Contract Development Lead

Central East Integrated Care Board; Ely; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Central East Integrated Care Board is seeking a Contract Development Lead to design and implement innovative contractual arrangements that support transformation and improved patient outcomes across the system.

The role leads on developing effective contracting approaches, ensuring flexibility to respond to place-based needs and integrated care objectives, while overseeing market development and payment mechanisms linked to outcomes and quality.

Qualifications

• Master's degree or equivalent experience.
• Evidence of Continuous Professional Development.
• Experience in complex multi-agency environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of new contractual frameworks, including outcome-based and risk sharing models.
• Lead the design of innovative contracting models (e.g., outcomes-based contracts, capitation/population-based budgets, gain/risk-share, bundled payments).
• Translate population health and pathway redesign goals into contractable outcomes and payment rules.
• Define the theory of change and value proposition for each model with measurable success criteria.
• Drive contracting innovation to support transformation and neighbourhood-level arrangements.

Skills

Leadership & People Management

Strategic Thinking

Contracting & Commercial

Analytical & Data Skills

Stakeholder Engagement

Education

Master's degree or equivalent experience

Continuous Professional Development

Job description

We are Central East ICB, the new organisationentrusted with serving more than 3.5 million people across Bedfordshire, Luton, Milton Keynes, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough and Hertfordshire.

We are responsible for making sure that the NHS can continue to support our community – now, and in the future. Everything we do will be guided by our core purpose: to do what best serves the population of this area.

We promise to focus on what makes the biggest difference to people’s lives – acting earlier to help prevent illness and detect disease and making it easier for our community to get the health care they need, closer to home, whenever that’s possible.

If you need support with the application process, please contact our People Team at [emailprotected] .

Read about our priorities in our strategy document, Our Way .

Job overview

The Contract Development Lead will drive the design and implementation of innovative contractual arrangements across the ICB, including outcome-based and risk-sharing models that support transformation and improved patient outcomes.

The postholder will lead on developing more effective contracting approaches, ensuring flexibility and responsiveness to emerging system needs, recognising strategic developments of place, neighbourhoods and integrated health organisations. Working collaboratively across stakeholders in the ICB, the post holder will contribute to strategic and operational planning, ensuring appropriate contract arrangements and payment mechanisms are in place linked to outcomes and quality.

The postholder will also oversee market management and development, working with providers to shape a sustainable, high quality market capable of meeting future demand and supporting integrated care objectives.

Main duties of the job

The Contract Development Lead plays an important leadership role within the Integrated Care Board (ICB), supporting the Head of Contracts, Associate Directors, and wider management team in delivering the organisation’s strategic and operational priorities. This is a senior post with responsibility for managing defined programmes or service areas, requiring strong operational delivery skills, long term planning, effective partnership working, and the ability to contribute to system improvement. The purpose includes:

• To lead and manage the delivery of services or programmes within a defined portfolio, ensuring that objectives and performance standards are achieved and long-term plans are developed.
• To support the Head of Contracts and Associate Directors in implementing ICB and system strategies that improve quality, outcomes, and efficiency.
• To provide visible and supportive leadership, promoting collaboration, inclusion, and continuous improvement across teams and partners.
• To contribute to system integration and service transformation through effective planning, delivery, and partnership working.

Working for our organisation

We are committed to promoting equal opportunities to achieve equity of access, experience and outcomes and to recognising and valuing people’s differences. We are passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity; we see this as a strength and part of our founding mission, values and behaviours. We know through experience that different ideas, perspectives and backgrounds create a stronger and more creative work environment that delivers patient outcomes.

We are committed to creating the best place to work, where your contribution is valued, your wellbeing is supported and all our colleagues can reach their full potential. We welcome and encourage applications from all areas of the community, who meet the criteria for the role, regardless of their protected characteristic. We work to ensure that our recruitment processes are as inclusive as possible to everyone, including making adjustments for people who have a disability or long-term condition and support with the recruitment process for people with lived experience.

We are happy to discuss flexible working options for all roles.

We operate a Carer friendly working environment that is supportive and inclusive. We actively encourage Carers to self-identify themselves.

We are a Disability Confident Employer and commit to shortlisting suitable applicants who meet the essential criteria for an interview. Please inform us of any adjustments you may require.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The Lead provides operational and managerial leadership across a defined portfolio, ensuring that priorities are delivered effectively and in line with organisational and system objectives. Working closely with the Head of Service and Associate Director, the postholder will translate strategic ambitions into achievable delivery plans and measurable outcomes.

A core aspect of the role is to maintain high standards of service delivery and governance, ensuring performance targets are met, risks are managed, and improvement opportunities are realised. The Lead will encourage innovation, empower teams, and ensure that decision-making is informed by data and evidence.

Through effective leadership, collaboration, and a strong focus on outcomes, the Lead contributes to the ICB’s vision of integrated, high-quality, and sustainable care for the local population.

Specific responsibilities

• Lead the development of new contractual frameworks, including outcome-based and risk sharing models. Ensuring contracts are enabling the ICB strategic objectives of total quality management and utilisation management.
• Lead the design of innovative contracting models (e.g., outcomes‑based contracts, capitated/population‑based budgets, gain/risk‑share, bundled payments, alliance contracting) aligned to ICB priorities (quality, access, inequalities, and financial sustainability).
• Translate population health and pathway redesign goals into contractable outcomes, incentives, and payment rules. Building payment mechanisms that balance fixed, variable, and incentive components (e.g., blended payment, outcome incentives, CQUIN‑style levers where applicable).
• Define the theory of change and value proposition for each model, including expected benefits, dependencies, and measurable success criteria
• Drive innovation in contracting to support transformation, including development and delegation arrangements to neighbourhoods, places and integrated care delivery, aligning incentives across care settings and reducing perverse incentives.
• Assess market capacity and capability to meet current and future service needs, building and maintaining effective relationships with providers, to shape a sustainable, high‑quality market.
• Support market entry and diversification to encourage innovation and maximise effective use of all NHS resources.
• Oversee implementation of new contractual arrangements across providers, working closely with Contract Relationship Leads and Commissioners to monitor compliance and performance against agreed outcomes and KPIs.
• Provide expert advice on contractual and market development issues, contributing to strategic planning and policy development.

Person specification

Qualifications and Personal Development

• Master's degree or equivalent experience
• Evidence of Continuous Professional Development

Leadership and Senior Management Experience

• Management Experience in Complex Multi-Agency Environments
• Experience of Leading in Politically Sensitive Environments

Strategic Commissioning & Transformation

• Knowledge of NHS, ICSSs and Health Policy Context
• Strategic Planning, Commissioning and Service Redesign
• Delivery of Programme Change, Transformation and Integration

Contracting & Commercial Expertise

• Development of Innovative Contracting Models
• Market Development and Provider Engagement
• Contract Development within Commissioning Settings
• Outcomes-Based, Risk Share or Alternative Payment Models
• Market Shaping and Diversification Experience

System Working & Partnerships

• Partnership Working Across Organisations
• Experience Working Across Place and Neighbourhood Models

Analytical & Financial Skills

• Analytical Skills and Use of Complex Information
• Financial Acumen and Resource Management
• Managing Complexity and Ambiguity

All reference requests will be made to your employer/previous employers' HR Department, covering the previous 3 years of activity.

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.

All eligible staff will need to have gained clearance through a standard/enhanced DBS check prior to working.

All posts are subject to a probationary period.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Name Kathryn Cragg Job title Head of Contracts - Payer and Development Email address [emailprotected]