Assistant Planned Care Commissioning Manager - Band 7NHS

Job summary

Fixed Term/Secondment for 12 Months

Position will be offered as a fixed term contract if coming from an outside organisation or as a secondment if coming from an NHS organisation.

The Assistant Planned Care Commissioning Manager is a Band 7 role within the Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB), supporting the commissioning, transformation, performance management and contract oversight of planned care services, including elective care, diagnostics and cancer pathways. The role works with clinical, analytical, financial and provider teams to improve patient outcomes, reduce health inequalities and deliver sustainable services aligned to NHS priorities of prevention, community-based care and digital transformation.

The ideal candidate will have experience in NHS commissioning, service transformation and stakeholder management, with strong skills in project delivery, data analysis, budget management and performance improvement. They will be able to build effective partnerships, influence change, use evidence to support decision-making and translate strategic objectives into measurable improvements, contributing to the delivery of the NHS 10-Year Plan and improved outcomes for Essex residents.

Main duties of the job

The Assistant Planned Care Commissioning Manager supports the strategic and operational commissioning of planned care services across Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB), with responsibility for service transformation, performance management, contract oversight, budget support and project delivery across elective care, diagnostics and cancer services. The role works closely with NHS providers and system partners to improve patient outcomes, reduce health inequalities and deliver sustainable, high-quality services through evidence-based commissioning and population health management approaches.

The post requires strong skills in data analysis, project management, stakeholder engagement and communication, with the ability to influence decision-making and manage complex programmes. Candidates should have experience within the NHS or a healthcare setting, including commissioning, service improvement, transformation and partnership working. A sound understanding of NHS policy, governance, contract management and integrated care systems is essential. Applicants should be degree educated or have equivalent management experience, demonstrate continuous professional development, and embody NHS values, professionalism, integrity, collaboration and a commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.

Job description

ROLE PURPOSE / SUMMARY

The Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB) is 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 ICB will focus on improving population health outcomes, health equity and smarter resource allocation.

The Assistant Planned Care Commissioning Manager is responsible for supporting the strategic and operational commissioning of a range of planned care services across Essex. Working in partnership with the strategy, analytical commercial, financial and quality teams, the Assistant Planned Care Commissioning Manager will support the effective commissioning and contract management of planned care services across elective, diagnostics and cancer services. This may include ensuring that plans and projects to support commissioning planned care align with national, region and local strategic ambitions and support the three shifts outlined in the Governments 10 Year Health Plan; treatment to prevention, hospital to community and analogue to digital. To support delivery they should take an inclusive and values-based approach to leadership, ensuring effective delivery through collaboration with NHS providers, local authorities, primary care and the voluntary and community sector.

The Assistant Planned Care Commissioning Manager will be required to:

• Contribute to the management of the planned care commissioning team, including participating in regular appraisals, staff development and performance management
• Support an effective needs assessment of planned care services, supported by integrated data and intelligence
• Support implementation of business planning for planned care
• Support oversight and management of the planned care budgets for Essex ICB
• Support the development of the ICBs strategic delivery plan for planned care services
• Support delivery of planned care projects to support effective commissioning and transformation of planned care services, including elective, diagnostics and cancer services across Essex
• Support implementation of new care and service models that support the three shifts and enable delivering of high quality efficient care that draw on evidence based best practice, innovations and the national modern service frameworks
• Work in partnership with the Neighbourhood Commissioning teams to support the development of Neighbourhood Health Services and the implementation of models of care that facilitate prevention, personalisation and the left shift to care closer to home
• Ensure commissioning priorities and service delivery plans are co-produced with people with lived experience, carers and clinicians
• Support effective contract and performance management of planned care contracts for the ICB, working with teams across the ICB to hold providers to account for performance, quality, workforce and financial delivery through effective contract management
• Ensure that decisions relating planned care commissioned services follow the ICBs agreed governance, including completing integrated impact assessments
• Use the ICBs agreed evaluation framework to evaluate the impact of diagnostic service and other planned care projects, tracking impact and outcomes and taking decommissioning or disinvestment decisions as required
• Support high quality reporting on progress and impact

As the ICB transitions to become a leaner, more focused strategic commissioning organisation the post holder will be expected to support the ICB 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

• Implement policy and / or service developments related to planned care, drawing on requirements from NHS strategies, including the ICB strategy and the 10 Year Health Plan
• Ensure compliance with relevant ICB policies
• Use research, innovation and audits to inform service improvements or performance management

Strategy and analysis

• Analysis of complex qualitative and quantitative data relating to planned care
• Turns analysis into useful insights and reports that can be used to inform decision making and delivery
• Present complex data, information and insights, including qualitative and quantitative data, through clear and simple written and verbal briefings
• Use of data and insight to contribute to reporting, including performance management, financial and quality reporting against agreed contractual or project deliverables
• Use of Population Health Management methodologies and tools to inform projects and programmes that will improve outcomes for patients and sustainability of health services

Planning and organisation

• Develop and deliver project plans relating to planned care, ensuring appropriate governance, risk management, escalations and reporting
• Managing competing priorities, prioritizing own and team resources to effectively deliver on short, medium and longer term priorities
• Ensure accurate reporting and records management
• Support delivery and monitoring of business plan for planned care

Communications and Partnerships

• Work collaboratively, modelling inclusive, respectful and compassionate leadership
• Able to take account of a broad range of perspectives, including staff, patients and the public, to inform decision making
• Comfortable presenting information and training to internal and external stakeholder groups
• Build strong, trust-based relationships across the ICB, with NHS providers, local government, VCFSE partners and communities as needed
• Effective engagement with patients and the public as required
• Work effectively in multi-disciplinary teams to enable the collective ownership and delivery of projects that are seeking to improve outcomes, reduce inequalities and deliver a sustainable health and care system
• Share complex and challenging information which may relate to service performance or staffing
• Able to manage conflict, find compromise and persuade based on evidence as needed

Financial and resource management

• Supports delivery of budget for planned care, including effective budget reporting as required
• Supports procurement of relevant services

Team management and capability building

• Support the management of the planned care team, including recruitment, onboarding, development and performance management of team members
• Able to influence in order to deliver effectively through those not directly line managing
• Support staff through ICB transition, including the development of teams to deliver on new ICB portfolios as agreed through transition
• 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
• Expected to be physically on site at least 2 days a week (From April 2026), this may be in the ICB officer, or in a partner location as required
• Able to use software required to develop report, including ability to deliver high quality documents through Microsoft suite (word, power point, excel), analytical tools to support analysis and population health management and project management tools

Flexibility and evolving responsibilities

As the ICB continues to evolve, portfolios may be subject to change to reflect the needs of the organization, the health and care system and national policy direction. This may include adjustments to areas of responsibility or realignment of reporting structures.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

The post holder will need to build constructive relationships with partners from across the health and care system. Key relationships will be with:

• ICB senior leadership-Information Governance team
• Information Governance team
• Local Authority partners
• NHS Providers
• NHSEI regional partners
• Other system partners, such as VCFSE

About us

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.