Head of Contracts: Sponsorship Available

Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and strategic leader to join our Finance team as Head of Contracts.

This pivotal role will lead the Trust’s contracting function, ensuring effective negotiation, management and performance of commissioning and provider contracts. Working closely with senior finance, operational and system leaders, you will maximise income, manage contractual and financial risk, and ensure compliance with national contracting frameworks and NHS Standard Contract requirements.

You will play a key role in supporting the Trust’s financial sustainability, leading complex negotiations with commissioners, advising on national payment mechanisms and developing strong partnerships across the Integrated Care System (ICS) and BSW Group. The role offers an excellent opportunity to influence organisational strategy, support service transformation and drive continuous improvement within a high-performing team

Main duties of the job

As Head of Contracts, you will lead the development and delivery of the Trust’s contracting strategy, ensuring contracts support organisational priorities, activity plans and financial objectives.

You will:

  • Lead complex contract negotiations with commissioners and system partners.
  • Oversee the management, performance and governance of NHS contracts.
  • Ensure robust income forecasting, reconciliation and income recovery processes.
  • Provide expert advice on contractual, commercial and financial risks and opportunities.
  • Lead contract performance reporting and assurance processes.
  • Support the implementation of national payment mechanisms and contracting reforms.
  • Develop strong collaborative relationships across the Trust, BSW Group and ICS partners.
  • Lead, motivate and develop the Contracts Team, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.

We are looking for an experienced NHS contracting, commissioning or healthcare finance professional with excellent analytical, negotiation and stakeholder management skills, and the ability to influence at senior levels.

This role may require travel across sites and partner organisations and is subject to rotational opportunities.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Qualified Accountant
  • Knowledge of NHS Contracting

Desirable

  • Experience working in NHS Contracting or Income

Accounting Experience

Essential

  • Understanding of Income within the NHS

Desirable

  • Experience reporting Income within the NHS

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Closing Date: 1 November 2026

To apply for this job please visit apps.trac.jobs.