Contracts & Operations Manager

NHS; United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional healthcare organization in the United Kingdom is seeking a Contracts & Operations Manager to oversee all contractual activities within the East Staffordshire Primary Care Network. This full-time, flexible role involves managing contract lifecycles, ensuring compliance with legal standards, and collaborating with stakeholders to deliver quality healthcare services. Candidates should have a degree in business or healthcare management, substantial managerial experience in a healthcare setting, and strong negotiation and financial oversight skills. This role offers flexibility in working arrangements.

Qualifications

• Educated to degree level in business or healthcare management or equivalent.
• Experience of working in a managerial capacity for several years in a healthcare setting.
• Strong understanding of contract management principles.

Responsibilities

• Oversee end-to-end contract management and ensure compliance with legal standards.
• Manage contract performance and financial oversight.
• Lead procurement processes from requirements definition to contract award.

Skills

Data analysis and reporting

Negotiation skills

Stakeholder relationship building

Organizational skills

Financial management

IT skills including MS Office

Education

Degree in business or healthcare management

Specialist training in Procurement or Contract Management

Tools

Xero

Microsoft Office

Excel

Job description

Job Summary

East Staffordshire Primary Care Network is seeking an experienced Contracts & Operations Manager to lead all contracting activities for healthcare services across the Network. This pivotal role ensures robust contractual arrangements, identifies savings whilst managing risks. The role will also involve overseeing the governance and quality arrangements for the systems and structures. The role will involve opportunities to operationally lead on portfolio areas to continuously improve the quality and safety of services.

If you would like to join our experienced team and work on advancing innovative concepts that make a real impact for our patients, we would like to hear from you. In addition to the online application please can provide a covering letter with:

• How you fulfil the essential criteria?
• What appeals to you most about the role?
• What can you bring to the role?

Key Responsibilities

Oversee end‑to‑end contract management, including negotiating and drafting agreements, managing contract lifecycles, monitoring provider performance, ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory standards, and controlling contract spend to deliver value for money. Includes active risk identification and mitigation, supplier and stakeholder collaboration, and leading procurement processes from requirements definition to tender evaluation and contract award.

Contract Management

• Negotiation and creation: Developing and negotiating contractual agreements with healthcare and service providers.
• Contract lifecycle management: Managing contracts from initiation and execution through to renewal and evaluation.
• Performance and compliance monitoring: Ensuring providers meet contractually agreed standards and legal/regulatory requirements.
• Financial oversight: Monitoring and controlling contract spending to ensure value for money and efficiency.
• Risk management: Identifying and managing risks associated with contracts and providers.
• Stakeholder collaboration: Working with the management teams, suppliers, and other external stakeholders to deliver services effectively.
• Procurement: Managing procurement processes, including identifying requirements, evaluating tenders, and awarding contracts.

Governance and Quality

• Compliance: To ensure the PCN compliance with all relevant legal and quality standards including GDPR, FOI and health and safety.
• Performance Reporting: To be responsible in the production of performance and quality reports.
• Quality & Risk: To inform PCN members of issues of quality and risk.
• Review any latest guidance: Liaise with the PCN to ensure that all are aware of and conform to NHSE, NICE, CQC etc.
• Manage risks and issues: Ability to support with recommended outcomes. These are to be reported to the PCN Clinical Director.
• Maintain robust governance frameworks: To include information governance, data protection (UK GDPR), safeguarding, CQC requirements, and health & safety.
• Lead on risk assessments, incident reporting, and quality improvement activity.
• Policies: Development, review and adherence.

Financial Management

• Financial Monitoring: Monitor and check the accuracy of the Enhanced Services submissions and ensure all claims are submitted on a monthly and quarterly basis.
• Maximising Income: Explore opportunities to improve the member practices profitability through maximising income and control of overheads.
• Working in collaboration with the Finance Manager to monitor: (details omitted for brevity).
• Financial Oversight of the Network's financial systems and payments.
• Financial Management: Ensure that the PCN financial resources are managed and maintained for maximum effectiveness through:

• Ensuring financial risks are recognised and appropriate action taken.
• Planning and monitoring income and cash flow to ensure that income is maximised and that funds are available as required.
• Ensuring all claims are submitted in good time and payment made.

• Financial Sustainability: Ensure value for money and financial sustainability by ensuring sound financial controls, budgets and forecasts are in place for the PCN.

This Job Description is neither exhaustive nor exclusive and will be reviewed annually in conjunction with the post-holder at the annual appraisal. The post-holder is also required to carry out any duties that may reasonably be requested by the GP Practice Assurance Board.

Person Specification

Qualifications (Essential)

• Educated to Degree level in business or healthcare management or equivalent.
• Further specialist training or qualification in Procurement, Contract Management or Project Management.
• Experience of working in a managerial capacity for several years in a healthcare setting.

Experience (Essential)

• Demonstrating background of interpreting and drafting contracts.
• Experience of managing performance of contracts and contract particulars.
• Contracting and procurement principles: A strong understanding of sourcing and contract management principles.
• Contract management in operational delivery.
• Leadership in financial management to include budget process time tabling, financial controls, variance analysis.
• Experience on managing procurement processes.
• A strong understanding of financial and accounting systems.
• Experience and working knowledge of all relevant and legislative responsibilities.

Desirable

• Management experience in healthcare setting.
• Primary Care specific experience.
• Experience with Xero and other accounting packages.

Skills & Qualities (Essential)

• The ability to analyse data and report on a range of subjects, such as performance and savings opportunities.
• Building and maintaining positive relationships with various stakeholders.
• The ability to negotiate effectively to achieve optimal outcomes.
• Familiarity with relevant legal and regulatory standards within the health and social care sector.
• Quality improvement: skills in quality improvement and evidence of ability to apply in practice.
• Good organisational skills and ability to manage and priorities tasks in a fast‑paced environment.
• Good understanding of business planning and financial management.
• Financial management: Skills in financial monitoring and control.
• Ability to use a range of software packages.
• Analytical and IT skills to include MS Office and Excel applications.
• Proficient in Teams.

Personal Skills (Essential)

• Leadership and collaborative team working.
• Conflict resolution and mediation.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to interact at all levels.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including diplomacy and empathy.
• Self‑motivated, self‑starter.
• Desire to drive quality service to patients.
• Adaptable, innovative and proactive.
• Diplomatic, politically aware and able to empathise with differing opinions.
• Honest, caring and sympathetic.
• Positive and enthusiastic attitude.
• Clean driving license and ability to travel between locations.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer Details

East Staffordshire Primary Care Network

G4-G5 Bellringer Road

Trentham Business Quarter

Stoke on Trent

Staffordshire

ST4 8GB

Employer's Website

https://www.eaststaffspcn.com

Job Details

Pay scheme: Other

Salary: Depending on experience

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Full‑time, Flexible working, Home or remote working

Reference number: U5750-25-0000

Job locations: G4-G5 Bellringer Road, Trentham Business Quarter, Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire, ST4 8GB