Contracts Manager

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Please be aware that, due to current allocation constraints, Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) are being prioritised for registered roles at this time.

Our Trust cares for more than 100,000 patients at any one time across our community health, mental health and learning disability services across Essex and parts of Bedfordshire and Suffolk.

We want you to be part of our journey of transformation, where our patients and their families are at the heart of everything we do and to achieve our vision to be the leading health and wellbeing service in the provision of mental health and community care.

You'll be part of a Trust where you will be supported to be your authentic self and be the best you can be, where we will help you to grow, develop and thrive.

The Trust is recognised by the University of Essex and is a top provider of apprenticeships for people looking to be an assistant practitioner, senior health care support worker (CAP). Our trailblazing CAP apprenticeship won a national HSJ Award.

We are also recognised as a Veteran Aware Trust and holder of gold accreditation from the Ministry of Defence Employment Recognition Scheme. Our services are highlighted as an exemplar of good practice, producing the best care for more than 3.500 armed forces veterans in the past seven years.

We have been shortlisted and won national awards. We are an inclusive organisation and Level 3 Disability Confident Leader Trust.

We are constantly innovating and looking for new ways to deliver care, such as using technology to enhance patient care and working with partners to launch new services such as the Basildon Mental Health Urgent Care Department, virtual hospitals and falls response cars.

Join us and you'll do the best work of your life - and make a difference to other people's lives. What we do together, matters.

Job overview

Contracts Manager
Band 7 - £49,387 - £56,515 per annum
37.5 hours per week
Pride House

We are seeking an experienced Estates and Facilities Contracts Manager (B7) to take a lead role in the commercial and contractual management of Hard and Soft FM services across the Trust.

You will be responsible for the full contract lifecycle, from complex specification and procurement through mobilisation, governance and day-to-day supplier performance management, covering areas such as M&E/statutory maintenance, reactive and planned works, cleaning, waste, catering, security and portering. You will ensure that all contracts deliver safe, compliant, cost-effective services.

You will hold leadership responsibility for contract budgets, cost capture and recharges, ensuring accurate billing and robust financial control. You will manage challenging supplier relationships where necessary, applying contractual remedies, leading service improvement plans and supporting re-procurement or exit strategies while protecting continuity of patient-facing services.

Main duties of the job

The Estates & Facilities Contracts Manager is responsible for the full commercial lifecycle of estates and facilities contracts across the organisation. You will lead on complex specification development, procurement, mobilisation, contract governance and supplier performance management for hard and soft FM services. The role requires strong commercial and contract management expertise, an in-depth understanding of statutory estates and M&E compliance, sound financial control and the ability to work collaboratively with clinical, procurement, H&S and operational stakeholders to ensure safe, continuous, cost-effective service delivery.

Your leadership will ensure that FM services are aligned with the Trust's strategic objectives, including statutory compliance, infection control, environmental standards, patient safety, and service user satisfaction. You will facilitate procurement activities, review service contracts, support strategic service development, and implement performance improvement initiatives, actively contributing to a cohesive, customer-focused estates and facilities function.

You will also work in partnership with the Finance Manager to ensure that all FM services are accurately costed, billed, and recovered from internal/external clients, including contractual recharges and SLA compliance. The role includes identifying new service opportunities, tendering for future contracts, and developing innovative solutions to meet evolving Trust needs.

Working for our organisation

Valuing you. Recognising your dedication. At EPUT, we look after you.

• Receive supervision and support to help you fulfil your potential.
• Join an inclusive EPUT community and connect with others through engagement events and equality or champion networks.
• If you need help, we provide mental health and wellbeing services, occupational health advice and counselling.

Benefits

• 27 days holiday, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days after 10 years' service.
• Excellent pension of up to 14.5% of your pensionable pay.
• Staff discounts include Blue Light Card, NHS discount offers, and staff benefits.
• £8K relocation package if you move to Essex to join us
• Season ticket loans are interest-free to cover the cost of travelling to and from work via tram, rail, or bus.

Work that wraps around your needs

• Job share: Applications for job shares are welcomed.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

You will provide line management to the E&F Finance Support and Driver/Stores functions, setting clear standards for cost capture, recharging, inventory and logistics, and driving continuous improvement in customer service and operational efficiency. This is an excellent opportunity for a commercially minded FM professional to shape how the Trust specifies, procures and manages its estates and facilities contracts, contributing directly to safety, quality, value for money and long-term service resilience.
• Contract Lifecycle Management & Procurement
• Performance & Compliance Oversight

• Financial Management, Cost Capture and Recharges
• Systems Support, Customer Service & Stock Management
• Development of New Services & Tendering
• Quality Assurance, Compliance & Continual Improvement
• Teamwork

Person specification

education/qualifications

Essential criteria

• Educated to degree level or equivalent in Facilities Management, Estates Management, and Engineering, Business Administration or a related subject.

Desirable criteria

• Evidence of continuing professional development relevant to facilities or estate management

knowledge

Essential criteria

• Understanding of NHS procurement rules, public sector contracting, and best practice in contract management and performance monitoring

Desirable criteria

• Knowledge of ISO standards, environmental sustainability practices, and energy management in healthcare settings.

skills/experience

Essential criteria

• Significant experience of managing estates or facilities management contracts within a public sector or healthcare setting, including procurement, performance management, and service continuous improvement.

Desirable criteria

• Experience of managing large-scale estates or FM contracts across multiple hospital sites or regional estates portfolios.

Please be aware that, due to current allocation constraints, Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) are being prioritised for registered roles at this time.

Important note: please ensure that as part of your application, you include professional references with business contact information covering your last three years of employment history. We are unable to accept personal or character references.

As a newly appointed employee, you are responsible for incurring the cost of your initial DBS check relevant to your post; the amount will be deducted from your first salary with the Trust.

Our Trust is an Equal Opportunities Employer. We particularly welcome applications from people with experience of using mental health services. We also hold the Disability two tick symbol and have made the pledge to commit to employing more people with learning disabilities, we encourage people with a disability to apply. If you require this application form in another format i.e. Braille or audio tape etc, please contact the Recruitment Department on 01375 364513 or email epunft.recruitment.adverts@nhs.net and we can arrange for this to be dispatched to you.

The Trust has the right to expire vacancies prior to the closing date if they so wish. The Trust makes every attempt to contact all applicants and we strongly advise that you check the email account which is registered with NHS Jobs regularly, we would advise however due to the high number of applications we receive that if you have not heard from us within three weeks of the closing date your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults, and expect all staff to undertake this commitment. Applicants will be subject to robust safer recruitment processes.

Important Notice: Recently the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2021 (the Regulations) which amended on 22 July 2021 and come into force on 11 November 2021 that anyone directly employed to work in a Care Home or who are required as part of their role to be deployed to a CQC registered care home are required to have had both their COVID vaccinations, unless they are exempt. This is therefore a requirement of this role and will form part of our pre-employment checks.

Please note - staff who are formally at risk within the organisation will be given priority in securing alternative employment. Should it come to light that a post being advertised by the Trust is considered 'suitable alternative employment' to an individual who is at risk, the recruiting manager will be advised and the post will be withdrawn from NHS Jobs.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Applications for this role should be written by the applicant. If artificial intelligence (AI) programmes are used then the application may be rejected due to this document being an important part of the assessment process. This does not prevent applicants seeking appropriate support with applications should they need to for the purposes of any declared disability.

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