HQ Job Description (JD)
Band 10
Directorate: Custodial Contracts
Description: Senior Contract Manager
Document Ref.
HQ-JES-3075 Senior Contract Manager v1.0
Document Type
Management
Version
1.0
Classification
Official
Date of Issue
18 October 2022
Status
Baselined
Produced by
Job Evaluation Assurance and Support Team
Authorised by
Reward Team
JD Evidence
HQ-JES-3075 Senior Contract Manager v1.0
Job Description
Job Title
Senior Contract Manager
Directorate
Custodial Contracts
Band
10
Overview of the job
The Senior Contract Manager (SCM) is accountable for overseeing the delivery and
development of nominated contracts within their area of control.
This can include and is not limited to accountability for service providers’ contract
management and oversight of related interfaces with other providers in their
designated area and for related stakeholder engagement, service planning,
development and commissioning activity.
This is a senior leadership position within a Custodial Contracts Senior Management
team and reports to Head of Group within the Custodial Contracts Directorate (CCD).
The Senior Contract Manager is accountable for all contract delivery, performance,
development, contract management standards, assurance and governance of
contracts within their designated areas of responsibility.
The post holder is accountable for managing these complex, innovative contracts
and for delivery of services through the contract, that carry high levels of operational
and reputational risk.
The post holder will have accountability for one of the following areas:
• Operational Contracts
• Privately Managed Prisons
• Prison Education
• Prisoner Escort and Custody Services
The geographical base for the SCM post can be flexible and may require some work
in London and other locations.
This is a non-operational HQ rotational role with line management responsibilities.
Summary
The SCM is a CCD senior management team role, accountable for CCD Contract
delivery.
The SCM is responsible for managing, planning and delivering the contract
management service in line with organisational objectives. This includes engaging,
managing relationships and co-ordinating activity with other Groups, Directorates
and Agencies.
The SCM will have effective and detailed knowledge and understanding of all aspects
of services relevant to the management of prisoners within custody and the skills to
apply this to make sound local commissioning and contract management decisions
and inform the development of strategic commissioning priorities.
The SCM is accountable for reporting on each of the contracts’ individual
performance and the service overall and is accountable for monitoring and
evaluating financial performance of providers under contract. The SCM is
responsible for authorising payments in line with contract provisions (contract
values up to £80 million per annum).
HQ-JES-3075 Senior Contract Manager v1.0
The SCM is required to represent CCD and HMPPS with multiple stakeholders in a
complex commissioning and delivery environment and is accountable for the
delivery of operational and performance management at a senior level.
The SCM oversees all aspects of contracts, operational delivery and relationship
management. Providing strategic leadership over cross-functional delivery of
national, regional, and local contract delivery activities, including contract
compliance and assuring service delivery meets the objectives of Reducing
Reoffending, Protecting the Public, Providing a Safe, Decent and Secure Estate and
Delivering Value for Money.
The SCM will have the skills to negotiate with Chief Executives, Directors, Senior
Leaders and a broad range of subject matter experts and policy groups to influence
development of activities and ensure they inform and meet commissioning
intentions.
The SCM will lead and promote effective supplier relationship management and
build effective working relationships with and between providers and with key
stakeholders and partners.
The post holder will have sufficient seniority and authority to represent and deputise
for the Head of Group and Executive Director and deal effectively with strategic
commissioning partners and with providers at Chief Executive, Director, Deputy
Director and senior manager levels.
At the discretion of the Head of Group the SCM will be accountable for the direct
line management, performance, and development of a team of operational/non-
operational staff.
The SCM will be accountable for a high level of personal and organisational
reputational risk and for significant commissioning and Contract Management
decisions.
Responsibilities,
The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities
Activities and Duties
and duties:
• Responsible for strategically managing, planning and delivering the contract
management service in line with organisational objectives. This includes
engaging, managing relationships and co-ordinating activity with other Groups,
Directorates and Agencies. Establishing effective strategic relationship
management with the contract supplier and internal and external stakeholders
to maximise value delivered through the contract.
• Ensuring appropriate levels of assurance in relation to designated contracts,
including as required, on-site presence within the service provider’s/supplier’s
organisation in order to observe and monitor operations, processes and
practice. Such assurance may include managing and undertaking a range of
compliance testing including the regular undertaking of shadowing visits which
may be outside of core hours to test the consistency of provider delivery and
supporting staff whilst undertaking such activity.
• The post holder may have contact with sentenced and unsentenced prisoners in
order to inform assessment of service delivery, which could expose the post
holder to challenging or confrontational behaviour.
• The SCM will lead on management of the contract management governance
processes with suppliers, including dispute resolution and risk management and
ensuring escalation processes are in place and operating effectively.
