Senior Contract Manager

NHS Greater Manchester is looking for two Senior Contract Managers to join our Contract Management and Procurement team within the Strategic Finance Portfolio. This is a Band 7 role at the heart of how we hold our providers to account for the quality, performance and value of the services they deliver to the people of Greater Manchester.

You will manage a portfolio of provider contracts, deputising for the Senior Contract Lead as required, and working as part of a wider team to monitor the quality and performance of commissioned services across the health economy. It's a role for someone with strong NHS or commissioning experience who can build relationships with providers, get to grips with complex contract information, and turn it into clear, confident action.

Main duties of the job

You'll hold day-to-day responsibility for a defined portfolio of provider contracts -- leading regular contract and performance review meetings, ensuring reporting is relevant and timely, and driving remedial or reinforcing action where provider performance needs to improve. You'll lead and assist in the annual contract negotiation cycle, including arbitration or mediation where necessary, and ensure contract levers are used in full and within agreed limits.

You'll translate NHS GM's commissioning intentions and priorities into signed contracts that meet national and local requirements, support the delivery of the organisational quality strategy, and challenge providers on poor quality performance where needed. You'll also provide specialist contract advice and guidance to colleagues, lead contract project meetings with internal and external stakeholders, and -- where line management responsibilities are assigned -- provide supervision, guidance and support to members of the Contract Management Team.

About us

You'll be joining a supportive, knowledgeable team that takes real pride in getting complex contracting right for the benefit of patients and communities. Matrix working is central to how we operate -- you'll build close working relationships across finance, quality, BI and other functions, and with providers and other commissioners, valuing different perspectives and working collaboratively toward shared goals.

Equality, inclusion and human rights sit at the heart of everything we do, and we're committed to a culture where everyone feels valued, respected and able to thrive -- with a zero-tolerance approach to bullying, harassment and discrimination. As part of the NHS, you'll benefit from the wider NHS package: membership of the NHS Pension Scheme, generous annual leave that grows with service, flexible and hybrid working arrangements, and genuine support for your ongoing development and career progression.

Details

Date posted

15 October 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£49,387 to £56,515 a year

pa

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

896-FC-1058-A

Job locations

Tootal Buildings

1st Floor Tootal Buildings, 56 Oxford Street

Greater Manchester

M1 6EU

United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

Manage a portfolio of provider contracts, monitoring contracted levels of activity and expenditure, contract, performance and quality issues, and general service delivery. Lead regular contract and performance review meetings with providers, ensuring reporting is relevant and timely and that remedial and reinforcing action improves performance. Ensure the financial, quality and operational performance of contracts are efficiently and effectively managed, and support the development and monitoring of Provider CQUIN schemes.

Negotiation and contract developmentLead and assist in the annual contract negotiation cycle and documentation of contracts for your portfolio, including arbitration or mediation where necessary. Ensure NHS GM's commissioning intentions and priorities are translated into signed contracts meeting national and local requirements, and ensure contract levers are enacted in full within delegated limits.

Communication and stakeholder managementAct as a key point of contact for procurement projects with third-party procurement specialists, providing contract support for healthcare service procurements requiring a tender process. Communicate complex and business-sensitive information to a broad range of internal and external stakeholders in formal and informal settings, and lead or chair regular provider performance meetings.

Analysis and reportingPlan, develop and evaluate methods for gathering, analysing and presenting contract data. Develop key performance indicators for contracting workstreams, and produce or contribute to reports summarising provider performance, risks and issues, and contractual options for resolution including reporting to Contract Performance Groups, Boards or Chief Officers.

People managementSupport an effective matrix approach across NHS GM, provide mentorship to junior colleagues in contract management, and where assigned line manage members of the Contract Management Team, providing guidance, supervision and performance management as required.

Job responsibilities

Manage a portfolio of provider contracts, monitoring contracted levels of activity and expenditure, contract, performance and quality issues, and general service delivery. Lead regular contract and performance review meetings with providers, ensuring reporting is relevant and timely and that remedial and reinforcing action improves performance. Ensure the financial, quality and operational performance of contracts are efficiently and effectively managed, and support the development and monitoring of Provider CQUIN schemes.

Negotiation and contract developmentLead and assist in the annual contract negotiation cycle and documentation of contracts for your portfolio, including arbitration or mediation where necessary. Ensure NHS GM's commissioning intentions and priorities are translated into signed contracts meeting national and local requirements, and ensure contract levers are enacted in full within delegated limits.

Communication and stakeholder managementAct as a key point of contact for procurement projects with third-party procurement specialists, providing contract support for healthcare service procurements requiring a tender process. Communicate complex and business-sensitive information to a broad range of internal and external stakeholders in formal and informal settings, and lead or chair regular provider performance meetings.

Analysis and reportingPlan, develop and evaluate methods for gathering, analysing and presenting contract data. Develop key performance indicators for contracting workstreams, and produce or contribute to reports summarising provider performance, risks and issues, and contractual options for resolution including reporting to Contract Performance Groups, Boards or Chief Officers.

