The Senior Contracts and Performance Officer – Transition Project – Mental Health and Alcohol and other Drugs (AOD) is accountable for overseeing commissioning contracts' management, administration, and performance. This pivotal role plays an integral role in the commissioning process, necessitating close collaboration with all commissioning functions for success.

This role entails specific accountability for coordinating and planning the transition of Northern Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN)-funded mental health stepped care services in the greater Cairns, Townsville, and Mackay areas to the new stepped care service model, commencing July 2024.

This position is a Full Time, Fixed Term 12 month contract.

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate:

• Develop a transition plan for existing mental health stepped care services, inclusive of the following:

- engagement and consultation, autonomy, and responsibility

- risk identification and mitigation approaches

- communication planning 

- consideration for staffing arrangements that support continuity of care 

- clinical information systems and data.

• Progress actions in the transition plan in a timely manner and on schedule, ensuring regular reporting of status.
• Coordinate Transition Governance Group meetings to ensure progress of transition plan actions and continual refreshing of plans to meet emerging issues, including provision of status reports as required.  
• Manage issues that arise during the transition period and escalate issues as required within NQPHN.  
• Adopt a holistic approach to evaluating contract performance by using the Department of Health and Aged Care Commissioning Cycle to guide delivery of health services, with particular consideration for the inputs into contract design when evaluating performance, being needs assessment and service planning and design.
• Provide best practice expertise for management and performance of commissioning contracts including understanding of contract variation, transition, and overarching contract considerations.
• Effectively manage contracts by building strong relationships with health service providers and other key stakeholders.
• Monitor quarterly reports, clinical dashboards, and other indicators of contract performance, and lead contract and governance related meetings and discussions to ensure contract deliverables are met. 
• Undertake administrative tasks such as production and distribution of correspondence, reports, and/or presentations relating to contract management, administration, and performance.
• As agreed with the manager, lead the mental health stepped care transition and work with Planning and Design Team colleagues to ensure collaboration and coordination with the establishment of new mental health stepped care services. 
• Collaborate with NQPHN staff from other functional areas, particularly Business Services and Health System Integration and Innovation to monitor and evaluate contract performance and manage transitions.  
• Support the development of resource materials required for contract management, administration, and performance and ensure distribution as appropriate.
• Support collaboration across all NQPHN Teams to ensure program delivered are in line with the organisation’s strategic and operational requirements.
• Support the team in ensuring the agreed performance outcomes for programs across all commissioning portfolios are delivered, monitored, and reported in line with recommended frameworks and guidelines.
• Support and collaborate within the team to ensure an integrated approach to commissioning.

If you are looking for the opportunity to be part of a passionate and driven team and contribute to achieving our mission of ‘Northern Queenslanders live happier, healthier, longer lives,’ we’d love to hear from you.

NQPHN aims to be an employer of choice for Indigenous Australians, and we encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to apply for this role.

Key selection criteria

• Tertiary qualifications in a health related or human services discipline and three years’ experience in a similar role within a medium to large health service or equivalent experience in the sector.
• Demonstrated understanding of health commissioning processes, health service design, and delivery in a community environment. 
• Demonstrated ability to provide comprehensive support to the administration, management, and performance of contracts.
• Demonstrated ability to develop rapport and build relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritise and meet deadlines in a high demand work environment.
• Highly developed interpersonal, communication, influencing, partnering, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills, particularly in relation to community and stakeholder engagement within the health sector.
• Demonstrated skills in dealing with confidential and sensitive information in a professional manner.
• Self-sufficient in the use of information technology – Microsoft Suite, including but not limited to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

About us

Northern Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN) is one of 31 regionalised and independent PHNs established nationally by the Commonwealth Department of Health to provide local communities with better access to improved primary healthcare services.

The NQPHN region extends from St Lawrence in the south coast, up to the Torres Strait in the north, and west to Croydon and Kowanyama.

NQPHN aims to improve health outcomes for all residents by supporting, investing in, and working collaboratively with local Hospital and Health Services, the primary healthcare sector, local government areas (LGAs), other health organisations, and the wider community.

Find out more about NQPHN at www.nqphn.com.au

Your application should include:

• Cover Letter including responses to the key selection criteria (not exceeding four pages).
• Your resume.

For further information on this position and to view the position description, please visit bit.ly/nqphn-vacancies or email [email protected] 

Applications close Wednesday 15 November 2023.