Contract manager

Band 7 · Contract manager · 485 job evaluation points

Manages a portfolio of contracts, including technology and clinical system contracts, from mobilisation to renewal, working within the contract management framework. Also known as contract officer.

Responsibilities

Manage a portfolio of contracts, keeping the contract register, documents, and key dates current.
Run regular performance reviews with suppliers, using service levels and key performance indicators.
Check invoices against contract terms and resolve billing disputes.
Negotiate and process contract changes and variations within the procurement rules.
Track licence use, renewals, and notice periods, and plan renewals and re-procurements across the portfolio.
Keep exit plans and data registers up to date for each contract.
Work with information governance and security colleagues on supplier data protection and security checks.

Skills

Skill	Expected level	What this level means
Contract managementThis reference	Practitioner (3)	You can: manage a portfolio of contracts, including clinical and technology contracts use contract remedies, such as service credits, when performance falls short manage changes, disputes, and renewals within the procurement rules plan exit early and test exit plans before contracts end
Supplier relationship managementThis reference	Practitioner (3)	You can: segment suppliers by risk and value and plan how to manage each group run strategic reviews with key suppliers, including roadmap and improvement plans manage supplier risks, such as financial failure, cyber incidents, and supply chain issues
Exit planning and data returnThis reference	Working (2)	You can: keep exit plans and asset and data registers up to date track notice periods and exit milestones
Technology and cloud procurementThis reference	Working (2)	You can: buy standard software, hardware, and licences through frameworks track licence numbers, renewals, and true-up dates include standard security and data protection requirements in documents
Public procurement rules and policyThis reference	Working (2)	You can: apply the procurement rules that fit a straightforward purchase publish notices and keep records that meet transparency rules spot when a request risks breaking the rules and raise it
Commercial negotiationThis reference	Working (2)	You can: negotiate prices and terms for low-value or routine purchases prepare data and options for a negotiation led by others
Commercial managementUK GDaD PCF	Working (2)	You can: act as the point of contact for contracted suppliers understand appropriate internal contacts and processes within a government department understand how and when third parties should be brought into digital, data and technology projects
Stakeholder relationship managementUK GDaD PCF	Working (2)	You can: identify important stakeholders and communicate with them clearly and regularly tailor communication to stakeholders' needs and work with them to build relationships while meeting user needs build and reach consensus with stakeholders work to improve stakeholder relationships using evidence to explain decisions
Information governance and data protectionThis reference	Working (2)	You can: apply data protection principles to your work contribute to data protection impact assessments handle information requests and records correctly
Organisational risk managementThis reference	Working (2)	You can: record and update risks for your area suggest controls and track actions

Typical qualifications and experience

A recognised procurement or contract management qualification at advanced level, or equivalent experience.
Experience of managing service contracts, ideally for technology.

Band 7 outline

Knowledge: Highly developed specialist knowledge, typically to master's level or equivalent experience.
Autonomy: Works to organisational policy; decides how results are achieved; is the expert others consult.
Scope: Several products or services, or a specialist function.
Leadership: Leads a team or a professional practice area.
Accountability: Delivery of a service or specialist function, and its budget if held.

Job evaluation (illustrative)

Factor	Level	Level summary	Points
Communication and relationship skills	5	Gives highly complex or contentious information needing developed persuasion and negotiation, presents to large groups, or communicates where there are significant barriers to acceptance.	45
Knowledge, training, and experience	6	Specialist knowledge across the range of the specialism (postgraduate diploma level or equivalent).	156
Analytical and judgemental skills	5	Judgements on highly complex facts or situations needing analysis, interpretation, and comparison of options.	60
Planning and organisational skills	4	Plans a broad range of complex activities or strategies, adjusting them as needed.	42
Physical skills	3	Developed skills needing speed or accuracy, such as advanced keyboard use.	27
Responsibility for patient and client care	1	Helps patients, clients, or relatives during incidental contact.	4
Responsibility for policy and service development	3	Implements policies for own area and proposes changes that affect other areas.	21
Responsibility for financial and physical resources	4	Holds or sets the budget for a department or service, or buys or maintains its assets.	32
Responsibility for people	2	Supervises or coordinates staff day to day, trains others regularly, or gives basic HR advice.	12
Responsibility for information resources	3	Takes formal minutes, regularly writes reports or queries, or maintains information systems as a significant duty.	16
Responsibility for research and development	1	Carries out surveys or audits for own work; occasionally takes part in research or testing.	5
Freedom to act	4	Results are defined, but the job holder decides how to achieve them, within broad policy.	32
Physical effort	1	Sitting, standing, and walking, with little physical effort.	3
Mental effort	4	Frequent prolonged concentration, or occasional intense concentration.	18
Emotional effort	1	Rare exposure, or occasional indirect exposure, to distressing circumstances.	5
Working conditions	2	Occasional unpleasant conditions, frequent travel or outdoor work, or near-continuous screen use on most days.	7
Total (Band 7: 466 to 539)			485

Health-sector adverts place this role at Band 7. Analysis is level 5 for judgements on complex contract terms and disputes, planning is level 4 for renewals across the portfolio, and financial resources is level 4 because the job manages the spend of a portfolio of service contracts.