The optimal Contract Management Team structure is likely to vary frequently in the Transition Period. However once a steady state has been reached following Service Commencement there should be less need for change. At that stage the contract management should ensure the optimal team structure is put in place and documented for inclusion in the Contract Management Manual. An example of a structure diagram is included in Appendix F.
The optimal structure is likely to be a combination of core team members whose primary responsibilities fall within the contract management function (who are likely to be line managed by the Contract Manager) and specialists who are outside the core team but have a particular responsibility for supporting the team. These specialists are likely to include members of the Authority's Legal and Finance Departments. The Contract Manager must ensure that such specialists are sufficiently familiar with the Authority's objectives, the status of the project and the terms of the Contract to be able to contribute effectively.
The Contract Manager should also ensure there are job descriptions prepared for each job in the Contract Management Team structure, including the part time roles for finance, legal and other specialists. When an individual is recruited to perform that job (s)he should be briefed on the job description and formally asked to confirm they accept all aspects of the job.