HQ Job Description (JD)
Band 8
Directorate: Generic
Job Description: Operational Contract Manager
Document Ref.
HQ JES Temp Operational Contract Manager
Document Type
Management
Version
1.0
Classification
Official
Date of Issue
6th March 2023
Status
Baselined
Produced by
Job Evaluation Assurance and Support Team
Authorised by
Reward Team
JD Evidence
HQ JES Temp Operational Contract Manager v1.0
Job Description
Job Title
Operational Contract Manager
Directorate
Generic
Band
8
Overview of the job
This is a HQ role, located in geographically dispersed teams across England.
The job holder will provide robust contract management to ensure successful
delivery of a portfolio of contracts. The job holder will be responsible for between 2
and 20 operational contracts covering varying degrees of complexity, value and risk.
The job holder will also work with business users and senior stakeholders to make
sure that the contracts are delivering expected outcomes and problem solving
operational issues.
The Operational Contract Manager will be a key interface for HMPPS in the supply
chain and be responsible for managing and developing relationships with internal
and external stakeholders at Senior Manager and Deputy Director level to represent
and ensure the HMPPS strategic vision is delivered.
The post holder will work to the Senior Contract Manager and may hold line
management responsibilities with responsibility for allocation of work to team
members. With a level of project management.
This is a non-operational post with line management responsibilities.
Summary
Accountable for robust management of the contract review process, including
financial and performance monitoring, to completing related reports for discussion
in holding providers to account and negotiating budgets and targets.
Accountable for securing relevant assurances of compliance on the implementation
of specifications, new services, national instructions, audit and Inspectorate
recommendations and highlight barriers to compliance and provide feedback and
recommendations.
Accountable for ensuring that contracts remain fit‐for‐purpose by determining,
negotiating and implementing contract variations and all other contract
requirements alongside commercial contract management.
Responsible for identifying issues that might impact on contract delivery and taking
the appropriate action, which entails supporting the development of remedial action
and manage this through to conclusion or escalate as appropriate, to resolve and
mitigate risks.
Responsible for managing and developing the relationship with the providers and
other internal and external stakeholders to support the HMPPS objectives. This
involves managing the expectations of change within HMPPS and wider
commissioners who use the contracts.
The post holder will play a key role in ensuring value for money, ensuring that the
Secretary of State’s statutory responsibilities are delivered.
The post holder will be required to take part in HMPPS national reviews, working
groups, and National Boards, to advise and influence HMPPS strategy.
The post holder will be required to travel.
HQ JES Temp Operational Contract Manager v1.0
Responsibilities,
The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities
Activities and Duties
and duties:
• To be a key interface between HMPPS and the provider for delivery issues and
relationship management. To co‐ordinate a schedule for formal reviews for all
contracts held for the complete operational year, ensuring that all the key
representatives attend which includes relevant senior managers.
• Building on the relationship with each provider, develop and implement a
mature, effective and appropriate contract relationship for the monitoring of
each contract, as set out in the portfolio and contract management plan.
• Working with the provider’s contract representative’s Senior Manager, to
determine the information that is required to demonstrate contract compliance
and thoroughly analyse it so that HMPPS aims, objectives and values are being
achieved. This is demonstrated through a wide range of evidence, reports and
observations as detailed in the contract or portfolio management plan.
• The post holder continuously analyses and challenges contract performance
utilising a complex range of data from a wide range of sources.
• The post holder will detail and report on exceptions and risk to the formal
contract/portfolio review meeting, including any agreed or non‐agreed
rectification actions. As a standing member of the contract review meeting the
post holder will present the issues and make recommendations to the Senior
Contract Manager.
• Responsible for ensuring that contracts remain fit for purpose by identifying and
responding to issues that require contract variations to be instigated, including
policy or delivery changes, evaluating business cases and instigating the contract
variation process as required, thus ensuring that the contract is legally binding.
• Provide strategic insight and build relationships by representing the Directorate
at relevant national and local meetings appropriate to the role including change
programmes and projects and strategy meetings. Acting as the expert advisor on
the contractual context between the provider and HMPPS and providing
feedback on contractual implications, impact, whilst also making
recommendations to ensure that the contract remains fit for purpose.
