Senior Commissioning Manager Health and Care Portsmouth

We are looking for a Senior Commissioning Manager to help shape and deliver integrated health and care services in Portsmouth. The role is part of the joint commissioning function between the NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight Neighbourhoods Team and Portsmouth City Council Adult Social Care. You will lead commissioning and transformation programmes that improve community care, support independence and deliver better outcomes for local people. Your portfolio will include services funded through the Better Care Fund, rehabilitation and reablement, admission avoidance and hospital discharge pathways.

You will bring experience of local care commissioning and leading change across organisations, alongside strong analytical, communication and programme management skills. You will be confident working independently, building effective partnerships and turning complex evidence into practical plans and measurable improvements. This role offers the opportunity to combine strategic commissioning with tangible local impact, contributing to NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight's work to develop integrated neighbourhood care, reduce inequalities and make the best use of available resources.

Main duties of the job

• Provide senior commissioning leadership for community health and care pathways in Portsmouth, working closely with NHS, council, primary care, community and voluntary sector partners.
• Lead elements of the Better Care Fund commissioning cycle, working with finance and performance colleagues to ensure decisions are informed by evidence and local needs.
• Develop integrated care pathways, including rehabilitation, reablement, admission avoidance, discharge and intermediate care services.
• Lead commissioning and transformation programmes from assessment and planning through to implementation and evaluation.
• Use population health intelligence, service activity, financial information and patient experience to identify priorities and improve services.
• Develop service specifications, business cases and commissioning options, supporting procurement and ensuring value for money.
• Maintain oversight of delivery, budgets, performance, risks and benefits, with clear reporting to senior leaders and programme boards.
• Build effective partnerships and involve patients, carers and communities in service development.

About us

NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board (ICB) is one of the largest ICB's in England, serving a population of over 2 million people. Working alongside our NHS providers, local authorities and wider partners, we are committed to improving health outcomes, tackling inequalities and delivering sustainable, high-quality health and care services. We are committed to creating the best place to work, where your contribution is valued, and all our colleagues can reach their full potential. We offer competitive benefits, flexible working and a positive team atmosphere.

Job responsibilities

• Contribute to the joint commissioning function between the NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight Neighbourhoods Team and Portsmouth City Council Adult Social Care, jointly reporting to the Deputy Director of Neighbourhood Health (Place & Partnerships) and the Assistant Director, Health and Care Services.
• Provide senior leadership for a portfolio of community care commissioning and transformation programmes across health and social care in Portsmouth.
• Lead needs assessments, gap analysis and options appraisals to inform commissioning priorities and recommendations.
• Develop person-centred, integrated models of care that improve quality, access, experience and outcomes within available resources.
• Prepare service specifications, business cases and commissioning plans, supporting procurement and contractual arrangements.
• Translate relevant national and local policy into practical service development and delivery plans.
• Manage the full lifecycle of projects and programmes, including planning, governance, implementation, risk management and evaluation.
• Maintain oversight of milestones, quality standards, budgets and agreed financial and non-financial benefits.
• Analyse complex information, investigate variations in delivery and work with partners to agree corrective action.
• Produce clear reports, briefings and recommendations for senior leaders and programme boards.
• Build and maintain effective relationships across NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight, Portsmouth City Council, providers, primary care and the voluntary and independent sectors.
• Work collaboratively across organisational boundaries to develop integrated neighbourhood and place-based care.
• Ensure the views and experiences of patients, carers and communities inform commissioning decisions and service improvement.
• Represent NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight and Health and Care Portsmouth at relevant meetings and working groups.

Resources and leadership

• Manage designated budgets, monitor expenditure and evaluate services for outcomes and value for money.
• Provide leadership to project teams and line management where required, supporting colleagues to deliver agreed priorities.
• Promote evidence-based practice, continuous improvement, equality and inclusion throughout the portfolio.

Working arrangements

The role requires regular in-person working in Portsmouth to support collaborative working with Portsmouth City Council Adult Social Care and local health and care partners, attend meetings and contribute to service development. Travel to other sites and venues will also be required as part of the role.

Person Specification

Qualifications and Professional Training

• Educated to Masters level in a relevant subject or equivalent experience working at senior level in a specialised area, and professional/management experience.
• Evidence of continuing professional development relevant to the role.
• Relevant programme/project management qualifications or equivalent level of experience.
• Desirable: Management qualification, specialist qualification or equivalent level of experience.

Knowledge and Experience

• Experience of working in Local Care Commissioning.
• Experience of leading service development and change within and across organisations.
• Experience of working collaboratively with key stakeholders.
• Experience of presenting internally and externally to a variety of stakeholders.
• Experience of managing the planning and successful delivery of a range of projects within agreed timescales, budgets and quality standards.
• Knowledge and understanding of the main issues affecting Local Care, including those affecting outcomes for patients.
• Knowledge of Government policy, plans, statutory guidance and regulations relating to Local Care.
• Understanding of legal terminology used in contract documentation and in discussion with contractors and providers.
• Experience of researching best practice and making recommendations to deliver optimal outcomes for all stakeholders.
• Experience of managing and monitoring budgets.
• Excellent communication skills, written and verbal.

Skills and attributes

• Ability to provide and receive complex, sensitive and contentious information.
• Ability to draw qualitative and quantitative information from a range of sources and present it in a clear and concise way.
• Ability to effectively plan, analyse and resolve problems.
• Ability to give formal presentations at senior level.
• Ability to write clear and concise, balanced reports for consideration.
• Ability to negotiate and influence stakeholders.
• Good analytical skills with ability to analyse, interpret, challenge and present financial and activity information as well as qualitative information, to develop a range of options.
• Ability to seek out, identify and implement opportunities for service improvement, to anticipate problems before they arise and offer appropriate solutions.
• Highly developed planning and organisation skills/able to determine own agenda and organise own work.
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office suite and intermediate keyboard skills.

Equality and Diversity

• Demonstrates understanding of issues affecting diversity and inclusion, including how individual actions make a difference to the equality agenda.
• Evidence of undertaking equality impact assessments and delivery of equality and diversity improvements.

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.