Placements Commissioning Officer

Berkshire Sensory Consortium; Maidenhead; Hybrid; GBP 32,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

Achieving for Children seeks a Placement Commissioning Officer to lead external placement commissioning, oversee due diligence and quality assurance visits, and manage contract administration and negotiations. You will support senior leads and collaborate with education, health and social care colleagues to secure value for money.

You will contribute to delivering delegated commissioning activities, monitoring provider performance, and developing strong relationships with stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Educated to degree level or equivalent professional experience.
• Experience building partnerships with diverse stakeholders and communities.
• Experience in fee negotiations, commissioning placements and relationship building.
• Experience in quality assurance, contract management and evaluating contracting approaches.
• Ability to use data and evidence to inform decisions.
• Knowledge of Children Act, SEND Code of Practice, and related policy drivers.

Responsibilities

• Lead external placement commissioning for Children in Care and SEND across providers.
• Carry out due diligence, quality assurance, and provider monitoring visits.
• Manage contract administration, negotiations and cost monitoring for placements.
• Support delivery of education, health and social care commissioning strategies.

Skills

Partnership building

Data analysis

Contract monitoring

Stakeholder engagement

Project management

Driving licence

Education

Degree level education

Tools

None

Job description

Placement Commissioning is a fast-paced team within the Early Help and Social Care directorate with a remit to drivethe commissioning framework and its strategic intentions to support the delivery of positive outcomes for children andyoung people. The service leads the commissioning and contract management of placements for children and youngpeople in the care of the Local Authority and for children and young people with Special Educational Needs andDisabilities (SEND). The team works closely with social care and education operational managers to identify needs,co-design solutions, procure placements and deliver quality assurance through robust contract management. Roleswithin this service require a level of professional skill and technical knowledge to collaborate effectively with internaland external stakeholders, ensuring high quality results and the effective delivery of services.

Achieving for Children continually reviews its structure and business practices in order to provide the best possibleservices for children, young people and their families, in the most effective and efficient way. As a result, the key tasks inany job profile may be varied.

This position is offered on a fixed-term basis through June 2028, with the potential for extension subject to future requirements.

You will contribute to the delivery of operational and strategic commissioning intentions identified as part of the commissioning service. Operating as a Placement Commissioning Officer, your role focuses on operational case management, supporting the delivery of delegated commissioning activities, and assisting senior leads. Working closely with Placement Commissioning Team Leader you will be responsible for delegated tasks relating to fee uplifts and negotiations, contract monitoring, provider relationship development, policy/planning activities and quality assurance.

Your core responsibilities will include:

• Leading external placement commissioning for Children in Care, Care Leavers and/or children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities across residential homes, Independent Fostering Agencies, supported accommodation, residential and day special schools and Alternative Provisions.
• Carrying out due diligence, quality assurance and provider monitoring visits
• Managing contract administration, provider negotiations, and cost-avoidance monitoring for placements

Through effective contract monitoring and provider engagement, you will assist in delivering jointly commissioned services across education, health, and social care to ensure value for money and efficient use of resources. You will support the Placement Commissioning Team Leader in developing and implementing action plans to deliver agreed strategies and key priorities.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Lorraine Parker-James via email: [e-mail]

• Educated to a degree level or with substantial professional experience
• Experience of building strong partnerships, maintaining relationships and co-producing solutions to challenges across a diverse set of stakeholders, including children, young people and their families. Advocating the voices of those we are working with.
• Experience in fee negotiations, fee uplifts, commissioning placements and relationship building with stakeholders.
• Experience in quality assurance, contract management and developing innovative contracting approaches.
• Proven ability to effectively use qualitative and quantitative data, intelligence and evidence to create meaningful insight and to inform own decision making.
• Knowledge of statutory legislation and guidance (e.g. the Children Act; SEND Code of Practice) and national policy drivers that affect children’s services.
• Knowledge of delivering commissioned services within budget, monitoring financial performance, identifying financial risks/pressures, and meeting identified savings targets.
• Maintaining accurate records, producing clear reports and presentations for stakeholders in line with local policies.
• Hold a driving licence and have use of a vehicle to travel effectively to undertake work