Pathology Contract Manager

Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust; Chelmsford; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare organization is seeking a Pathology Contract Manager to oversee the transition and management of Pathology services. This role requires strong contract management skills, experience in leading change projects, and the ability to maintain high-quality service delivery. The successful candidate will play a crucial role in ensuring compliance and fostering relationships with service providers.

Benefits

Flexible working opportunities

Access to appropriate training for career development

Qualifications

• Substantial experience of working at a senior level in a contract management specialism.
• Experience of leading, managing and delivering significant change projects involving stakeholders.
• Experience of holding responsibility for budget/s, budget setting and stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Project manage the Trust transition and mobilisation of the Single Integrated Pathology Service effective from 2025.
• Sustain and develop relationships with the main Pathology service provider and monitor performance.
• Ensure contractual compliance with effective quality and risk management.

Skills

Excellent written communication skills

Education

Educated to Masters level or equivalent senior level experience

Project Management Qualification e.g., MSP, Prince2

Job description

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust is now one of the largest trusts in the country, serving a population of 1.2 million people comprising acute hospital sites at Broomfield in Chelmsford, Basildon and Southend.

We are a well-led, high-performing and innovative organisation determined to provide the best health care services for our local population and working in the best interests of the people we serve.

Job overview

The Pathology Contract Manager role is a new leadership role within Clinical Support Services with individual and functional responsibility for assuring, driving, reporting, and tracking the successful delivery of the primary complex managed service contract and other Pathology contracts. The Pathology Service is an essential diagnostic service for the delivery of acute and primary health care to the 1.2m citizen in Mid and South Essex.

In 2025-2026 the current procurement of a Managed Pathology Service will conclude by transition of the current Mid-Essex in-house service and the South Essex Pathology Joint Venture into a new single integrated service across Mid and South Essex.

Main duties of the job

As our Pathology contract manager you will project manage the Trust transition and mobilisation of the Single Integrated Pathology Service effective from 2025, participating in the transfer of knowledge and skills to provide a high-quality service and the establishment of a new contract management function.

You will have a key role in sustaining and developing relationships with the main Pathology service provider and monitoring the service provider's performance. Other Pathology service contracts will also be managed effectively to support delivery of the overall Trust Pathology Service.

You will seek to ensure that Contractual compliance is achieved with effective quality and risk management, promoting a culture of continuous service improvement, and achieving value for money.

You will have a strong contract management background in the delivery of large complex contracts, a high level of professionalism and experience in complex service implementation with strong management skills and excellent interpersonal, influencing, and analytical skills.

Working for our organisation

We work together, and in conjunction with MSE Health and Care Partnership, to deliver excellent local and specialist services, to improve the health and wellbeing of our patients in a compassionate way, and provide a respectful, but vibrant place for staff to develop, innovate and build careers.

From facilities through to consultant specialists we want to be the best, to achieve this we need to recruit not just those who are the finest in their field but also those who have the potential to be. Yes, experience is important but so is outlook - if you are dynamic, forward-thinking and enthusiastic we want you to join us.

We not only offer you a good working environment with flexible working opportunities, but also the opportunity to develop your career with access to appropriate training for your job and the support to succeed and progress.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Are you looking for an exciting role as our Pathology Contract Manager using your unique qualities, then we want to hear from you?

For full details about this varied and rewarding role, please see attached job description.

We look forward to your application.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Educated to Masters level or equivalent senior level experience

Desirable criteria

• Project Management Qualification e.g., MSP, Prince2 (practitioner) or equivalent experience

Experience

Essential criteria

• Substantial experience of working at a senior level in a contract management specialism.
• Experience of leading, managing and delivering significant change projects involving stakeholders
• Experience of holding responsibility for budget/s, budget setting and stakeholders

Desirable criteria

• Pathology experience/knowledge. Experience of working in the NHS/public body

Skills

Essential criteria

• Excellent written communication skills, demonstrated throughout application

Please be aware as per the new Immigration guidelines we cannot sponsor candidates with a salary (full time or pro Rata) under the current minimum threshold.

Please note, the selection processes at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust are in place to ensure we recruit candidates with the right skills and values, please be advised that the use of AI in applications are monitored. We remain vigilant against candidates who misuse these tools to generate an application that doesn't accurately reflect their skills, and you will be required to declare on your application if AI has been used before submitting your application

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Applicant requirements

This post will require a submission for Disclosure to be made to check for any unspent criminal convictions.

Documents to download

• MSE Pathology Contracts Manager JD & PS (PDF, 456.6KB)
• Privacy Policy (PDF, 441.0KB)
• AFC Pay Poster 24/25 (PDF, 39.2KB)
• Behaviours Framework (JPG, 298.0KB)