Lead Commissioning Officer

Barnsley Council; Barnsley; Hybrid; GBP 49,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee rewards

Job summary

Barnsley Council is seeking an experienced Lead Commissioning Officer to shape services for children and families. You will lead several commissions, drive strategy, procurement, mobilisation, and contract management across the portfolio.

You will balance priorities, manage budgets, and work with partners to improve outcomes. The role offers hybrid working, a focus on quality and value, and opportunities for professional development.

Qualifications

• Experience in commissioning, contracting or service planning.
• Understanding of commissioning cycle and procurement processes.
• Ability to manage budgets and work within financial constraints.
• Level 6 qualification or equivalent experience; Level 3 qualification also acceptable with relevant experience.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of commissions across Children’s Services.
• Lead multiple commissions concurrently across different stages of the cycle.
• Develop strategies, business cases and service specifications informed by evidence and need.
• Monitor progress, risks, resources and outcomes across your portfolio.
• Prepare clear reports and influence diverse audiences.

Skills

Commissioning

Contract management

Budget management

Stakeholder engagement

Data analysis

Strategic planning

Education

Level 6 qualification

Level 3 qualification

Job description

Position reference: 50133889

Directorate: Children’s Services | Service: Commissioning Teams

Salary: £48,738 - £51,928

Working Arrangements: Hybrid

Hours per week: 37

Contract type: Permanent

We are happy to talk flexible working arrangements with you, please get in touch.

See our range of Employee Rewards: Employee rewards and benefits

Closing date: 09/10/2026 at 23:59

This post requires a Standard DBS Check

If you are currently living overseas or have lived overseas in the last five years please be aware, if you are the preferred candidate for the post, you will be required to apply for an overseas criminal records check from the country/countries you have resided in. If you experience difficulty in obtaining an overseas criminal record check please email [e-mail]

When applying, please ensure you are prepared to start work with all the necessary legal documents, such as a valid visa, relevant to the type of work you will be undertaking. Please be aware that our organisation does not possess a Home Office license and, as a result, is unable to provide sponsorship for anyone seeking a visa as a skilled or temporary migrant worker.

Pensions Regulations have provisions to reduce pension payments in certain circumstances of those who return to work within local government service. If you are in receipt of a pension upon commencing employment with the authority, this may affect your pension entitlements and you should therefore seek advice from the relevant Pensions Authority.

At Barnsley Council you can start a career that makes a real difference to people’s lives, helping our council and residents to be the best they can be.

We’re an award-winning council and one of the biggest employers in the borough, supporting around 243,000 people. We put people at the heart of everything we do, and that includes our employees. As part of the team, we offer lots of benefits and rewards to support you to thrive and grow, like flexible working, employee discounts, support for your health and wellbeing, and opportunities for training and development to grow your career and develop your skills.

There’s so much happening in our thriving borough, and now’s the perfect time to join our excellent Commissioning team as we work to make Barnsley the place of possibilities.

• We’re an award-winning team and one of the biggest employers in the borough supporting around 243,000 people.
• Working at Barnsley Council means being part of a team that makes a real difference to people’s lives, where you can develop the skills you need to make change happen.
• If you join the team you’ll receive great pay alongside an excellent pension scheme. With flexible working we’ll also support your work/life balance, helping you to adjust your hours and take time off when you need it.
• We’ll help you to develop your career and grow your skills with opportunities for training and development.
• There’s so much happening in our thriving borough and your talent and skills will help us make Barnsley the place of possibilities.
• Key to our success is working with our residents, partners, businesses and organisations and building these partnerships to bring about change in Barnsley.

About The Post

Shape services. Influence change. Improve outcomes for children and families.

At Barnsley, we’re ambitious for our children, young people and families. We’re looking for an experienced and forward-thinking Lead Commissioning Officer who can turn evidence, insight and collaboration into services that deliver better outcomes.

This is a varied portfolio role within Children’s Services. You will lead several commissions, projects and areas of service development concurrently, rather than focusing on a single contract or service.

Your portfolio may include activity at different stages of the commissioning cycle, from understanding needs and developing strategy through to procurement, mobilisation, contract management, performance monitoring, service improvement and evaluation.

You will need to balance competing priorities, maintain oversight across your portfolio and adapt your approach as needs, evidence and organisational priorities develop. Working with colleagues, partners, providers and communities, you will bring structure and momentum to complex activity and ensure each commission remains focused on improving outcomes for children, young people and families, while delivering quality and best value.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Working collaboratively with colleagues, partners, providers and communities, you will:
• Manage a varied portfolio of commissions, projects and service development activity across Children’s Services.
• Lead multiple commissions concurrently, which may be at different stages of the commissioning cycle.
• Maintain oversight of progress, risks, dependencies, resources and outcomes across your portfolio.
• Work flexibly across different service areas, responding to changing needs and priorities within Children’s Services.
• Act as the lead commissioner for designated services, themes and programmes.
• Develop strategies, business cases and service specifications informed by evidence, local need and available resources.
• Analyse complex information to identify emerging pressures, gaps in provision and opportunities for improvement.
• Lead procurement, mobilisation, contracting and service remodelling activity.
• Monitor provider performance and ensure commissioned services deliver agreed outcomes and quality standards.
• Manage commissioning budgets and support the effective allocation of resources.
• Build constructive relationships with senior leaders, elected members, providers, partners, service users and carers.
• Prepare clear and influential reports and presentations for a wide range of audiences.
• Promote co-production, continuous improvement and evidence-based decision-making.
• You will have the confidence to ask the right questions, challenge constructively and bring people together around a shared purpose.

This role offers variety, responsibility and the opportunity to make a visible difference to the way services are designed and delivered.

About You

You will bring significant experience of commissioning, contracting or service planning, together with a strong understanding of the commissioning cycle and procurement processes.

We’re Looking For Someone Who

• Can confidently manage a Children’s Services portfolio, leading multiple commissions concurrently while balancing competing priorities and maintaining momentum.
• Can lead complex projects and programmes from development through to delivery.
• Understands how data, intelligence and lived experience can be used to shape services.
• Has experience of contract and performance management.
• Can develop strategies, service specifications and high-quality business documents.
• Is confident managing budgets and working within financial constraints.
• Can negotiate, influence and build effective relationships at all levels.
• Is comfortable working in a changing environment and managing competing priorities.
• Is committed to quality, inclusion and improving outcomes for children, young people and families.
• Understands the pressures affecting local government, partners, providers and communities.
• You will need a relevant Level 6 qualification or extensive equivalent experience, supported by a relevant Level 3 qualification. Where applicants do not hold a Level 6 qualification, they will need to demonstrate the comparative experience set out in the role profile.

Why join us?

You’ll join a collaborative commissioning team with the opportunity to work across organisational and sector boundaries, influence strategic decisions and support meaningful service improvement.

We Value

• Honesty: being open, transparent and accountable.
• Teamwork: working together to achieve more.
• Excellent service: putting people at the heart of what we do.
• Pride: taking ownership and recognising success.