Contract Support Officer - Band 5
NHS Essex Integrated Care Board
Chelmsford, CM1 1QH
Salary
£32,073 to £39,043
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Not specified
Closing date
9 September 2026
9 days left
Job description
We are seeking a highly organised and proactive individual with strong administrative, governance and project support skills. You will be confident ma...
This role would suit an organised and motivated individual looking to develop a career in NHS commissioning, contracting or commercial management while making a meaningful contribution to improving services for the people of Essex.
The Contracts Support Officer plays a key role in supporting the Commercial Team to deliver effective contract management, governance and reporting arrangements across a range of NHS commissioned services
Key responsibilities include
Supporting contract management, governance and reporting processes across the Finance and Commercial Directorate.
Ensuring that contracts, records and commercial processes are managed efficiently, accurately and in line with organisational requirements.
Maintaining accurate records, contract documentation and information within contract management systems.
Assisting with the preparation of reports, briefings and performance information to support decision-making.
Coordinating meetings, preparing agendas, capturing minutes and monitoring actions and decisions.
Supporting the development and implementation of commercial policies, procedures and service improvements.
Working collaboratively with internal teams and external partners across the health and care system.
Contributing to contract renewals, procurement activity and annual planning processes.
Supporting projects and transformation initiatives that improve health services and outcomes for local communities.
ROLE PURPOSE / SUMMARY
The proposed Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB) will be a new organisation formed through the consolidation of three ICB areas in response to the NHSs ambition to deliver a more streamlined, strategic and cost-effective model of health commissioning. The ICB will oversee the commissioning of care for the approximately 2 million people who live in Essex. Operating within a reduced running cost envelope and aligned to the new requirements of ICBs in England, the proposed Essex ICB will focus on improving population health outcomes, health equity and smarter resource allocation.
Our Commercial team sits within the Finance and Commercial Directorate and delivers on all aspects of contracting, including information, provider relationships and managing our outsourced procurement arrangements. This is an exciting time for the NHS as we move towards delivery of the 10 year health plan, managing new contractual models and driving value and outcomes for the residents of Essex.
Our Contract Support Officer form part of our Commercial Team responsible for delivering the safe establishment of management, monitoring and reporting arrangements around the services we require for our population. These roles are fundamental to the smooth running of the commercial function and will work supportively across the team to deliver across a variety of areas. These roles will ensure governance and good record keeping across our commercial function.
As the ICB transitions to become a leaner, more focused strategic commissioning organisation the post holder will be expected to support the Director of Commercial in delivering on the three fundamental shifts set out in the NHS 10-year plan:
- From Treatment to Prevention: Embedding preventative, personalised and population based approaches to commissioning.
- From Hospital to Community: Championing care model redesign that supports community and neighbourhood health.
- From Analogue to Digital: Enabling clinically driven transformation through digital innovation, data analytics and evidence based improvement.
KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
To deliver on the job description set out above, the job holder will be expected to deliver on the requirements set out below:
Policy and service development
- Support implementation of policy and / or service developments related to commercial activities
- Support team to ensure compliance with relevant ICB policies
- Completes surveys or evaluations to support policy implementation
Strategy and analysis
- Understanding of complex data relating to activity and contract metrics
- Helps present insights and prepare contracting schedules, drawing on complex data, that can be used to inform decision making and delivery
- Use of data and insight to contribute to reporting, including performance management, financial and quality reporting against agreed contractual or project deliverables
Planning and organisation
- Support effective contract governance arrangements.
- Organisation of the contracts database and regular review of the procurement pipeline and waivers records.
- Support the planning and monitoring of small scale arrangements.
- Support with drafting contract documentation and contract variations as required.
- Support coordination of meetings and events to support delivery of contract conversations.
- Capturing effective minutes, actions and decisions from meetings and events
- Manage competing priorities, prioritizing own resources to effectively deliver agreed tasks or projects
- Maintain accurate reporting and records management through the use of the Atamis System
- Support the commercial team to prepare for the annual planning cycle, ensuring methodical approach to contract renewals in line with relevant national guidance.
