HHCS Commercial Contracts Manager

This job is brought to you by Jobs/Redefined, the UK's leading over-50s age inclusive jobs board.

Our cultural ambition is to have a culture that places people at the heart of all we do, where we all belong, and where learning, improvement and excellence thrive.

Job overview

Are you looking for a role where you can influence decisions and add value to NHS services? Hampshire Hospitals Contract Services (HHCS) currently has an exciting opportunity for a Commercial Contract Manager/Head of Contracts to lead the delivery of the contract management function; this is a high profile, senior management post that is integral to the success of the organisation.

Main duties of the job

The role requires the active management of a portfolio of contracts critical to the delivery of HHCS and its parent company, Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust's (HHFT) strategic objectives. It requires engaging with senior and operational stakeholders across both organisations to ensure contracts can meet needs in a dynamic delivery environment; working with a range of suppliers to ensure value for money and cultivate relationships; and ensuring compliance with best practice, relevant legislation, and standards.

You will work closely with HHCS's procurement partner and clinical stakeholders, ensuring seamless transition from acquisition to management of services. As the lead for contract management and a senior representative of the company, you will be comfortable interfacing with senior leaders within the wider organisations. As well as being responsible for contracts, you will drive forward standards, efficiencies, and best practice across the function, working with stakeholders to facilitate continuous improvement.

We encourage you to reach out for an informal conversation. Please contact Charlotte Prior, Managing Director, at charlotte.prior@hhft.nhs.uk

Working for our organisation

Hampshire Hospitals Contract Services Ltd (HHCS) is a wholly owned subsidiary established to ensure the best value in delivering essential clinical and non-clinical managed services. Our primary focus is Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (HHFT).
• Our Mission: HHCS provides a range of services, leveraging in-house expertise to negotiate and manage healthcare facilities, projects, and contracts using industry standards and principles. We work in partnership to ensure due diligence, scrutiny, and value in our contracting processes, contributing to significant cost and time savings.
• Our Commitment: HHCS is dedicated to supporting Hampshire Hospitals by providing managed healthcare facilities on behalf of the Trust.

Our Values:

Accountable: We deliver excellent quality, cost savings, and efficiencies for the people, departments, and divisions we support.

Collaborative: Guided by HHFT's iCARE values, we place our people, partners, and patients at the heart of everything we do.
• Transparent: We provide professional services in partnership, supported by a Board and subject to the same scrutiny as our parent Trust.
• Trusted: As a wholly owned subsidiary, we are part of Hampshire Hospitals, entirely focused on providing outstanding care for every patient.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

This is intended to be a full-time post working 37.5 hours per week, however flexible working and job-shares will be considered. Hybrid Working will be available.

Further information about the Trust and this role can be found on the Job Description and Person Specification document attached.

Person specification

Training and Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Educated to Degree level or equivalent experience
• Post-graduate qualification or significant experience in contracting
• Management training, qualifications or experience

Desirable criteria

• Relevant project management methodology certification

Experience and Knowledge

Essential criteria

• Experience of working in a leadership position
• Experience in stakeholder management and engagement within and across organisations
• Experience of presenting complex and sensitive information to key stakeholders and groups
• Experience in the development and maintenance of policies and processes to support the effective development, implementation and monitoring of contracts
• Experience of managing contracts with third party subcontractors including contract negotiations and performance reviews
• Experience of managing procurement processes including administration of purchase orders
• Knowledge of relevant legislation and guidance relating to contract management and procurement
• Good understanding of contracting and business planning process
• Ability to review and create contract documentation

Desirable criteria

• Experience working within the NHS

Skills and Ability

Essential criteria

• Development of medium and long term strategic plans, with an understanding of the interdependencies and impact across the organisation
• Excellent presentation and communication skills - ability to engage with all levels of staff and contribute at meetings
• Expert user of MS Office applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint
• Good organisational and customer service skills
• Ability to negotiate with senior stakeholders, contractors and managers on difficult and controversial issues
• Excellent report writing skills
• Experience of performance management and continuous improvement
• Experience of managing direct operational budgets
• Highly developed analytical skills to interpret tender submissions and compare information
• Able to input, process and summarise data/information with a high degree of efficiency and accuracy
• Able to concentrate for prolonged periods of time and remain focussed
• Ability to work unsupervised, self-directed and to set and attain objectives
• Ability to prioritise and manage multiple tasks/projects to deadline
• Establishing and monitoring evaluation frameworks
• Experience of writing tender specifications, business cases and creating SLA/KPI documents
• Excellent motivational and negotiation skills to encourage collaborative working to improve services where there may be resistance to change. Ability to establish credibility within the organisation and to influence others

Desirable criteria

• Experience working within Microsoft Project or similar project application
• Experience of working to Board level

Our commitment to you:

We are committed to equality and diversity in both the provision of our services and how we recruit and manage our staff. Applications are encouraged from everyone with the necessary attributes for the job, irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity.

Happy to Talk Flexible Working - all requests for flexible and part time working will be considered.

The paperwork:

• HHFT is committed to putting the safety and care of our patients first - as well as helping us to protect you and your colleagues. Therefore, we would recommend that you are vaccinated against COVID-19 and that you understand that we are treating COVID-19 positive patients within our services.
• Shortlisted candidates will be contacted at least 5 working days before the scheduled interview date. Applications will be submitted directly into our preferred third party recruitment system (Trac). All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs via email - please ensure to check your junk/spam folders.
• All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering their first six months in post.
• In compliance with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016, all applicants must be able to communicate fluently in English to an appropriate standard which will be assessed as part of the selection process.
• This vacancy may close before the current listed closing date. If you intend to apply you are advised not to delay submitting your completed application.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Applicant requirements

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Documents to download

• HHCS Commercial Contract Manager JD (PDF, 688.5KB)
• Tackling Climate Change at Hampshire Hospitals (PDF, 4.9MB)