Job summary
We are seeking a Band 8a Planned Care and Long Term Conditions (LTC) Commissioning Senior Manager to join NHS Norfolk and Suffolk ICB on a 12-month fixed-term contract to cover maternity leave, from February 2027 to January 2028.
You will lead the operational delivery of commissioning programmes across planned care and LTC services, managing contracts and supporting service improvements that respond to local needs and national priorities.
Working with NHS providers, local authorities, voluntary sector organisations and service users, you will help redesign pathways, improve access and reduce health inequalities. Your work will support care closer to home, greater use of digital approaches and a stronger focus on prevention.
You will contribute to needs assessments, service specifications, business cases and service evaluation, alongside monitoring provider performance, quality and budgets.
We are looking for someone with commissioning expertise, strong project management skills and the ability to build effective relationships across organisational boundaries. You will bring experience of using data and insight to improve services and a commitment to better outcomes for people across Norfolk and Suffolk.
Main duties of the job
Deliver commissioning plans for priority planned care and LTC services
Support the full commissioning cycle: needs assessment, service design, contracting and evaluation
Support the commissioning of services which align with the three strategic shifts: delivering care closer to home, embracing digital-by-default models, and prioritising prevention to reduce avoidable illness and improve population health
Support provider performance against KPIs, quality standards, and financial targets for commissioned services involved in
Contribute to service reviews, pathway redesign, and improvement initiatives
Develop business cases, service specifications, and investment proposals in collaboration with the Senior Commissioner
Work with system partners to co-produce services that address health inequalities and improve access
Provide commissioning support to programme boards, working groups, and governance forums
Supervise commissioning officers and support staff, contributing to team development and delivery
Support financial planning, budget monitoring, and value-based commissioning
Represent the ICB in stakeholder meetings
About us
We manage an annual budget of £4.9 billion to commission safe, high quality and accessible health services for 1.7million people living in Norfolk and Suffolk.
We work with hospitals, GP practices, dentists, pharmacies, community, mental health and ambulance services, alongside local councils and voluntary organisations, to improve care. We involve local communities in shaping decisions and use their insights to improve services. As a statutory NHS organisation, we are accountable to NHS England and the UK Government.
Our role is to ensure services meet current and future needs by setting local NHS strategy, allocating funding, maintaining quality and safety standards, improving access, reducing health inequalities and enabling joined up care.
Norfolk and Suffolk include rural, coastal and deprived communities, with an older than average population. Around half of residents live in rural or coastal areas, where access can be harder, and about 219,000 people live in the most deprived areas, where early deaths are significantly higher. These factors shape our planning and focus on reducing inequalities.
Our vision is for people to live longer, healthier lives with access to safe, joined up, patient centred care. We prioritise improving healthy life expectancy, reducing inequalities and ensuring consistent access to high quality services.
We work across five local Places and partner with NHS providers, councils, the VCFSE sector and communities to deliver locally responsive care.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The above is only an outline of the tasks, responsibilities and outcomes required of the role. The job holder will carry out any other duties as may reasonably be required by their line manager.
This job description and person specification may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of the Department and the Organisation. This will be done in line with the Job evaluation Handbook guidelines
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Extensive knowledge of specialist areas, acquired through post graduate diploma or equivalent experience or training plus further specialist knowledge or experience to masters level equivalent
- Evidence of post qualifying and continuing professional development
- Must have an understanding of the background to and aims of current healthcare policy and appreciate the implications of this on engagement
- Should have an appreciation of the relationship between the Department of Health, NHS England and individual provider and commissioning organisations
Desirable
- Member of relevant professional body
Other
Essential
- Used to working in a busy environment
- Adaptability, flexibility and ability to cope with uncertainty and change
- Willing to engage with and learn from peers, other professionals and colleagues in the desire to provide or support the most appropriate interventions
- Professional calm and efficient manner
- Effective organizer, influencer and networker
- Demonstrates a strong desire to improve performance and make a difference by focusing on goals.
- Completer/Finisher
Financial and Physical Resources
Essential
- Previously responsible for a budget, involved in budget setting and working knowledge of financial processes
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to masters level or equivalent level of experience of working at a senior level in specialist area.
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Must be able to provide and receive highly complex, sensitive or contentious information, negotiate with senior stakeholders on difficult and controversial issues, and present complex and sensitive information to large and influential groups
- Negotiate on difficult and controversial issues including performance and change.
- Problem solving skills and ability to respond to sudden unexpected demands
- Ability to analyse complex facts and situations and develop a range of options
- Takes decisions on difficult and contentious issues where there may be a number of courses of action.
- Strategic thinking ability to anticipate and resolve problems before they arise
- Demonstrated capability to plan over short, medium and long-term timeframes and adjust plans and resource requirements accordingly
- Must be able to prioritise own work effectively and be able to direct activities of others. Experience of managing and motivating a team and reviewing performance of the individuals.
- Must be able to use initiative to decide relevant actions and make recommendations to Sponsor/ Manager, with the aim of improving deliverables and compliance to policies.
- Ability to make decisions autonomously, when required, on difficult issues, working to tight and often changing timescales
- Experience of identifying and interpreting National policy. Experience of researching best practice (globally, private and public sector), interpreting its relevance and processes/ practices which could be implemented successfully to achieve system reform (advising on policy implementation)
- Working knowledge of Microsoft Office with intermediate keyboard skills.
Desirable
- Comprehensive experience of project principles techniques and tools such as Prince 2 and Managing Successful Projects
Equality and Diversity
Essential
- Needs to have a thorough understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships both in terms of day-to-day working practices, but also in relation to management systems in the area
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.
Employer details
Employer name
Norfolk and Suffolk Integrated Care Board
Address
Norfolk and Suffolk Integrated Care Board
Endeavour House
Russell Road
Ipswich
Suffolk
IP1 2BX
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.norfolkandsuffolk.icb.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)
Contact Details:
Norfolk and Suffolk Integrated Care Board Recruitment Team