Communications and Partnerships
- Work collaboratively, modelling inclusive, respectful and compassionate behaviours
- Supports development of high quality written and verbal briefings
- Build strong, trust-based relationships across the ICB as needed
- Supports effective engagement with patients and the public as required
- Work effectively in multi-disciplinary teams to help deliver agreed projects / manage directorate
- Effective management of complex, sensitive and challenging information
Financial and resource management
- Supports procurement of relevant services
Team management and capability building
- Supporting directorate oversight of workforce reporting, including reporting on key HR metrics
- Supports wider understanding of projects across the ICB and system
- Able to influence in order to deliver effectively through others
- Support the effective transition of relevant functions to new portfolios within or beyond the ICB to support the new NHS operating model, in line with the requirements of the Model ICB Blueprint
- Work collaboratively with system partners to facilitate transitional arrangements
- Maintain a focus on quality, safety and affordability during transition
- Supporting effective Information Asset Management for the team
Other
- Use initiative and work independently as needed to deliver on requirements of the role
- Primarily desk-based work that requires use of visual display units, focused concentration and frequent participation in on-line or in person meetings
- Able to use software required to develop report, including ability to deliver high quality documents through Microsoft suite (word, power point, excel)
NHS Essex ICB is a statutory organisation responsible for the planning and funding of NHS services for around 1.9 million people across Essex. Our role as an ICB is to bring health and care services together, improve the health and wellbeing of our population and ensure equitable access to services and outcome for everyone. The organisations headquarters is Seax House, Chelmsford, and we operate a hybrid working model (2 office-based days) that includes working across Essex and from home. Essex ICB currently has offices in Brentwood, Harlow and Colchester, in addition to the Chelmsford HQ.
We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace that values diversity. We know that different experiences, ideas and perspectives help create a stronger and more innovative organisation that delivers better outcomes for patients. We welcome applications from all backgrounds, including people of all ages, disabilities, sex, gender identity or expression, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation or personal circumstances. Our policies ensure all applicants are treated fairly and consistently throughout the recruitment process, including consideration of reasonable adjustments for disabled applicants.
Please note that the organisation does not hold a sponsorship licence.
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to Degree level (relevant focus) or equivalent managerial experience Or Diploma plus evidence of additional training/experience to support the requirements of the role
- Evidence of sustained commitment to continuing professional development
Partnerships & Communities
Essential
- Experience working across teams and organisations in the development and delivery of projects
- Able to effective influencing and challenge within areas of responsibility, escalating appropriately where necessary
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in a relevant healthcare environment (NHS or other)
- Experience working in relevant commissioning functions as outlined in the ICB model blueprint
- Experience arrangement meetings, preparing agendas and delivering effective minutes from meetings
- Experience managing complex and often confidential information
Governance and Assurance
Essential
- Experience supporting delivery of projects that require collective decision-making and how to negotiate success in those situations
People & Culture
Essential
- Providing supervision for junior staff within a team
- Acts as a positive, compassionate and inclusive team member, demonstrating commitment to promoting diversity, inclusion and equality of opportunity
- A commitment to continuous improvement, organisation learning and achieving positive outcomes for all staff, patients, service users and carers working in line with the NHS People Promise
Strategy & Analysis
Essential
- Able to present information clearly to support decision making
- Understanding of the importance of evaluation and audits to support improvement
- Experience using proven project management tools
Personal Attributes and Values
Essential
- Personal commitment to the values of the NHS 10-year Plan, the NHS People Plan, the Nolan Principles, to championing equality, diversity and inclusion within the ICB and the wide health system
- A good understanding effective corporate governance and the route for decision making within the ICB
- Able to work as part of a team and independently
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
- Self-motivated, confident and positive attitude, able to adapt to complex and constantly changing environments and prioritise workload within that context
- Advanced IT skills in Microsoft applications including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook and excellent keyboarding skills
How to apply
Applications are handled entirely by the employer on the original advert. We do not collect CVs, supporting statements or application data.
Provenance
Source
NHS Jobs
First seen
27 August 2026
Last checked
31 August 2026
Salary, closing date and description are taken from the employer's advert. The original advert always takes precedence.
About the employer
NHS organisation
This listing was structured from NHS Jobs. Vacancy details and the application process remain the responsibility of the original source.
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