Senior Contract SpecialistNHS

Job summary

NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly and NHS Devon are responsible for planning, funding and improving NHS services for the people of Devon, Plymouth, Torbay, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

With an annual budget of around £5 billion, our purpose is to improve health, tackle inequalities and ensure services remain sustainable for future generations.

Since 2025, our two organisations have been working together, with a shared board, leadership team and staffing structure. While both ICBs remain separate statutory organisations, we operate as a single team to address some of the biggest challenges facing health and care across the peninsula.

At the heart of our work is partnership. We work closely with NHS trusts, primary care, local authorities, universities, the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector, and many others to develop local services.

We also involve people with lived experience to shape services around the needs of communities across Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Through these partnerships, we support innovation, improve access to care and help create healthier places where people can thrive.

Covering a diverse geography of cities, towns, rural communities and island populations, we stand together with a shared purpose: to improve the health and wellbeing of the people we serve.

Main duties of the job

The clinical contracting and procurement team provide a comprehensive contract management(including performance management) and procurement function on behalf of the ICB across Devon,Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly for all clinical service contracts. The team support all clinicalprocurements.

The team provides advice, including advising on risk, for areas in their scope. Theyproactively manage the procurement workplan. They ensure necessary governance is in place and iseffectively managed for all areas of their responsibility, negotiating (including finance) contract details.

As part of this role, there will be a requirement to work in a matrix and flexible way across multipleareas/teams to support business needs. The objectives of the role will be regularly reviewed to align toorganisational priorities.

Job description

Please refer to the Job description for more details regarding this post

Specific duties include but are not limited to:

A key part of this role will be responsible for independently negotiating and performancemanaging a portfolio of complex contracted services, which deliver high quality acute andnon-acute care services within available resources, escalating, as appropriate. Supports the Senior Contracting Lead and Head of Contracting in ensuring that allcontracts promote services which meet the needs of service users and effectively protectthe health of local populations. Provide supervision to Assistant Contract managers. Works closely with Commissioners, Finance, Patient Safety & Quality (PSQ) andPerformance colleagues, as part of a dynamic team, providing contract expertise andadvice, which ensures the delivery and performance management of clinicallycommissioned service contracts. You will analyse very complex contractual issues where material is conflicting and drawn from multiple sources. Contribute to performance improvement in the team, taking a lead for identified areas. Leading to ensure that contracts deliver Constitutional standards, such as patient choice, and meet the requirements of the Public Contract Regulations. Works closely with finance colleagues, taking the lead to ensure that Non-ContractedActivity (NCAs) is actively and robustly managed, in line with national and ICB policies and procedures. Leading to coordinate assurance and monitoring processes across the ICB contracts inaccordance with guidance and ensuring equity of approach. Support the Senior Contracting Lead and Head of Contracting in developing newcontracting approaches that will meet the needs of the ICB.

About us

We're looking for people who share our commitment to improving health, reducing inequalities and making the best use of public resources.

Whatever your role, you'll be working alongside colleagues, partners and communities to help shape how health and care services are planned and delivered.

We offer the opportunity to work across a large and diverse geography, drawing on the expertise of colleagues from across the peninsula and collaborating with a wide range of NHS, local authority, voluntary sector and community partners.

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels respected, supported and able to contribute.

We offer flexible and hybrid working arrangements, opportunities for personal and professional development, and access to a range of NHS employee benefits, wellbeing support and the NHS Pension Scheme.