Contract Manager

Discovery Limited; Sandton; On-site; ZAR 850,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Discovery Health – SRM is seeking a Speciality Contracting Risk Manager to lead strategic risk priorities for optometry and renal providers across Discovery Health schemes. You will design benefits, manage contracts, and align with national health policy while maintaining strong industry relationships.

In this role you will own risk management, oversee price files, and drive value-based care initiatives, including dialysis networks and PMB processes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in health sciences, optometry, business, or related field.
• Postgraduate studies or certifications in healthcare management or optometry are advantageous.
• Minimum 5-7 years in healthcare benefit design or managed care with optometry exposure.
• Proven track record in relationship management with external providers and industry stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic projects to transition renal dialysis benefits to advanced managed care models.
• Design, negotiate, and implement dialysis provider contracts and value-based care models.
• Own contract ownership and risk management across plan types and collaborate with optical/renal stakeholders.
• Chair the Sasolmed Optical Benefit Review Committee and oversee related governance.

Skills

Relationship management

Analytical skills

Strategic thinking

Communication skills

Leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in health sciences, optometry, business, or a related field

Postgraduate studies or certifications in healthcare management, risk management, or optometry (advantageous)

Job description

About Discovery

Discovery’s core purpose is to make people healthier and to enhance and protect their lives. We seek out and invest in exceptional individuals who understand and support our core purpose, and whose own values align with those of Discovery. Our fast-paced and dynamic environment enables smart, self-driven people to be their best. As global thought leaders, Discovery is passionate about innovating to not only achieve financial success, but to ignite positive and meaningful change within our society.

Discovery Health – SRM

Speciality Contracting Risk Manager

Discovery’s core purpose is to make people healthier and to enhance and protect their lives. We seek out and invest in exceptional individuals who understand and support our core purpose, and whose own values align with those of Discovery. Our fast-paced and dynamic environment enables smart, self-driven people to be their best. As global thought leaders, Discovery is passionate about innovating to not only achieve financial success, but to ignite positive and meaningful change within our society.

Key Purpose

To manage strategic risk priorities with contracted speciality groups focusing on optometry and renal providers:

• To manage and oversee all aspects of optometry benefits, risk, and industry engagement across all schemes and plan options within Discovery Health and serve as the strategic and operational Subject Matter Expert (SME) on optometry, ensuring benefit design optimisation, regulatory compliance, and sustainable utilisation while maintaining strong industry relationships.
• To manage, optimise, and oversee the full renal dialysis benefit, provider networks, risk exposure, and value-based care strategy across all schemes and plan types within Discovery Health. And be responsible for designing and implementing sustainable dialysis care models, contracting frameworks, and operational processes that ensure optimal clinical outcomes, cost efficiency, and compliance with scheme rules and national health policy.

Areas of responsibility include but may not be limited to:

Key Responsibilities In Optometry

• Key Account and Relationship Management:
  • Act as the primary relationship manager between Discovery Health and external stakeholders in the optometry industry, including professional bodies, optical administrators, and individual optometrists.
  • Maintain effective communication and partnership with industry representatives to ensure alignment with professional standards and practices.
• Benefit Design and Strategy:
  • Design, build, and steer optical benefits for new medical schemes joining Discovery Health and for new plan options for existing schemes.
  • Provide strategic advice on benefit optimisation to ensure competitiveness, member value, and cost-effectiveness.
• Subject Matter Expertise (SME):
  • Serve as the internal SME for all business areas requiring optometry input.
  • Provide technical input into Prescribe Minimum Benefit (PMB) processes, Ex Gratia requests, and member or provider escalations.
• Price File Management and Coding Updates:
  • Ensure price files are updated three times per month in line with industry updates and scheme requirements.
  • Oversee quarterly updates to industry coding and rules, ensuring accurate system configuration and operational readiness.
• Contract Ownership and Risk Management:
  • Act as contract owner for lower plan types, managing utilisation, benefit structures, and associated risks in collaboration with Industry Optical Administrators.
  • Monitor, analyse, and mitigate risks to ensure sustainability and value delivery to schemes and members.
• Committee Leadership:
  • Chair the Sasolmed Optical Benefit Review Committee for optical escalations, ensuring fair, evidence-based decisions aligned with scheme rules and industry standards.

