Head of Commissioning and Contracting - Provider Collaborative

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Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Commissioning:
• Developing and embedding commissioning strategies, functions, structures, processes, and behaviours that support policy development, strategic planning, service delivery, and transformation.
• Leading the development of collaborative commissioning relationships with Lead Providers, NHSE, and other functions within the Collaborative.
• Ensuring that patient, care, and staff voices are heard and influential in setting commissioning objectives and shaping service pathways.
• Working closely with clinical and political leaders within the Collaborative member Trusts to ensure that commissioning options and decisions are well-informed and appropriately clinically and politically led.
• Leading the staff within the single commissioning function to develop the technical and behavioural skills and capabilities to enact the “shift” in commissioning approach.
• Ensuring that NICE guidance, as well as statutory functions, duties, and responsibilities within the scope of the post, are effectively fulfilled and accounted for.

Contracting:
• Lead on developing and implementing policies and processes for the management of contracts, procuring external legal advice as appropriate, to ensure EoE PC interests are fully reflected, documented, and achieved through robust contract management, utilising all contractual levers to maximise value for money and performance.
• Ensure the Collaborative has in place appropriate sub-contracts with all service providers for the population, using the NHS Standard Contract, and has robust mechanisms to manage them.
• Lead and implement effective performance management arrangements for all contracts and business activities, producing regular reports for the Collaborative Board.
• Ensure that all procurement and contracting activities are carried out in accordance with legislation, health policies and procedures, and principles of good practice, including ethics and probity.
• Develop and embed an effective Performance Outcomes Framework. Develop, implement, and monitor governance arrangements for the effective management and review of contracts.
• Support Lead Providers by providing assurance on the financial sign-off of contractual documentation and relevant project initiation documentation.
• Jointly responsible with Lead Providers for providing contract financial information (year-to-date and forecast) as part of the regular reporting to NHSE, the Collaborative Board, and senior finance colleagues.
• Develop and embed processes that ensure:

– Clinical outcomes are captured, measured, and Lead Providers are supported to make improvements.

– Contract surveillance is robust, and any incidents are reported and managed in line with the Serious Incident Framework (SIF).

– The performance of contracted services is regularly monitored and reviewed to ensure services are effective, meet statutory requirements, and deliver desired outcomes.

– Any performance issues are addressed promptly and in accordance with the contractual processes.

– Effective contract documentation is prepared, updated (and version controlled), and is appropriately accessible for operational and corporate directorates.
• Liaison with, and participation in, national contracting and commissioning forums to ensure best practices and robust contractual arrangements are in place.

Person specification

Education / Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Educated to masters level or equivalent level of experience of working at a senior level in a relevant specialist area;
• Evidence of post qualifying and continuing professional development;

Desirable criteria

• MSP Managing Successful Programmes Practitioner
• PRINCE 2 Foundation /Practitioner

Experience

Essential criteria

• Senior management experience of an NHS commissioning organisation in a range of roles across the full commissioning cycle
• Expertise in financial management, contract negotiations, contract management and performance management at a senior level
• Excellent skills at partnership working and developing relationships with a number of key bodies and individuals
• A track record of success in managing and delivering a number of complex initiatives simultaneously in a fast moving and high pressure environment
• Experience of working with very senior colleagues in a range of organisations and dealing at senior level with diverse partners and agencies
• Track record of effective budget and resource management
• Experience of delivering complex statistical reports and messages to a diverse range of people.

Desirable criteria

• Mental Health Commissioning expertise
• Specialist mental Health commissioning
• Working with NHSE/I regional teams
• Working with a group of organisations each with their own sovereignty and governance processes, which are working together on shared vision, objectives and plans;
• Working in a collective decision-making group e.g. a committee or Board;

Knowledge & Understanding

Essential criteria

• Sound understanding of the NHS plans and the role regions have in them.
• An understanding of health and the broad social, political and economic trends and the Collaborative’s objectives
• Understanding of the public sector and awareness of the relevant social and political environments and impact on the health economy
• Understanding of NHS Plans and Priorities
• Understanding of the relationship between specialist regional commissioning, and ICB commissioning
• Understanding of patient confidentiality and the relevant aspects of libel law plus the FOI; Equality; & Data Protection Acts.
• Expert knowledge of the full commissioning cycle
• Expert knowledge of contracts management and technical understanding of the NHS Standard Contract
• Knowledge of NHS funding
• Knowledge of working in Mental Health and/or Community Trusts
• Good business sense and commercial acumen

Physical Requirements

Essential criteria

• Ability to travel across sites in the East of England area
• Sitting for prolonged periods using a computer
• Ability to concentrate for extended periods of time and with frequent interruption
• Ability to work flexibly from the normal working pattern (including out of hours / occasional weekend) to meet service needs.

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