• Make representations to the Senior Contract Manager, to ensure that the
existing performance of the providers both in terms of delivery requirements,
financial performance and locally gathered intelligence is considered to inform
future strategies.
• Influence annual contract negotiations with providers by reviewing the provider
response. Using robust management information, challenge appropriately to
maximise the ‘provider offer’ in terms of value for money and HMPPS strategic
objectives and ensure that there is a robust evidence base to support decisions
made should the rationale be challenged during the negotiation period and
throughout the life of the contract.
• Represent HMPPS at a local and national level to ensure public/provider
confidence and the professional reputation of the agency. Represent Senior
Contract Manager/Directorate, at stakeholder/partner events as required. This
may include development of relationships with other providers, Prison and
Probation Analytical Services (PPAS), Commercial Directorate and external
stakeholders such as other government departments.
• Work with HMPPS partners/future partners to manage change including the
competitions pipeline management, potential mergers, local and national pilots,
working with Directorate and Procurement colleagues as appropriate. In
addition, provide guidance on contractual issues and if required ensure any
contract changes are implemented, notably Exit Management, disengagement
processes and mobilisation transition and transformation to the new contract.
• Provide local information and intelligence to support the preparation of
Ministerial briefings as required and in response to complaints, Ministerial
correspondence and submissions e.g. annual Inspectorate report, Treat as
Official enquiries and Parliamentary Questions.
• Direct work and allocate duties according to team and HMPPS and the
directorate’s Strategic Priorities as agreed with Senior Contract Manager. This
may include the provision of line management.
HQ JES Temp Operational Contract Manager v1.0
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.
An ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence through the medium
of English or (where specified in Wales) Welsh.
Behaviours
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Changing and Improving
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service
Strengths
It is advised strengths are chosen locally, recommended 4-8.
Experience
• Enhanced knowledge of working with public sector contracts and an
understanding of contractual boundaries and demonstrates knowledge of
contractual obligations.
• Demonstrate experience of problem solving to deliver required outcomes.
• Experience working collaboratively with HMPPS directorates/providers/
stakeholders and partners.
• Strong proven ability to develop productive working relationships in both a
contractual environment and with a diverse range of internal and external
stakeholders.
• Proven ability to be self‐motivating and demonstrate experience of initiating
challenges to providers with successful outcomes.
Technical
• Cabinet Office Foundation and Practitioner Level Contract Management
Requirements
accreditation or equivalent.
Ability
• Proficient performance and financial management negotiation and analytical
skills to derive best value from the contract and/or service provided.
• Exceptional ability to manage uncertainty and respond flexibly to a changing
environment.
• Working with technical, financial and commercial specialists to address and
resolve quality and performance issues.
• Excellent communication skills both written and oral, including strong numerical,
IT and presentation skills.
• Excellent understanding of HMPPS strategic direction with an ability to influence
others in a professional and diplomatic way.
Minimum Eligibility
• 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
37 hour working week.
(Unsocial Hours)
Allowances
HQ JES Temp Operational 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
Proficient performance
Enhanced knowledge of working
Cabinet Office Foundation and
and financial management
with public sector contracts and an
Practitioner Level Contract
negotiation and analytical
understanding of contractual
Management accreditation or
skills to derive best value
boundaries and demonstrates
equivalent.
from the contract and/or
knowledge of contractual
service provided.
obligations.
Changing and Improving
Exceptional ability to
Demonstrable experience of problem
manage uncertainty and
solving to deliver required outcomes.
respond flexibly to a
changing environment.
Making Effective Decisions
Working with technical,
Experience working collaboratively
financial and commercial
with HMPPS directorates/providers/
specialists to address and
stakeholders and partners.
resolve quality and
performance issues.
Communicating and Influencing
Excellent communication
Strong proven ability to develop
skills both written and
productive working relationships in
oral, including strong
both a contractual environment and
numerical, IT and
with a diverse range of internal and
presentation skills.
external stakeholders.
Managing a Quality Service
Excellent understanding of Proven ability to be self‐motivating
HMPPS strategic direction
and demonstrate experience of
with an ability to influence
initiating challenges to providers
others in a professional
with successful outcomes.
and diplomatic way.
HQ JES Temp Operational Contract Manager v1.0