About the job

Job summary

National £51,824 - £61,414

Outer London £53,812 - £63,252

Inner London £55,799 - £65,089

Location

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) offers hybrid working – this means that whilst the role will be based in one of our offices, there will be opportunities for an element of working from home. UKHSA have office locations across the UK. 

Office bases include Leeds, London (Canary Wharf), Liverpool and Birmingham.

You will be asked to express a location preference during the application process.  
The balance between home and workplace working is to be agreed with the line manager, determined primarily by business needs and in line with departmental policy. 

*Please be aware that this role can only be worked from within the UK and not overseas. Relocation expenses are not available.* 

Working Pattern – Full Time, Part Time, Job Share, Flexible Working, Hybrid Working

We are looking for an Operations Contract Manager to work within the National Operations Directorate, which is part of the Health Protection Operations Group.
This role sits within National Operations, a critical area supporting UKHSA’s remit and strategic aim to be ready to respond to all health hazards, providing agile and scalable user centred designed contact centre services.

This is delivered primarily through two outsourced contact centre partners via the Single Service Centre (SSC) contract. There are also a number of contractual arrangements in place to support the work delivered by our User Centred Design Division. The Operational Contract Manager will play a key role in ensuring that all of our suppliers meet their contractual obligations.

The role of Operational Contract Manager (OCM) will play an important part in driving the cultural change agenda required to assure consistent and disciplined focus on end-to-end Contract Management and the critical activities and behaviours that assure value for money delivery.

As an Executive Agency of the Department of Health & Social Care UKHSA is required to align with the minimum standards for Contract Management as set by the Government Commercial Function. A key aspect of this role is to assure compliance with this agenda. Working in collaboration with enabling functions as appropriate: Commercial, Finance and Legal the Operational Contract Manager will be expected to lead on in-life Contract Management and effective management of the supplier relationship, leading a small team and ensuring all relevant stakeholders are engaged appropriately.

The post holder will develop working relationships and communicate regularly with a wide range of individuals, clinical and non-clinical, internal and external to UKHSA. As the subject matter expert for the Division, the OCM will work closely with the Commercial Contract Manager providing guidance on all aspects of delivery through the Single Service Centre contract and wider commercial agreements in place for all National Operations functions.

The post holder will assure compliance with UKHSA policies, including ensuring Contract Management is in line with assigned contract classification: Gold, Silver, Bronze.

They will engage proactively and collaboratively with the Commercial Contract Manager in line with the RACI included in the Contract Management Playbook and ensure Invoice management is in line with Procure to Pay Processes.

The OCM will deploy efficient and effective contract administration, ensuring contract information is stored in compliance with UKHSA’s information management and contract management policies. They will complete any assurance and KPI requests from the commercial team in a timely manner and in line with reasonable deadlines provided to provide internal assurance that contracts are being managed in line with commercial guidelines. This role offers the opportunity to play an active part in any Contract Management forums and seek out opportunities for coaching others and sharing best practice.

They will drive active risk management, managing the mobilisation and exit/transition stages of the contract to ensure a smooth handover of any assets and ensure any financial / reputational / operational risks are minimised. They will develop a clear contingency plan in case of supplier failure to assure business continuity.

The OCM will ensure that clear and effective governance structures are adhered to, and that key roles and responsibilities, including a path for escalation, are understood. They will monitor and report contract performance with agreed regular cadence (ideally monthly) and in line with requirements of the contract.

The post holder will identify, discuss and action their own professional performance and training / development needs with their line manager through appraisal and individual development plans.  They will participate in all mandatory training, i.e fire safety.

The post holder may be expected to support corporate service activity as set out in the Corporate Services Standard Operating Procedures. In addition to this, all staff are expected to contribute to the delivery of corporate goals and objectives.

As a Category 1 responder under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, UKHSA has a set of civil protection responsibilities which it must fulfil in the response to any emergency or major incident. Staff may be asked to contribute to the preparedness for and response to major incidents and emergencies (as defined in the UKHSA Concept of Operations) as required.  

Job description

Responsibilities section:

The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:

• Ensure all contract management meets Government standards as set out in the UKHSA Contract Management Playbook, and in line with assigned contract classification: Gold, Silver, Bronze.
• Regular and robust performance monitoring, recommending action where performance falls below required levels and to assure value for money as part of contract delivery.
• Hold both the Supplier and UKHSA to account on contractual obligations.
• Ensure accurate and robust contract administration: governance, processes, and document libraries in line with the Cabinet Office standards.
• Undertake effective dispute resolution using appropriate supplier relationship management techniques and contractual remedies.
• Actively manage and maintain the contract risk register, escalating risks as appropriate and pursuit of appropriate treatment / mitigation.
• Manage contractual spend including resource, licences, and change against budget.
• Ensure Invoice Management due diligence is carried out for procure to pay processes, an audit trail and records are maintained.
• Ensure that effective Invoice Management forward facing into 3rd parties is in place, resolving issues with commercial liaison.
• Full line management of a small team with responsibility for invoicing and provision of commercial support for the operational teams
• Assure full compliance with UKHSA policies:

1. Ensure that a robust Contract Management Plan is in place (supported via UKHSA Commercial) and use it as a tool to bring the contract to life.
2. Understand the key documents and schedules that make up the contract and apply them to manage the contract effectively.
3. Track all deliverables included in the contract for both parties and ensure they are either met or escalated accordingly.

