Deputy Head of Contract Management
| Posting date: | 24 June 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £54,470 to £61,000 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 18 July 2025 |
| Location: | York |
| Company: | Government Recruitment Service |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 411069/1 |
Summary
The Agency’s contract portfolio includes circa 280 ongoing contracts and frameworks, equating to over £900 million lifetime value.
The team manages APHA’s relationship with Defra Group Commercial (DgC), Crown Commercial Service, the Cabinet Office and Defra Legal for all contractual matters. CMT also directly manages APHA’s use of Defra-wide and cross-Government contracts and frameworks, including liaison with Defra Group Fleet Services for the Agency’s lease car scheme and fleet, and APHA’s GPC policy and management.
CMT holds strategic responsibility for APHA’s relationship with all external suppliers, sets the standard for contract management and commercial behaviours across the Agency, and ensures efficient and effective management throughout the contract lifecycle.
CMT is a dispersed, diverse and approachable team, with dedicated individuals and a culture of mutual support across all levels. Everyone works with high degrees of independence, initiative and empowerment, but also with a keenness to support one another with whatever range of challenges arise
The role involves a high degree of co-ordination across internal business areas, other Government organisations, external suppliers and other stakeholders, providing professional contract management and commercial advice to senior leaders across APHA. APHA’s contract requirements are frequently highly complex and sensitive in nature, working with specialised supplier markets where there may be few providers and a high degree of interdependency with suppliers.
The Deputy Head of Contract Management (DHCM) will:
- Deputise for the Head of Contract Management (HoCM) and support the overall management of the CMT;
- Take the lead in managing a portfolio area of contracts, including line management of other Contract Managers and support staff;
- Directly managing an individual portfolio of contracts;
- Support the HoCM in approving new procurement activity and contract changes for APHA, working with Defra Group Commercial to agree appropriate ‘routes to market’ and input to procurement strategies;
- Implement best practice contract management and commercial approach across APHA, aligned with Cabinet Office and Defra policies and guidance, and APHA’s own contract management strategy;
- Establish and maintain positive relationships with both external suppliers, internal operational / technical leads, Defra Group Commercial teams and other stakeholders, acting as a senior level interface;
- During a disease outbreak or other emergency situation, the whole of CMT is expected to work with operational leads and external suppliers to support the Agency’s response, including potentially out of hours.
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme