Contract Relationship Lead

Central East Integrated Care Board; Ely; On-site; GBP 67,000 - 77,000; Full time

Job summary

Central East Integrated Care Board invites applications for the Contract Relationship Lead role (NHS AfC: Band 8b) based at Cambridgeshire area. The post oversees management of contracts with providers, ensuring performance, value for money, and collaborative relationships across the system.

The successful candidate will coordinate with contract managers, clinical, commissioning and finance colleagues, lead on contract negotiations, and drive improvements in service delivery while reporting to

Responsibilities

• Lead the negotiation, and management of provider contracts, including variations in year to drive continuous improvement to outcomes.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with providers and stakeholders, acting as the main named point of contact and relationship lead for the portfolio.
• Support transformation initiatives and service redesign through relational and contractual levers, working with commissioning colleagues to ensure delivery.

Job description

Employer Central East Integrated Care Board Employer type NHS Site Gemini House, Bartholomew's Walk, Cambridgeshire Business Park Town Ely Salary £66,582 - £77,368 per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 28/10/2026 23:59 Interview date 06/11/2026

Contract Relationship Lead

NHS AfC: Band 8b

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.

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

Job overview

The Contract Relationship Lead is responsible for managing and maintaining effective relationship based contractual arrangements with providers delivering NHS services and other commissioners, where joint commissioning arrangements are in place.

The postholder will act as the key liaison for contracts between the ICB and providers, fostering collaborative partnerships, resolving issues, and driving continuous improvement in service quality and value for money. Responsible for a portfolio of contract providers, the postholder will be responsible for bringing together subject matter expertise, including Contract Managers, Business Intelligence, clinical, commissioning and finance colleagues from across the ICB to ensure a coordinated and consistent approach to stakeholder engagement and contract management.

This role is responsible for ensuring effective performance oversight arrangements are in place to ensure contracts are delivering in line with agreed expectations, outcomes are being achieved and that risks are identified early and mitigated. The postholder will be responsible for ensuring appropriate developments through the lifecycle of a contract, including changes to services commissioned to reflect emerging best practice and reducing unwarranted variation, working closely with commissioning colleagues and providers to identify opportunities for improvement.

Proposed Interview Date: 6th November 2026

Main duties of the job

Responsible for leading a portfolio of contracts and contracts team.

Develop and maintain strong relationships with providers and stakeholders, acting as the main named point of contact and relationship lead for the portfolio.

Working closely with the Associate Director, contribute to the development of contract negotiation strategies and lead on elements of contractual planning.

Lead the negotiation, and management of provider contracts, including variations in year to drive continuous improvement to outcomes.

Implement agreed stakeholder and contractual management processes, ensuring effective monitoring and reporting of provider contractual delivery, working closely with the contract’s payer function.

Ensure appropriate oversight of activity, finance and outcome performance and subsequent reporting to ICB Board and relevant sub committees to provide assurance on effective contractual delivery.

Acting as the relationship lead on contractual matters for the ICB, coordinate subject matter expertise from across the ICB in a matrix way, to ensure a cohesive and holistic assessment of performance, risks and opportunities.

Work closely with NHS England teams leading on performance management to support coordinated oversight and reporting on delivery at provider level and ICB level, providing assurance on the ICBs contract management approach.

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

Support transformation initiatives and service redesign through relationships and contractual levers, working closely with commissioning colleagues to ensure successful implementation of new care models, working flexibly to adapt to new and emerging contractual frameworks, i.e. Neighbourhood health.

Lead the identification of risks, design and implementation of mitigation strategies, ensuring timely resolution and appropriate escalation where necessary.

Lead on development, implementation and assurance of recovery plans where there is performance variation against contract deliverables, creating an environment of trusted check and challenge dialogue with providers.

Lead on activity and financial planning and forecasting related to provider contracts.

Contribute to strategic and operational planning requirements, ensuring appropriate translation into effective contract approaches. The Contract Relationship 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.

We may close this vacancy early if we receive a high number of applications. Applicants are advised to submit their application at the earliest opportunity, as we may close the advert without prior notice.

Person specification

Job Description and Person Specification

• Please refer to the attached Job Description and Person Specification

Please Note:

• This vacancy may close before the advertised closing date if a sufficient number of suitable applications are received. We recommend submitting your application early to avoid disappointment.
• Successfully shortlisted applicants will be contacted by email with an invitation to interview.
• Please note that we do not pay interview expenses, all costs are incurred by the candidate.

Notes on completion of applications:

• 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 Holly Fairhurst Job title AD of Strategic Contracting Partnerships Email address [e-mail]