Director of Children's & Education Commissioning & Partnerships

Nottingham City Council; Nottingham; Hybrid; GBP 102,000 - 112,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Job summary

Nottingham City Council is seeking a strategic leader to join as Director of Children's & Education Commissioning & Partnerships. Location: Loxley House, Nottingham. Hybrid pattern with a salary of £101,636 - £112,285 per annum (SLMG 1).

This is a pivotal role in transforming children's services, leading commissioning across social care, education, health and wider partnerships to secure innovative, sustainable, and outcomes-focused solutions that deliver value for money.

Qualifications

• Degree level qualification and evidence of continuing professional development at senior leadership level.
• Significant senior leadership experience in commissioning, transformation, procurement or service redesign.
• Strong understanding of children's services, partnership working and statutory responsibilities.
• Experience of developing and implementing strategic commissioning approaches within a complex environment.
• Proven track record of delivering large-scale change and service improvement.
• Strong commercial, financial and contractual awareness.
• Excellent influencing, negotiation and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to operate effectively within a politically led organisation.
• Commitment to improving outcomes and reducing inequalities for children, young people and families.

Responsibilities

• Lead commissioning across social care, education, health and wider partnerships.
• Develop innovative, sustainable and outcome-focused solutions that improve lives and value for money.
• Shape commissioning strategies that respond to changing demand and influence markets.
• Drive service transformation, improving sufficiency and outcomes across the system.
• Build relationships across multiple agencies and influence stakeholders at the highest levels.

Skills

Leadership experience

Commissioning

Procurement

Service redesign

Strategic commissioning

Change management

Commercial awareness

Financial awareness

Contractual awareness

Stakeholder management

Political astuteness

Outcomes focus

Education

Degree level qualification

Leadership & Mgmt qualification

CPD for senior leadership

Job description

Director of Children's & Education Commissioning & Partnerships
Location: Loxley House, Nottingham
Working Pattern: Hybrid
Salary: £101,636 - £112,285 per annum (SLMG 1)

Shape the Future of Children's Services in Nottingham

At Nottingham City Council, we are ambitious for our children, young people and families. As we continue to transform Children's & Education Services, we are seeking an exceptional strategic leader to join us as Director of Children's & Education Commissioning & Partnerships.

This is a pivotal role with responsibility for ensuring Nottingham has the right services, in the right place, at the right time, to meet the needs of children and families across the city. Leading our commissioning function, you will work across social care, education, health and wider partnerships to develop innovative, sustainable and outcome-focused solutions that improve lives and deliver value for money.

Working at the heart of our leadership team, you will shape commissioning strategies that respond to changing demand, influence local and regional markets, and strengthen provision for children, young people and families. Your leadership will be critical in supporting service transformation, improving sufficiency and ensuring commissioning activity contributes to better outcomes across the whole system.

We are looking for a dynamic and commercially astute leader with significant experience of commissioning, transformation and partnership working within a complex organisation. You will have a strong track record of delivering strategic change, building effective relationships across multiple agencies and influencing stakeholders at the highest levels.

You will bring the confidence to challenge, innovate and think differently, alongside a commitment to putting children and families at the centre of decision-making. Whether shaping markets, developing new models of delivery or driving improvement through commissioning, you will be motivated by making a tangible difference to the lives of Nottingham's children.

In return, you will have the opportunity to lead a high-profile portfolio at a time of significant change and ambition for Children's & Education Services, working alongside committed colleagues and partners who share a determination to deliver the very best outcomes for children and families.

About You

You will be able to demonstrate:

• Degree level qualification, Leadership and Management qualification and evidence of continuing professional development at senior leadership level.

• Significant senior leadership experience in commissioning, transformation, procurement or service redesign.

• A strong understanding of children's services, partnership working and statutory responsibilities.

• Experience of developing and implementing strategic commissioning approaches within a complex environment.

• A proven track record of delivering large-scale change and service improvement.

• Strong commercial, financial and contractual awareness.

• Excellent influencing, negotiation and stakeholder management skills.

• The ability to operate effectively within a politically led organisation.

• A commitment to improving outcomes and reducing inequalities for children, young people and families.

Why Nottingham City Council?

At Nottingham City Council, we put children, families and citizens at the heart of everything we do.

This is an exciting opportunity to influence the future of Children's & Education Services in Nottingham and play a leading role in delivering our ambition for children and families. If you are a strategic leader with the vision, drive and expertise to help shape the future of commissioning, we would love to hear from you.

Closing Date: Sunday 6th December 2026
Interview Dates: to be confirmed

Informal Enquiries

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact:

Sarah Nardone: Corporate Director for Children's and Education Services

Contact via [e-mail]

For recruitment enquiries, please contact:

[e-mail]