Head of Contracting and Commissioning

The Head of Contracting and Commissioning provides senior leadership, operational oversight, and expert advice across all aspects of contracting, procurement, commissioning, and provider performance. The postholder works closely with the Deputy Chief Strategy and Partnerships Officer, ensuring effective governance, value for money, and continuous improvement in service delivery. They support a team of contracting and commissioning professionals, providing direction, mentorship, and development opportunities, ensuring the delivery of an efficient and high-performing function.

This role supports the development of strategic and operational frameworks across NHS and independent sector providers, ensuring compliance with the NHS Standard Contract and Sub Contract, the Provider Selection Regime (PSR), and wider national policy. The Head of Contracting and Commissioning works collaboratively with providers, clinical leads, finance, and quality teams to align commissioning decisions with system priorities, ensuring equitable access, financial sustainability, and improved outcomes for patients.

The Post Holder Will Deliver Measurable Outcomes That Demonstrate Strategic Impact, Operational Excellence, And Collaborative Leadership Across Commissioning And Contracting Functions. Success Will Be Evidenced By

• Strategic Alignment: Commissioning and contracting objectives consistently reflect ICB and Provider Collaborative/Delegated commissioning priorities, with clear evidence of partnership working and stakeholder engagement.

Contracting Excellence: Complex NHS Standard Contracts and subcontracts are negotiated, implemented, and managed effectively, ensuring compliance with PSR, procurement law, and Standing Financial Instructions.

Commissioning Outcomes: Commissioning strategies and service plans deliver improved patient outcomes, value for money, and adherence to national standards, supported by robust data and co-production principles.

Performance Assurance: Provider performance frameworks are embedded, with timely reporting to boards and NHS England, demonstrating compliance, quality improvement, and risk mitigation.

Financial Stewardship: Annual financial planning cycles are delivered accurately, aligning contract values with budgets and system allocations, ensuring transparency and best value.

Leadership Impact: A high-performing team culture is maintained, with clear objectives, professional development, and inclusive leadership driving continuous improvement and innovation.

Sussex Partnership is the lead provider of a number of Provider Collaboratives, where the commissioning responsibility for Specialised Services in Mental Health passed from NHSE to specialist mental health, learning disability and autism provider collaboratives. Based on the learning from a series of pilot projects, providers were empowered and incentivised to address historical challenges in patient outcomes and experiences in a range of specialist services, includin

g adult secure, child and adult mental health services and eating disorders inpatient services. Evaluation of the collaboratives found the benefits of these models to include repatriating out-of-area patients, reducing bed days and reinvestment of efficiencies in local community mental health services.

For further details / informal visits contact: Name: Darren Wright Job title: Head of Finance - Provider Collaboratives Email address: darren.wright@spft.nhs.uk Telephone number: 07531 355865