Contract managers have a principal role in managing DCJ’s relationship with service providers to ensure client outcomes are achieved.
They manage the contract and ensure services are provided as agreed in the contract by:
- engaging closely with the service provider
- supporting the service provider
- monitoring service delivery and performance.
The role requires working closely with lead contract managers and line managers.
Responsibilities of our contract managers
Relationship management
- Manage contracts and the relationship with service providers. For further information refer to Charter for working with contracted service providers.
- Build and support service provider’s understanding of the program objectives and outcomes.
- Initiate, develop, and maintain a positive, strengths-based working relationship with service providers.
- Regularly engage with service providers and work with them to achieve the contracted outcomes for clients, including Aboriginal, and culturally and linguistically diverse clients.
- Work with other DCJ staff and leaders in Aboriginal and culturally and linguistically diverse communities to ensure that practices reflect the local community needs.
Performance monitoring and review
- Oversee service providers’ adherence to their contracts with DCJ.
- Monitor and review performance to ensure service providers are delivering services as agreed in the contract and outcomes for clients are being achieved.
- Acknowledge good performance and innovation in service delivery.
- Review performance reports and/or data submitted by service providers.
- Collaborate with program areas to encourage continual program improvement and find solutions for performance issues.
- Noting the above, actively manage performance when expected outcomes are not being met, despite efforts to resolve issues, and use contract levers as needed to build performance, and using Performance Improvement Plans as required.
- Adopt an active, flexible and continual improvement approach to performance and contract management in response to changing community needs, the service delivery environment and/or Government priorities.
Risk management
- Be alert to risks to the stable and uninterrupted delivery of services.
- Monitor and manage contract-level risks.
- Report corporate-level risks to the lead contract manager.
- Report system-level risks to the Partnerships directorate.
- Report program-specific system-level risks to the program manager.
Issue and complaint management
- Investigate and respond to contracting issues.
- Handle contracting complaints received about service providers.
- Develop and implement contract-level improvement plans to identify the actions the service provider will take to resolve issues, when required and in consultation with the service provider.
- Inform lead contract manager of any issues and actions taken.
Payments
- Make informed decisions to approve payments, such as being aware of performance matters and unspent funds.
- Review quarterly payments to service providers.
- Manage one-off payments.
- Adjust payments, when necessary.
- Release withheld payments, when applicable.
- Review applications for consent to retain unspent funds, for eligible programs.
- Recover unspent funds, when necessary.
Annual accountability
- Check and accept contract-level submissions from service providers.
- Conduct annual accountability financial and performance assessments at the contract level.
- Inform lead contract manager of the status of annual accountability tasks and when issues arise.
- Take action in response to any issues.
Contract changes and variations
- Negotiate contract variations and changes in service volume, in consultation with the program area.
- Review applications for consent to subcontract.
- Review notices of change of control or change of asset ownership.
Communication and consultation
- Liaise with:
- lead contract managers
- other contract managers in own district, other districts, and central office
- program managers
- other internal branches; for example, Housing.
- Keep their line manager informed.
- Ensure the director is aware of matters that may affect the District.
- Keep internal stakeholders informed of relevant matters.
- Coordinate with other stakeholders and local service partners; for example, local councils, NSW Police and NSW Health.
- Provide input and local knowledge to support stewardship and market intelligence for the commissioning cycle; for example, identifying gaps in capacity and/or service.
Compliance
- Comply with all relevant legislation, Acts, and regulations.
- Adhere to all relevant NSW Government policies and procedures.
- Adhere to our contracts with service providers.
- Adhere to all district-level contract management procedures.
- Adhere to DCJ’s Framework for Human Services Contract Management.
- Implement directions from central office and program managers.
- Keep up to date with policy changes.
Local stewardship
- Identify gaps in the local service system to enhance services to be delivered to support client needs and outcomes.
- Work collaborative with providers to facilitate improvements in local service delivery.
- Keep program managers informed about any systemic performance issues identified across providers to inform future program changes.
- Advise program managers where identified gaps or improvements have been identified in the local service system.
