Senior Contract Manager, Social Services (32–36 hours)

Freelance work not permitted
Hybrid work: Yes. Start working fully in the office, then up to half the time from home. 
Extension possible: Yes 
Pay scale 10, with the possibility of advancing to scale 11 if the job demands it. 

Help build future-proof contract management within the social sector.

The municipality of Coevorden is facing a major development challenge in the area of contract management for the social sector. Due to capacity issues, the focus has recently shifted to day-to-day operations. That is why we are looking for an experienced senior contract manager who will not only ensure continuity but also guide the further professionalization of the field.
Are you a strategically strong contract manager who creates clarity, brings structure, and knows how to connect stakeholders? Then we’re looking for you.

What will you be doing?

As a senior contract manager, you will be responsible—together with the current contract managers—for contract management within the social sector. You will ensure that the implementation of contracts with healthcare providers aligns with the municipality’s social objectives. In doing so, you will work closely with policy, operations, finance, contract management, regional partners, and healthcare providers. You will combine operational and tactical contract management with a strategic development mandate.

Your responsibilities will include, among other things:

• Ensuring the continuity of contract management.
• Taking over tasks that have been left undone due to capacity issues.
• Managing contracts with healthcare providers under the Social Support Act (Wmo), the Youth Act, and other social services.
• Serve as the point of contact for regional and local contract partners.
• Conducting strategic discussions with the largest healthcare providers.
• Monitoring quality, compliance, effectiveness, and contract performance.
• Identifying risks, challenges, and trends, and providing advice on them.
• Provide support with complex contractual issues, negotiations, and escalations.
• Conducting contract evaluations and making recommendations for improvement.
• Collaborate with policy, implementation, contract management, finance, and regional partners to strengthen the link between policy and implementation.
• Representing the municipality in regional partnerships.

Development Assignment

In addition to your regular duties, the team is facing a major development challenge in the area of contract management. In this effort, you will be expected to actively contribute ideas, identify opportunities for improvement, and, drawing on your expertise, propose ideas and suggestions that will help further professionalize contract management.

In this role, you will contribute to:

• Updating the existing contract management development plan, taking into account the current organizational structure, available capacity, and recent developments.
• Further enhancing the structure and coherence of the contract management process.
• Prioritizing the contract portfolio based on social, financial, and governance risks.
• Developing proposals for a future-proof contract management framework, including roles, responsibilities, and required capacity.
• Strengthening a proactive approach that actively focuses on quality, collaboration, innovation, compliance, and efficiency.

As part of this development project, you will work closely with the team and other stakeholders. Your role will primarily focus on contributing knowledge, insights, and suggestions for improvement that will help us collectively arrive at appropriate solutions and a sustainable framework for contract management.

• Extensive experience as a senior contract manager in the social services sector.
• A completed associate's or bachelor's degree.
• Demonstrable knowledge of the Wmo and the Youth Act.
• Experience with organizational development and the professionalization of contract management.
• Strong communication and consulting skills.
• Administrative acumen and persuasiveness.
• A results-oriented, collaborative, and proactive work ethic.

About the Assignment
This is a temporary assignment for 32 to 36 hours per week for a period of 6 months, with the possibility of extension if organizational development or staffing needs so require.