Head of Commissioning Engagement

University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (279)

The Commissioning and Business Support team oversees and manages a wide range of contracting of healthcare provision for University Sussex Hospitals Foundation Trust. We ensure our organisation is supported through decision making with the appropriate governance process in place. We deliver:

1. Technical commissioning as a shared and supportive function with Provider Collaborative and Sussex-wide Programmes
2. Contracting and technical commissioning across the Trust for the non-NHS and ICB, NHSE contracts
3. Co-ordination of robust governance functions to ensure regulatory compliance

The role is focused on a core (c. £950m) contracts in addition to a range of intermediate contracts with NHS and Independent Sector Providers. The role will deliver on the strategic aims of the Trust, advising decision-making forums and other governance arrangements. Responsible for management and oversight of a team of 4, applicants must demonstrate strong leadership skills and abilities. There is a structured approach to development that encourages and supports career pathway and opportunity for progression both within the service and the Trust.

Main Duties of the Job

The postholder will significantly contribute to strategic planning while delivering a portfolio of contracts. You will provide and receive highly complex, sensitive, or contentious information and will engage the cooperation of others. You will be required to present to large groups as needed.

Working closely with finance, workforce, and performance to support the triangulation of planning within the wider financial and strategic context.

The postholder will undertake a strategic approach to engaging and collaborating with partners across the Integrated Care System (ICS).

You will be expected to have a good understanding of financial processes to support the delivery of procurement and contracting functions.

You will provide direct line management responsibility in the commissioning and business support team. Additionally, there is the requirement to support the MDT approach, providing wider subject matter expertise and leadership across the team(s).

You will be required to interpret complex data, articulate impacts and risks, and formulate or inform solutions as required. This includes qualitative and quantitative outputs.

About Us

At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us always put the Patient First. Your uniqueness and experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of Staff Networks to help break down barriers and can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2) and a Veteran Aware Trust.

We treat our patients and staff with the same compassion and empathy we expect for ourselves. We’re here for them when they need us, and we go above and beyond to meet their needs. This can be seen in our Wellbeing Programme for staff which is extensive and designed to support you when you need it, including where possible, flexible working to support work-life balance – because we know that to look after others, we must first look after ourselves.

As a university trust and a leader in healthcare research, we value learning, teaching, and training so that we can be the best that we can be. From the moment you start with us and throughout your career, we will help you to grow and develop. We hope that in choosing UHSussex, you are choosing a long and happy career where you will be able to see the difference you make and feel valued for all that you do.

We look forward to receiving your application and the start of your journey with UHSussex.

Job Responsibilities

Please refer to Job Description for full details:

The postholder will significantly contribute to strategic planning while delivering a portfolio of contracts and procurements.

Duties and Responsibilities Include:

1. Responsible for defining current processes, facilitating discussions, and advising colleagues on best practices, ensuring documentation of those processes as they are agreed and overseeing their delivery.
2. Responsible for providing professional expertise to the outcome of the business processes for the Commissioning and contracting team.
3. Supporting the annual negotiations with ICB and NHS E, ensuring application and delivery of a robust strategy for a portfolio of high-value/profile contracts.
4. Work collaboratively across the system to support business cases for new service contracts that support and deliver value for money.
5. Leading on contract monitoring and oversight, promoting collaborative approaches to managing risks across the Trust.
6. Support senior leads and provide resilience across the full contracting portfolio.
7. Providing contractual advice to support effective commissioning and continuous improvement of services across the Trust.
8. Provide expert knowledge across the Trust on PSR, ensuring all clinical services contracts are awarded legally and without challenge.
9. Take the contractual lead working with Finance, Performance, Planning, and BI to implement processes to support oversight and assurance.
10. Provide commissioning and contract expertise to clinical and operational colleagues to ensure the alignment of transformation and recovery to contracting as needed.
11. Provide contract advice to teams and programmes to support formal decision-making based on national guidance and value for money.
12. Ensure new contracts are procured via the Provider Selection Regime.
13. Matrix working to engage and lead on contractual aspects of monthly performance reporting and assurance.
14. Lead on the analysis of variances, including a root cause analysis of performance issues, using trend analysis and benchmarking as appropriate, that interprets the data and provides recommendations on next steps.
15. Undertake the monthly assessment of risk with the development of appropriate mitigation action plans with providers and communicate.
16. Deputise for the Head of Commissioning and Business Support.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Educated to master’s degree level or equivalent level of experience

Knowledge and Experience

• Advanced/specialised knowledge of healthcare contracts & management
• Advanced/specialised knowledge in contracting covering negotiation, agreement, and review of contracts.
• Ability to implement a commissioning strategy impacting the directorate and linking to delivery of defined organisational priorities
• Ability to interpret and implement health service policy on commissioning and apply it to the development and change management of services in the Trust
• A track record of demonstrable leadership, including understanding of the changing NHS environment and its implications for service delivery

Finance

• Business acumen and the ability to influence and manage contractual opportunities.

Communication and Interpersonal

• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and influencing skills, both oral and written.
• Diplomacy, assertiveness, and tact in presenting highly complex, sensitive or contentious information.
• Possess developed persuasion and multi-layered influencing skills.
• Able to inspire and motivate staff.
• Ability to prepare and produce concise and insightful written communications for dissemination to a range of stakeholders.
• Ability to collaborate constructively with internal and external partners to create the conditions for successful partnership working.

Planning and Organisational

• The ability to multi-task, re-assessing priorities, to ensure projects are managed and completed to timescales.

People Management and Development

• Line manager and professional lead for Commissioning & Business Support teams.
• Proven staff management skills and the ability to motivate and develop staff.

Personal Attributes

• Highly motivated
• Determined and enthusiastic disposition
• Possess a positive attitude to change
• Proactive / takes own initiative
• Ability to relate well to staff at all levels
• Ability to work under pressure and meet objectives with conflicting deadlines
• Able to work independently using national and local policy and guidance.
• Has integrity, is committed and reliable.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

• Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role)
• Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues.

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.

Position Details

Job Title: Head of Commissioning and Business Support

Salary: £62,215 to £72,293 a year, per annum pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working Pattern

Full-time, Flexible working, Compressed hours

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