• Ensure the contract delivers value for money and intended commercial / operational outcomes:
  1. Track and report delivery against KPIs attending Monthly Reviews and ensuring information presented has been verified for accuracy. Undertake regular reviews of contract delivery and report through agreed governance processes, escalating any potential issues in a timely manner.
  2. Ensure evidence and lessons learned support any transition or new sourcing activity well in advance of contract expiry.
  3. Collaborate with commercial and finance teams to identify and capture in-life cost / efficiency savings.
• Drive active risk management:
  1. Maintain a comprehensive contract risk register that will form part of the Directorate and Group monthly return.
  2. Manage and resolve any issues or disputes with the supplier, seeking timely support from the commercial team as required and escalating where appropriate.
• Deploy efficient and effective contract administration:
  1. Working in close collaboration with Commercial on any emerging commercial issues and ensuring contract changes are captured and processed in accordance with the change management process.
  2. Enable timely and compliant reporting within UKHSA and to Cabinet Office by ensuring information required is kept up to date and readily available upon request.
• Support the agenda to elevate contract management capability

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The Job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary.

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

It is important through your application and Statement of Suitability of no more than 1000 words that you give evidence and examples of proven experience of each of the essential criteria (for full details of all essential criteria please refer to the attached job description):

Essential

• Accreditation in Contract Management Foundation (IACCM/Cabinet Office CMCP) or equivalent experience
• Able to clearly articulate what best practice Contract Management looks like.
• Demonstrable knowledge and experience of the end-to-end Contract Management Lifecycle and the critical activities, behaviours and tools that assure value for money delivery.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong negotiation and stakeholder management skills
• Data driven with an appetite for attention to detail and accuracy
• A competent user of Microsoft 365, including SharePoint, Teams PowerPoint, and Excel.
• A good understanding of legal contracts and key contractual terms that impact risk and/or value.
• An enthusiastic team player / self-starter with clear ability to work autonomously and a demonstrable can-do approach.
• Demonstrate appreciation and acknowledgment of the range and complexities of diversity; self-awareness in terms of emotional intelligence, biases and personal triggers; cultural competence – cultural sensitivity and awareness

Desirable

• Practitioner / Expert accreditation in Contract Management (Cabinet Office CMCP accreditation) If you do not hold the appropriate accreditation, there will be an expectation to undertake the CMCP Practitioner accreditation.
• Knowledge of public sector procurement legislation and commercial principles.
• Knowledge of procure-to-pay processes and the data / metrics that drive value for money.
• Experience of hybrid / virtual working.
• Knowledge of project management principles, techniques, and tools.
• At least 2–3-year min proven experience of managing a critical service and / or complex outsourcing contract(s), ideally in a contact centre environment.
• Experience of day-to-day operational management of supplier performance in adherence to contractual terms, including robust contract administration
• Experience of managing disputes effectively.
• Experience of working collaboratively across functional boundaries.

Benefits

Working for the UKHSA

For more information on the UKHSA please visit: UK Health Security Agency - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
• Range of health and wellbeing support

Any move to UKHSA from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at Childcare Choices , 30 Hours Free Childcare, Tax-Free Childcare and More , Help with Costs , GOV.UK

Things you need to know

Selection process details

STAGE 1 - APPLICATION & SIFT: 

You will be required to complete an application form. This will be assessed in line with the full list of essential criteria as detailed in the attached job description – please do provide evidence of how you meet this. Your Statement of Suitability should outline your skills, experience, and achievements, providing evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria (outlined in the person specification section).

You will also be asked to provide information within the ‘Employer/ Activity history’ section of the application form. This is equivalent to the information you would provide on a CV, setting out your career history.  

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to an interview.

STAGE 2 – INTERVIEW 

This competition will involve an interview by video. 

As part of the process, candidates will be invited to interview which will involve an in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence in relation to the criteria set out in the Person Specification. 

The Success Profiles framework will be used to assess and recruit the most suitable candidate.  The following behaviours will be used at the interview:

• Leadership
• Changing & Improving
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating & Influencing
• Managing a quality service
• Working together

For further information on the selection process, please refer to the attached Candidate Pack.

Expected Timeline:

Advert close: 23:55hrs on 11th January 2024 – unfortunately, late applications will not be considered. Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Interviews: 25th-31st January 2024

Please note these dates could be subject to change.  

Eligibility Criteria

Security clearance level requirement

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.  Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Basic Personnel Security Standard.  People working with government assets must complete Basic Personnel Security Standard checks.

For posts on UKHSA Civil Service terms and conditions, new entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. For existing Civil Servants and roles advertised across government, the rules of transfer apply, i.e., level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive a 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest. 

Please Note

This role is to be appointed under Civil Service Terms & Conditions. Full details on the T&C’s are found https://www.ukhsa.reed.com/

Are you already a civil servant, or employed by a Civil Service Commission accredited public body? Please state home department on your application form.

Do you meet the nationality requirements for this post? https://www.ukhsa.reed.com/

Complaint process:

The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact UKHSA Public Accountability Unit via email: Complaints1@ukhsa.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.