22698 - Contract Manager

HM Courts and Tribunals Service

Directorate: Contracted Services Division (CFO Directorate)

Grade: HEO

Job Title: Contract Manager

Location: National

Contract Type: Permanent

Working Pattern: This is a part-time job share role at 0.568 full time equivalent. You must be available to work Tuesday-Thursday (7 hours) or Tuesday-Friday (5.25 hours) and work 21 hours (excluding breaks) per week in total.

Successful applicants will be expected to work from a HMCTS office at least 60% of the time (subject to business availability).

Interview: Video conference via Teams

Introduction

HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) is responsible for the administration of criminal, civil and family courts and tribunals in England and Wales. Our roles support our service users and colleagues, where people and businesses access potentially life-changing justice. We’re looking for individuals who are committed to public service and want to make a difference in people’s lives in delivering justice. If you’re interested in developing a career with a real purpose, please apply.

The Contracted Services Division (CSD) is a fun, dynamic, fast paced and rewarding place to work where no two days are the same. Staff have great opportunities to develop their knowledge and skills, particularly on operational contract management, service improvement, stakeholder engagement, working with senior officials/ministers as well as working with commercial partners.

The team is responsible for the day-to-day operational contract and supplier management for a range of contracted services that support court and tribunal business; as well as ensuring effective and efficient contract procurement cycles. We review and continuously improve operational processes to ensure contracts provide a quality of service.

Job Description:

In your role as a Contract Manager, you will support the Senior Contract Manager and Head of Contracted Services in managing contracts that support the administration of justice across HMCTS.

We are looking for a highly organised and proactive individual with strong contract management, analytical and stakeholder engagement skills. You will be confident in investigating service delivery issues, interpreting performance data, managing supplier relationships and providing evidence-based recommendations to senior leaders. You will be able to work independently, manage competing priorities and build effective relationships across a wide range of internal and external stakeholders while ensuring contracted services deliver value for money and meet operational needs.

Working closely with operational teams, suppliers, and stakeholders, you will monitor contract performance, investigate service delivery issues, and use data and insight to drive improvements and ensure value for money.

You are an effective people manager who can lead, motivate, and develop individuals to deliver high-quality outcomes with the ability to achieve organisational objectives.

Key Responsibilities (but not limited to):

• Managing supplier relationships and monitoring contract performance to ensure services meet agreed standards, deliver value for money, and support HMCTS objectives.

• Acting as a key point of contact within the Contracted Services team, providing advice, guidance and direction on priorities.
• Assessing the operational impact of policy changes and making recommendations on risks, benefits and service implications.
• Analysing performance data and management information to identify trends, root causes of issues, risks and opportunities for improvement.
• Investigating and resolving service delivery issues, complaints and operational challenges, escalating significant concerns where necessary.
• Working closely with suppliers, HMCTS colleagues and justice partners to drive continuous service improvement.
• Preparing high-quality briefings, reports, submissions and recommendations for senior leaders, ministers, judiciary and other stakeholders.
• Responding to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, Parliamentary Questions (PQ) and ministerial correspondence.
• Supporting contract governance by organising meetings, providing secretariat support and, where appropriate, chairing contract review meetings.
• Identifying, assessing and mitigating risks to contract and service delivery.
• Maintaining and updating operational contract guidance and supporting procurement activity.
• Potential line management responsibility for a Contract Support Officer (EO), managing and coordinating the work of the team, planning ahead, setting targets, reviewing progress, and acting as an escalation point for complex issues.
• You will lead and support individuals to achieve business objectives, managing them, promoting wellbeing and supporting development in alignment with HMCTS people policies and Civil Service Line Management standards.
• Work in a flexible way and undertake any other duties reasonably requested by line management which are commensurate with the grade and level of responsibility of this post.

Please refer to the attached role profile for a comprehensive overview of the role.

Essential skills

Who are we looking for? (Person Specification)

The ideal candidate for this position should demonstrate:

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills and leading potential solutions
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills.
• Ability to interpret performance data
• Strong organisational skills and ability to manage competing priorities.
• Ability to work independently and in a team.
• Ability to make sound decisions and provide evidence-based recommendations.
• Experience of leading, managing and coaching in order to successfully manage individuals.

The below criteria are desirable only. These will not be assessed throughout the recruitment process, but will be used in the event of tied scores between candidates

Desirable Skills

The below criteria are desirable only. These will not be assessed throughout the recruitment process but will be used in the event of tied scores between candidates.

• Knowledge of the day-to-day running of operations and /or contract management is highly beneficial

Application process:

Stage 1 – Sift

To apply for this position, you must submit the following as part of your application:

• A Statement of Suitability demonstrating, with real-life examples, how your skills and experience meet the requirements of the role. We recommend using the STAR format.
• Behaviour examples demonstrating the Civil Service Behaviours listed under the Application Form Stage Assessments section

Stage 2 - Interviews:

• Successful candidates who passed the sift will be invited to interview via Microsoft Teams interview. At interview stage, you will be assessed against the following - Experience, Strengths and Behaviours. Details can be found under the interview stage assessment section on the advert.

• Communicating and Influencing (sift and interview)
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

If a high volume of applications is received, an initial pre-sift sift will be conducted on the Statement of Suitability.

Important information:

Travel requirements

There will be a requirement to travel occasionally to suppliers across various locations for meetings as well as to travel to HMCTS sites for team meetings.

Skilled Worker Sponsorship

From 22 July 2025, the Government increased the salary threshold and skills level for Skilled Worker visas. This role does not meet the eligibility criteria for sponsorship in accordance with the current immigration rules if you looking to apply for a Skilled Worker Visa for the first time.

The Department cannot consider sponsoring you for this role unless you have held a Skilled Worker visa continuously since before 22 July 2025. If you have held a Skilled Worker visa continuously, please raise this during your vetting checks and eligibility will be assessed in accordance with the immigration rules and transitional provisions in place.

If you are applying for this role and you do not meet the new eligibility criteria for sponsorship (or the transitional provisions), you will need to consider your options for obtaining and/or maintaining your right to work in the UK in light of these changes.

Successful applicants must ensure they have and maintain the legal right to live and work in the Civil Service and in the United Kingdom.

The Department will continue to comply with UK Immigration Rules applied in the UK and Civil Service. You can read more about Skilled Worker visas and the eligibility criteria here.

Proud to Serve. Proud to keep justice going.