Key Responsibilities In Renal

• Strategic Network Design and Management
• Lead the design, development, and implementation of dialysis provider networks, including KeyCare DSP, VBC (Value-Based Care) networks, and DDN (Discovery Dialysis Network).
• Oversee network adequacy, capacity planning, and geographical coverage to ensure equitable access for all members.
• Develop and refine co-payment structures, direct-to-member payment rules, and in-hospital vs out-of-hospital funding strategies to drive appropriate utilisation and cost containment.
• Contracting and Value-Based Agreements
• Design, negotiate, and implement dialysis provider contracts, including:
  • Fee-for-service agreements
  • Value-based care models with outcome-linked reimbursements
  • Capitated or bundled payment arrangements where appropriate
• Define pricing structures ensuring sustainability and alignment with plan benefits and industry standards.
• Risk Management and Benefit Sustainability
• Analyse dialysis utilisation trends, admission rates, and cost drivers to inform scheme risk management strategies.
• Develop mitigation measures, such as network restrictions, benefit limits, and clinical entry criteria, to manage financial risk without compromising clinical care.
• Implement data-driven frameworks to monitor provider performance, patient outcomes, and cost effectiveness.
• Clinical and Operational Protocols
• Collaborate with clinical teams to define dialysis care pathways, treatment authorisation protocols, and quality indicators.
• Oversee updates to dialysis-related price files, procedure codes, and benefit rules to ensure accuracy and operational readiness.
• Provide SME input into system configuration for benefit rules, claim edits, and authorisation workflows.
• Stakeholder and Relationship Management
• Act as the primary relationship manager for dialysis providers, industry stakeholders, and internal departments requiring renal expertise.
• Lead engagements with external providers to align operational processes, data submission standards, and network compliance.
• Facilitate internal education on renal benefit structures and policy changes.
• Project Leadership and Future Care Models
• Lead strategic projects to transition renal dialysis benefits to advanced managed care models incorporating:
  • Risk-sharing arrangements
  • Integrated chronic disease management
  • Future readiness for National Health Insurance (NHI) alignment
• Drive proposals and implementation plans for new models, such as:
  • Capitation or partial capitation models
  • Virtual care integration for dialysis patients
  • Holistic chronic kidney disease (CKD) management pathways, including pre-dialysis interventions
• Governance and Compliance
• Ensure dialysis network and benefit models comply with regulatory frameworks and scheme rules.
• Lead periodic reviews of dialysis policies to align with updated clinical guidelines and scheme strategic objectives.

Key Requirements

• Qualifications:
  • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in health sciences, optometry, business, or a related field.
  • Postgraduate studies or certifications in healthcare management, risk management, or optometry (advantageous).
• Experience:
  • Minimum 5-7 years in healthcare benefit design, network management, or managed care roles, with significant exposure to optometry.
  • Proven track record in relationship management with external healthcare providers and industry stakeholders within optometry.
  • Technical Competencies:
    • Deep understanding of optical benefit structures, coding systems, and reimbursement models.
    • Knowledge of PMB processes and Ex Gratia protocols.
    • Strong analytical skills for benefit optimisation, utilisation management, and financial impact assessments.
  • Familiarity with claims processing, provider billing rules and system configuration requirements.
  • Behavioral Competencies:
    • Strategic thinking and problem-solving ability.
    • Strong interpersonal and communication skills to build trust with industry partners and internal teams.
    • High attention to detail with commitment to accuracy and compliance.
  • Leadership capability to drive cross-functional projects and influence scheme-wide decisions beyond the scope of the direct portfolio.

EMPLOYMENT EQUITY

The Company’s approved Employment Equity Plan and Targets will be considered as part of the recruitment process. As an Equal Opportunities employer, we actively encourage and welcome people with various disabilities to apply.