Procurement Partnership - Network Meeting 4

Contract Management - From Awareness to Practice

Event: Procurement Partnership - Network Meeting 4
Date: 5th May 2026
Time: 13:30pm - 16:30pm
Location: Join now
 

Session Overview

Effective contract management is widely recognised as critical to achieving value for money, managing risk, and ensuring supplier performance. However, across many trusts it remains an underdeveloped area, with inconsistent ownership, limited use of KPIs, and ad‑hoc review processes.

This interactive session is designed to move beyond awareness and focus on practical application. Participants will explore how contract management is currently approached within their Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs), identify common challenges, and discuss pragmatic ways to embed more consistent and effective practices. The session will draw on real-world examples and peer discussion to surface what works well and where improvements can be made.

Session Objectives

By the end of the session, participants will have:

• A clearer understanding of what effective contract management looks like in practice within a MAT context.

• Increased awareness of common gaps and risks arising from unclear ownership, lack of KPIs, or infrequent contract reviews.

• Insight into how other MATs organise and resource contract management responsibilities.

• Practical ideas for improving visibility, accountability, and oversight of contracts.

Expected Outcomes

Following the session, participants will be able to:

• Benchmark their current approach to contract management against peers.

• Identify specific actions to strengthen contract oversight and performance monitoring.

• Contribute to a shared understanding of minimum good practice across the network.

• Agree to trial a shared contract management checklist and/or template set, supporting greater consistency across trusts.