Key contract management roles and their responsibilities

The Program and Service Design unit designs initiatives to improve the delivery of housing programs. The unit develops policies and guidelines for the housing programs that we deliver or fund, and the procedures to monitor and evaluate the success of those programs.

The unit informs its policy development through the use of strategic policy, data analysis, and advice from housing support providers and people with lived experience.

The unit works with contract managers to inform the commissioning of housing programs, to evaluate the performance of contracted services, and to recommend improvements to program design.

Homes Tasmania’s Commissioning unit develops the policies and procedures that guide our contract management framework.

The unit designs and delivers contract and accountability procedures that provide risk management support for our contract managers.

The unit leads the commissioning of housing programs, and also works closely with the Program and Service Design unit and the housing and homelessness sector to help procure new services.

Contract managers

Contract managers are your key contact point in Homes Tasmania. They ensure services are provided as agreed in the contract.

The contract manager will:

• support you and engage closely with you
• monitor your service delivery and performance
• manage risks around your delivery of housing programs
• help assess and resolve issues and complaints
• answer enquiries about service provision, including individual circumstances, in accordance with confidentiality protocols
• monitor incident reporting and management, including the implementation of risk mitigation and improvement strategies
• ensure grant funds are spent appropriately.

Contract managers work closely with lead contract managers and managers.

Lead contract managers

Lead contract managers provide leadership to contract managers and support to managers. They can perform the duties of a contract manager and will also coordinate contract management processes at the corporate level.

Lead contract managers oversee contractual matters raised by contract managers and offer advice, support and corporate knowledge as required, they address issues of contract non-compliance, and they notify the manager if an issue requires taking further action.

Lead contract managers have a strong understanding of our housing programs and the contractual requirements and policies to help support you. They may also join the manager when representing us at forums to provide expert advice and input.

Managers

Managers provide leadership, direction and support to contract managers and lead contract managers.

They help contract managers and lead contract managers establish strong relationships with you and they will build good working relationships with your management team.

Managers will represent us at relevant housing and homelessness forums, oversee performance management and provide recommendations to the director.

Managers will also play a key role in resolving contractual matters, and addressing governance issues and matters of non-compliance with your senior management.

Contracted housing support providers fulfil the crucial role of delivering housing and homelessness services. They contribute significantly to the development of housing programs through their specialist knowledge and provision of services to Tasmanians.

Housing support providers also establish robust governance and financial management arrangements to ensure their organisation’s smooth functioning and sustainability.

Peak bodies advocate for housing support providers and the broader sector and engage directly with us on behalf of their members.

Shelter Tasmania is the peak body for Tasmania’s housing and homelessness sector and works to build the sector’s capacity by providing guidance, training and support to its members.

It provides a platform for you to have input into the planning and operation of housing programs and services.

We provide funding to Shelter Tasmania, and we meet regularly to maintain a strong working relationship and receive input into our strategic policy development.

Regulators oversee housing support providers through accreditation, certification, registration and licensing, offering an additional layer of assurance about your operations.

Our contract management does not seek to duplicate regulators’ assessment and monitoring. We monitor performance and reporting against your contract(s) while regulators assess and monitor performance against legislative requirements and standards.