planning
* Knowledge of PFI Management
Other Requirements
Essential criteria
* Experience and evidence of engagement around equality, diversity and inclusion issues in relation to policy, service development and service delivery in respect of both services to users and the management of staff
* Role model our Trust values every day