People managementSupport an effective matrix approach across NHS GM, provide mentorship to junior colleagues in contract management, and where assigned line manage members of the Contract Management Team, providing guidance, supervision and performance management as required.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Degree level or equivalent experience; postgraduate management diploma

Desirable

• CIPFA Contract Management, CIPS Procurement, or Prince2

NHS/Commissioning Experience

Essential

• NHS commissioning experience, including negotiations with providers on contract, procurement, performance or quality issues

Desirable

• Project management experience (ideally procurement or NHS contract management); leadership experience in NHS or related sector

Contract & Performance Knowledge

Essential

• Knowledge of NHS contracts, with specialist knowledge of at least one area (e.g. Standard Contract Community ); knowledge of quality and performance management techniques

Desirable

• Knowledge of the healthcare commissioning process or national commissioning landscape

Stakeholder & People Management

Essential

• Skills for direct line management and job management; skills for delivering results through managing others (including via a range of levers in the absence of direct line management); skills for managing relationships with a range of different stakeholders

Desirable

• Leadership experience in the NHS or related sector; experience of leading complex change or strategy development in a politically sensitive environment

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Degree level or equivalent experience; postgraduate management diploma

Desirable

• CIPFA Contract Management, CIPS Procurement, or Prince2

NHS/Commissioning Experience

Essential

• NHS commissioning experience, including negotiations with providers on contract, procurement, performance or quality issues

Desirable

• Project management experience (ideally procurement or NHS contract management); leadership experience in NHS or related sector

Contract & Performance Knowledge

Essential

• Knowledge of NHS contracts, with specialist knowledge of at least one area (e.g. Standard Contract Community ); knowledge of quality and performance management techniques

Desirable

• Knowledge of the healthcare commissioning process or national commissioning landscape

Stakeholder & People Management

Essential

• Skills for direct line management and job management; skills for delivering results through managing others (including via a range of levers in the absence of direct line management); skills for managing relationships with a range of different stakeholders

Desirable

• Leadership experience in the NHS or related sector; experience of leading complex change or strategy development in a politically sensitive environment

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

NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care

Address

Tootal Buildings

1st Floor Tootal Buildings, 56 Oxford Street

Greater Manchester

M1 6EU

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.gmsharedservices.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care

Address

Tootal Buildings

1st Floor Tootal Buildings, 56 Oxford Street

Greater Manchester

M1 6EU

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.gmsharedservices.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Job responsibilities

Manage a portfolio of provider contracts, monitoring contracted levels of activity and expenditure, contract, performance and quality issues, and general service delivery. Lead regular contract and performance review meetings with providers, ensuring reporting is relevant and timely and that remedial and reinforcing action improves performance. Ensure the financial, quality and operational performance of contracts are efficiently and effectively managed, and support the development and monitoring of Provider CQUIN schemes.

Negotiation and contract developmentLead and assist in the annual contract negotiation cycle and documentation of contracts for your portfolio, including arbitration or mediation where necessary. Ensure NHS GM's commissioning intentions and priorities are translated into signed contracts meeting national and local requirements, and ensure contract levers are enacted in full within delegated limits.

Communication and stakeholder managementAct as a key point of contact for procurement projects with third-party procurement specialists, providing contract support for healthcare service procurements requiring a tender process. Communicate complex and business-sensitive information to a broad range of internal and external stakeholders in formal and informal settings, and lead or chair regular provider performance meetings.

Analysis and reportingPlan, develop and evaluate methods for gathering, analysing and presenting contract data. Develop key performance indicators for contracting workstreams, and produce or contribute to reports summarising provider performance, risks and issues, and contractual options for resolution including reporting to Contract Performance Groups, Boards or Chief Officers.

People managementSupport an effective matrix approach across NHS GM, provide mentorship to junior colleagues in contract management, and where assigned line manage members of the Contract Management Team, providing guidance, supervision and performance management as required.

Qualifications

Essential

• Degree level or equivalent experience; postgraduate management diploma

Desirable

• CIPFA Contract Management, CIPS Procurement, or Prince2

NHS/Commissioning Experience

Essential

• NHS commissioning experience, including negotiations with providers on contract, procurement, performance or quality issues

Desirable

• Project management experience (ideally procurement or NHS contract management); leadership experience in NHS or related sector

Contract & Performance Knowledge

Essential

• Knowledge of NHS contracts, with specialist knowledge of at least one area (e.g. Standard Contract Community ); knowledge of quality and performance management techniques

Desirable

• Knowledge of the healthcare commissioning process or national commissioning landscape

Stakeholder & People Management

Essential

• Skills for direct line management and job management; skills for delivering results through managing others (including via a range of levers in the absence of direct line management); skills for managing relationships with a range of different stakeholders

Desirable

• Leadership experience in the NHS or related sector; experience of leading complex change or strategy development in a politically sensitive environment