Senior Commissioning Manager

Working on behalf of a Local Authority, Aatom Recruitment has an opportunity for Senior Commissioning Manager on a 1 month contract with a possibility of an extension.

This position will be a total of 36 hours per week, with hours from 09:00am – 17:00pm.

Job Purpose:

To lead the commissioning/de-commissioning of services and resource allocation to meet the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and for children with health needs, including mental health, together with joint commissioning activity with key partners.

Job Specific Accountabilities:

• To be familiar with and keep up to date with national legislation & policy, best practice and external factors relating to children and young people and their families, social care services and commissioning.
• To lead on the development of rigorous quality assurance and safeguarding procedures to monitor all independent and out of borough provision.
• Report progress against performance targets and strategic objectives through various meetings and Boards in the form of written reports.
• Undertake benchmarking activities across the service as a whole, both with local/regional and national agencies, including the analysis of information and outcomes to increase awareness of the positioning of the authority and highlight areas to improve on outcomes.
• Provision of strategic leadership for the Council’s commissioning plans, which involves working with senior officers and members across the council, external partners and providers to achieve the best outcomes for residents.
• Develop a strategic and evidence based approach to commissioning, understanding the organisation’s priorities and assessing a range of policy and service delivery options to best deliver the desired outcomes in a strategic and cross cutting way.
• Lead on the commissioning of services through a range of options including negotiation, procurement, partnership development, enabling, regulating etc. To produce service specifications and service level agreements to achieve improved outcomes for service users.
• Constructively challenge and provide leadership in terms of holding providers to account for performance and ensure commissioned services provide value for money and deliver against agreed specifications, including managing risks and underperformance. To report on delivery of outcomes to stakeholders including the Mayor, elected members and other council officers.
• Robust and accurate financial management including the authorisation, monitoring and control of expenditure in accordance with Financial Regulations and Delegated Authority.

Knowledge, Qualifications and Experience:

• Educated to degree-level or equivalent in a relevant area, or equivalent by experience.
• Qualification in commissioning or equivalent (desirable).
• Evidence of continuous managerial and professional development.
• Comprehensive knowledge of the equalities and diversity agenda and statutory frameworks as it relates to service planning, commissioning and delivery
• Comprehensive knowledge of legislation and strategy/policy frameworks for children and young people with SEND
• Experience of working in children’s social care/education services/adult social care/SEND.
• Experience of preparing and presenting complex reports and making recommendations for change to senior managers.
• Substantial experience of effective project management and delivery with meticulous attention to detail.
• Experience of procurement activities, such as tendering and contract management.
• A demonstrable track record of budget management and delivering financial and other efficiency savings.
• Experience of stakeholder communication, management and negotiation, to a range of audiences including senior management, service professionals and service users to achieve service objective.
• A demonstrable track record of delivering results on time, to a high quality and to budget.
• Experience of interpreting and utilising a range of different information and data sources, including financial, statistical, and qualitative data and presenting conclusions and implications.
• Excellent I.T. Skills (Microsoft Office).
• Excellent communication, writing and presentation skills with experience of effective communication to a range of audiences including senior management, professionals and service users.
• Highly effective organisational and prioritisation skills, managing a demanding and complex work-programme with rapidly changing and competing priorities.
• Flexible, innovative and creative approach.

To get more information about this role and how to apply please contact Kartik.