• The post holder is accountable for ensuring that financial payments are made in
line with contract performance and that service credits are applied
appropriately. They are accountable for monitoring/evaluating the overall
financial performance of providers and are accountable for identifying,
negotiating and agreeing efficiency savings to contracts.
• Strategic or subject matter expert lead for allocated areas of Directorate
business which may be at regional or national level. Negotiating with Chief
Executives, Directors, Senior Managers and a broad range of subject matter
HQ-JES-3075 Senior Contract Manager v1.0
experts and policy groups to influence development of activities and ensure
they inform and meet corporate strategy.
• Is responsible for identifying service quality, contract compliance and supplier
performance issues and priorities and dependant on contract liaison with
internal and external scrutiny bodies in order to inform the programme of
assurance activity.
• Liaising with Commercial Contract Management, System Development, and
other HMPPS/MoJ functions to ensure that the necessary advice and support is
obtained to inform effective management of the designated contracts.
• If appropriate manage operational incidents and implement contingency plans
to ensure continuity of service, when necessary, briefing Press Office and
escalating within HMPPS as required.
• Responsible for the line management of Contract Management Team and for
deciding the effective allocation of contract management resources within their
designated team.
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. Significant
adjustments may require re-examination under the Job Evaluation Scheme and shall
be discussed in the first instance with the job holder.
Behaviours
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Changing and Improving
• Making Effective Decisions
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service
Strengths
It is advised strengths are chosen locally, recommended 4-8.
Ability
• Ability to effectively manage and defend decisions on risk ensuring they are
effectively managed in line with political and economic considerations.
Experience
• Senior management experience in the criminal justice service or a comparable
environment.
• Experience and skills in relation to contract or performance management, and/or
service development and change at a senior level.
• Highly developed understanding and detailed knowledge of policy and strategic
developments in relation to relevant policy and the management of services and
how these apply to operational practice and the contract management process.
• Knowledge and appreciation of contract management requirements, and highly
developed understanding of the challenges involved in managing and assuring
delivery of large complicated commercial contracts.
• Experience and skills in leading and managing in a complex change management
context.
• Effective programme and project management experience and skills.
• Effective high quality skills to lead and manage staff to achieve demanding
objectives.
• Demonstrates sound judgement, and has the ability to build effective working
relationships, and to influence and negotiate with internal and external
stakeholders at a senior level in a complex and multi-layered delivery landscape.
Technical
Contract Management
Working towards or willing to work towards Government Commercial College Expert
Accredited Contract Management.
HQ-JES-3075 Senior Contract Manager v1.0
Minimum Eligibility
Please do not alter this box
• All candidates are subject to security and identity checks prior to taking up post.
• All external candidates are subject to 6 months’ probation. Internal candidates are
subject to probation if they have not already served a probationary period within
HMPPS.
• All staff are required to declare whether they are a member of a group or
organisation which HMPPS consider to be racist.
Hours of Work
RHA - To be confirmed by Recruiting Manager
(Unsocial Hours)
This role requires working regular unsocial hours and a payment at the
Allowances
current approved organisation rate will be made in addition to your basic pay
to recognise this. Unsocial hours are those hours outside 0700 - 1900hrs
Monday to Friday and include working evenings, nights, weekends and Bank/
Public Holidays.
HQ-JES-3075 Senior Contract Manager v1.0
Success Profile
Strengths
Behaviours
It is advised strengths
Ability
Experience
Technical
are chosen locally,
recommended 4-8
Seeing the Big Picture
Ability to effectively manage
Senior management experience in the
Contract Management
and defend decisions on risk
criminal justice service or a comparable
Working towards or willing
ensuring they are effectively
environment.
to work towards
managed in line with political
Government Commercial
and economic considerations.
College Expert Accredited
Contract Management.
Changing and Improving
Experience and skills in relation to contract
or performance management, and/or
service development and commissioning at
a senior level.
Making Effective Decisions
Highly developed understanding and
detailed knowledge of policy and strategic
developments in relation to sentencing
policy and the management of prison and
probation services and how these apply to
operational practice and the contract
management process.
Managing a Quality Service
Knowledge and appreciation of contract
management requirements, and highly
developed understanding of the challenges
involved in managing and assuring delivery
of large complicated commercial contracts.
Leadership
Experience and skills in leading and
managing in a complex change
management context.
Communicating and Influencing
Effective programme and project
management experience and skills.
Effective high quality skills to lead and
manage staff to achieve demanding
objectives.
HQ-JES-3075 Senior Contract Manager v1.0
Demonstrates sound judgement, and has
the ability to build effective working
relationships, and to influence and
negotiate with internal and external
stakeholders at a senior level in a complex
and multi-layered delivery landscape.
HQ-JES-3075 Senior Contract Manager v1.0