Job summary
- Main area
- Contracts and commissioning
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 8c
- Contract
- Secondment: 12 months
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Monday to Friday)
- Job ref
- 358-7853052-COR
- Employer
- University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Leicester Royal Infirmary
- Town
- Leicester
- Salary
- £79,504 - £91,609 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 30/04/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Head Contracts and Commissioning
NHS AfC: Band 8c
AI tools like chatbots and virtual assistants can support you as you complete your application. For example, they can check for spelling or grammar errors, or help you to decide what to include.
But they shouldn’t replace your own responses or be used to write the application for you.
Relying too much on AI can negatively impact your chances of success, because automatically generated answers:
- might not be specific or relevant enough to address the criteria in the recruitment profile
- often seem generic and not personalised enough – an AI response won’t show your unique voice and perspective
- could misrepresent information about you, such as your qualifications, skills and experience
We monitor applications for any behaviour that could create an unfair advantage, and we check all references carefully. You are likely to be tested on your experience at interview, so be honest and make sure all the information in your application is correct.
Job overview
Head of Contacts and Commissioning – 8C
We are looking to recruit for the position of a Head of Contracts and Commissioning - Band 8c. The post is for a fixed 12 month period either as a fixed term or secondment opportunity to cover the incumbent post holder’s maternity leave.
Main duties of the job
This role will act as the lead for the management, organisation, motivation and performance of the contracting and commissioning function within the Trust. The post holder will lead on;
- Negotiating where appropriate, monitoring and maintaining key Service Level Agreements (SLAs) on behalf of the Trust at both a national and local level, to ensure the Trust has robust, financially sound contracts.
- management of all patient care agreements in line with contractual requirements. This will require proactive monitoring, investigation and delivery of remedial action as necessary.
- building and maintaining effective relationships with commissioners and/or service providers, together with clinical divisions across the Trust. An important aspect of this work will involve the timely resolution of highly complex, often contentious issues that may arise. This will require stamina, mental agility, emotional resilience, excellent analytical skills as well as the ability to work with a high degree of autonomy.
- interpreting national policy and guidance in the area of contracts and commissioning, advising the Deputy Director of Finance (Strategic Finance and Planning) on its implementation within the Trust.
The post holder will act in a manner so as to portray the Trust and the contracting function in a professional, efficient and effective manner.
Working for our organisation
Our new strategy, developed with the support and feedback of colleagues, patients, and partners, is our compass for the next seven years (2023-2030).
We have four primary goals:
- high-quality care for all,
- being a great place to work,
- partnerships for impact, and
- research and education excellence
And we will embed health equality in all we do - taking active steps to reduce the avoidable differences in healthcare that some people face, working in partnership with communities.
Our strategy is underpinned by new values and we will work to ensure they are an everyday reality for all:
- we are compassionate,
- we are proud,
- we are inclusive, and
- we are one team
This is an exciting moment as we look to the future with clarity on what we already do well and where we need to focus our energies to make an even bigger difference for the people we serve.
About the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust:
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The post holder will ensure that any developments in SLAs are progressed through appropriate engagement and consultation and are implemented in a co-ordinated manner to meet both the commissioner intentions and the long-term business aims of the Trust.
To work closely with staff in the Information and Finance Departments to ensure that appropriate business intelligence is circulated to all relevant individuals within the clinical divisions and remedial action taken as required.
To advise senior staff across the Trust on the impact of the LLR ICS model & income levels. This includes leading on the assessment of the financial impact of NHS policy on Trust operations and services. Where possible, play an active role in any national debate regarding these issues and advise the Director of Operational Finance on updates required to policy implementation within the Trust.
To participate in relevant training to keep updated in systems and software packages relevant to the delivery of the role.
The post holder will lead the annual contracting round ensuring that national deadlines are achieved.
(Please refer to the job description/person specification for further details on the role)
Person specification
Commitment to Trust Values and Behaviours
Essential criteria
- Must be able to demonstrate behaviours consistent with the Trust’s Values and Behaviours
Training & Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Educated to degree level or equivalent experience
- Educated to Masters level or equivalent level of experience of working at a senior level in specialist area
- Evidence of continued professional development
Experience
Essential criteria
- Significant experience of a senior finance position in the NHS
- Extensive experience and expert knowledge of NHS contracting and commissioning systems in an NHS acute provider organisation
- Expert knowledge of NHS information systems for contracting
- Expert knowledge of NHS acute provider costing techniques and systems
- Detailed knowledge of National Tariff guidance, in particular as they relate to highly complex acute providers
- Knowledge of system working and the relationship of providers and commissioners in an ICS
Desirable criteria
- Significant post qualification experience
- Proven track record of effecting change in a financial management or contracting department
- Experience of working in a management position within a provider Trust clinical directorate
- Knowledge of primary care contracting systems and/or commissioning
- Experience of operating contracting systems in a devolved financial management environment
Communication and relationship skills
Essential criteria
- Able to communicate highly complex technical data in a rigorous manner, utilising a variety of media
- Excellent written communications skills
- Able to build relationships of trust with external and internal stakeholders
- Able to lead staff in a manner which promotes a customer focus
- Able to manage conflict in an open manner
Analytical and Judgement skills
Essential criteria
- Capacity to make judgements involving highly complex data
- Ability to present analysis and interpretation of NHS acute information (both financial and non-financial)
- Ability to prioritise workload in instances where no precedent exists
- Ability to specify information requirements and manage production of that information to agreed standards
- Able to prioritise tasks in a highly complex project
- Ability to interpret national direction of travel in the areas of health policy, costing, contracting, financial management
- Able to demonstrate rigour and judgement in presenting complex technical issues to senior managers
- Ability to concentrate for long periods of time on pieces of complex data and policy, whilst managing competing priorities
Skills
Essential criteria
- Keyboard skills
Planning and organisation skills
Essential criteria
- Able to plan and organise a highly complex managerial process (e.g. contract pricing)
- Able to project plan in a coherent and understandable fashion
- Able to deliver to tight deadlines with high quality outcomes
- Able to lead and organise a multi- disciplinary team in highly complex activities
- Able to work in a “matrix” way with a wide range of professional peers and superiors in a highly complex environment
Desirable criteria
- Experience of planning and delivering to timescale a complex project
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Essential criteria
- Able to demonstrate a commitment and understanding of the importance of treating all individuals with dignity and respect appropriate to their individual needs
Other requirements specific to the role
Desirable criteria
- Have a flexible approach to working and be available to work outside normal hours as and when required
- Vehicle Licence Holder
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Vicki Turner
- Job title
- Head of Contracts and Commissioning
- Email address
- [email protected]
List jobs with University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust in Administrative Services or all sectors




