Contract and Compliance Officer

£38220 - £40777

Contract: Permanent

Working hours: 37

Pay frequency: Annual

About Us

At Oxfordshire County Council (OCC), our Supported Travel Service plays a vital role in keeping communities across the county connected, independent and involved. Every day, a dedicated team of around 200 staff members supports the journeys and travel of approximately 10,000 residents, using a blend of more than 70 in-house fleet vehicles and over 800 contracted vehicles.

The service arranges and delivers a wide range of safe, efficient and reliable travel solutions, including home-to-school and SEND transport, independent travel training, personal travel budgets, community and public transport schemes, and essential journeys for children’s and adults’ social care.

Our core commitment is to provide alternative, safe and efficient travel solutions that empower people of all ages to access education, care, and social opportunities. Placing residents and their communities at the heart of everything we do, we focus on enhancing access, enabling participation and improving quality of life.

Safeguarding is central to our mission, with all journeys underpinned by robust assurance, professional training and a culture of dignity and respect. Through practical, community-centred solutions, our service ensures that Oxfordshire’s residents can travel confidently and safely, whatever their needs.

This is an exciting time to be joining the team as we shape and embed new ways of working to support high-quality supported travel services.

What You'll Do

Are you motivated by ensuring high-quality, safe, and compliant services for the people who need them most? Do you have an eye for detail, strong analytical skills, and confidence working across complex regulatory and contractual frameworks? If so, this could be the perfect role for you.

Do you have experience within public sector procurement, contract management, supplier assurance, or commercial governance environments? Knowledge of public procurement legislation, including the Procurement Act 2023 and the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, would be highly advantageous.

Ensuring safety, quality, and accountability across Oxfordshire’s Supported Transport Service is no small task, and that’s exactly what makes this role so rewarding.

As a Contracts & Compliance Officer, you will be at the heart of one of the council’s largest and most impactful operational services, overseeing a complex network of transport providers who support our county’s most vulnerable residents every day.

If you thrive in a role where your diligence, professional curiosity, and problem-solving skills directly enhance public safety, contract integrity, and service reliability, this is an exceptional opportunity to make a real and lasting difference.

Oxfordshire County Council is seeking a Contracts & Compliance Officer to help oversee and maintain the integrity of our Supported Travel Service, managing over 800 transport contracts and supporting safe journeys for vulnerable children, young people, and adults across the county. This role is central to upholding high standards, ensuring best value, and helping us deliver safe and reliable transport every day.

What you’ll do - your impact starts here

• Manage and monitor service contracts, ensuring full compliance with statutory requirements, safeguarding expectations, Passenger Transport Legislation, and the County Council’s Conditions of Contract.
• Support the oversight of the procurement system, ensuring provider applications, contract records, and documentation are accurately maintained and processed.
• Support contract lifecycle management, including procurement documentation, supplier onboarding, mobilisation, contract variations, governance controls, performance monitoring and supplier relationship management.
• Conduct audits, site visits, and quality assurance checks to make sure providers meet required standards, escalating issues where appropriate.
• Act as the gatekeeper for contract documentation, following GDPR and data protection requirements at all times.
• Work closely with Legal, Procurement, and internal transport teams to support contract sealing, onboarding, quality monitoring, and resolution of non-compliance.
• Assist with procurement and contract management activity in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023, the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 where applicable, the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules and wider public sector governance requirements.
• Investigate complaints, incidents, and contract breaches, maintaining precise records and ensuring appropriate actions are taken.
• Contribute to service performance by supporting KPI collection, punctuality monitoring, and contract accuracy checks.
• Use contract data, supplier performance information and risk indicators to support commercial assurance, best value and continuous improvement.
• Provide clear, professional communication to providers, families, schools, and internal colleagues, often explaining complex contract or compliance issues in an accessible way.

This is a proactive, varied role requiring strong organisation, attention to detail, and confidence in applying policies and regulations in real-world operational situations.

Could this be you?

What You'll Bring

• Has experience managing or monitoring service contracts, ideally in transport, education, health, or social care.
• Experience in public sector / local government procurement, contract administration, commercial management or contract monitoring would be particularly valuable.
• Understands contract compliance, safeguarding, and health & safety requirements, and can apply them confidently.
• Has experience conducting audits, compliance checks, or quality assurance activities.
• Communicates clearly and professionally, including when dealing with challenging customers or sensitive issues.
• Has a strong understanding of DBS eligibility and vetting processes, or the willingness to develop this.
• Can maintain accurate, detailed records and manage information securely.
• Uses data intelligently to inform decisions and identify areas for improvement.
• Works independently, managing competing priorities in a busy operational environment.
• Has strong IT skills, including digital contract management systems and Microsoft Office tools.
• Knowledge of public procurement legislation and practice, including the Procurement Act 2023, Public Contracts Regulations 2015, competitive tendering, direct awards, transparency, conflicts of interest and contract governance, would be highly desirable and a significant advantage.
• Professional procurement or contract management qualifications, training or membership, including CIPS or equivalent, are welcomed but are not essential.
• Holds 5 GCSEs (A–C or equivalent) and brings relevant experience or transferable skills.
• Drivers License required

Before applying, we recommend reviewing the attached job description. It has further information and clear guidance on what we’re looking for.

What You Can Look Forward To

At OCC, you'll be part of a team that’s not only passionate about what we do, but also about how we do it. We foster a culture of inclusion, respect, and continuous improvement, and we’re proud to offer flexible working arrangements, professional development opportunities, and a strong sense of purpose in everything we do.

• Hybrid working
• Great learning and development opportunities to support your growth
• Technology to support agile working – with unlimited access to Copilot for smarter productivity
• Employee Assistance Programme with health and wellbeing support
• Generous annual leave - up to 30 days plus bank holidays, and an option to 'buy' additional time off
• Enhanced family friendly policies
• Local Government Pension Scheme - employer contributions up to 19.9%
• Discounts - local and national offers for shopping and travel

Ready to Apply?

When applying, please upload a current CV along with a personal statement. Your statement should explain how your skills and experience match the role, referring to the key requirements in the job description.

We encourage early applications and reserve the right to close this vacancy early if a sufficient number of suitable candidates are identified.

Applications will be reviewed as they are received. Candidates who are shortlisted will be invited to interview shortly thereafter, and we will communicate next steps as soon as possible.

For informal enquiries or further information about the role, please contact Alexandra O’Hanlon, Head of Fleet and Transport Services on Propertyandassetsredesign@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Early application is encouraged, as we reserve the right to close this advert before the stated closing date should sufficient applications be received.

At Oxfordshire County Council we are proud of our diverse workforce. Everyone is accepted for who they are, regardless of age, disability, gender identity, marital status, race, faith or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, or on maternity or family leave. We have a number of staff network groups which provide peer support, education and safe spaces for all.

As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee an interview for disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the job. We also guarantee interviews to care leavers who have completed further education and who meet the essential criteria for the job. For those leaving care without any further education, we guarantee an interview for our apprenticeships. We are also committed to helping and supporting those transitioning from HM Armed Forces to civilian life and guarantee an interview for those demonstrating the essential criteria for the role, within three years of leaving the service.

Oxfordshire County Council are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. We expect all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect these commitments.

We are open to discussions about flexible working, which can include flexitime, full time and part time working, job sharing, nine-day fortnights and annualised hours, depending on the requirements of the role and the service.

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