Senior Commissioner (Senior Commissioning Officer)

Northamptonshire Childrens Trust; Northampton; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

28 days annual leave + 8 bank holidays

Local Government Pension Scheme + life

Purchase up to 25 days annual leave

Employee Assistance Programme

Employee discounts

Flexible and family working

Career development opportunities

Subsidised town centre car parking

Job summary

Northamptonshire Children's Trust seeks a proactive commissioning professional to manage review and delivery of children’s services strategic commissioning priorities. You will work with NHS, health and social care partners, families and providers to secure value for money and positive outcomes.

You will shape strategies across family help, disability, children in care and leaving care, balancing stakeholder needs with resources, and ensuring timely delivery of commissioning projects.

Qualifications

• Experience of commissioning and project management in health and social care.
• Strong change management and outstanding communication skills.
• Excellent report writing skills with strong analytical ability.
• Planning, organisational skills and delivery of commissioning projects as directed by leads.

Responsibilities

• Work closely with key stakeholders internally and externally to deliver our vision with providers, care staff and NHS.
• Contribute to improving outcomes for children, young people and families and deliver commissioning priorities including sufficiency and short breaks for integrated local offer.
• Focus on joint commissioning between health, social care and housing to achieve shared priorities.
• Navigate complex organisational environments to implement joint commissioning strategies and partnership initiatives.

Skills

Commissioning

Project management

Communication

Analytical ability

Report writing

Change management

Planning

Job description

The following content displays a map of the jobs location - Northampton

Job Reference Ref/77/9148

Number of Positions:

1

Contract Type:

Full Time

Salary Range:

Working Hours:

37

Location:

Northampton

Closing Date:

31/08/2026

Job Category:

Procurement

Organisation:

Northamptonshire Children's Trust

We are committed to continuous improvement, building a skilled, knowledgeable, and flexible workforce alongside promoting innovation and creativity whilst keeping children, young people and families at the heart of all we do.

We really value our workforce and offer you a great benefits package including:

• 28days annual leave, plus 8 Bank Holidays (pro rata for part time) and an additional 5 days,after 5 years
• Local Government Pension Scheme plus immediate life cover (3 times your annual salary from day one) and ill-health pension protection.
• Opportunity to purchase up to 25 days annual leave
• Employee Assistance Programme - We have an employee support programme run by Health Assured, an independent, external organisation. Health Assured is available for you and your immediate family members, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and includes telephone counselling, legal advice, bereavement support and medical information.
• Employee discounts with local and national retailers, days out, finance, health and beauty, travel and eating out plus lots more.
• Flexible and family working arrangements including enhanced maternity benefits
• A permanent, supportive and inclusive management team where you will be empowered to make good professional decisions
• Extensive Learning & Development andcareer development opportunities
• Subsidised town centre car parking scheme

About the role

Join our team of commissioners, to manage the review and delivery of children’s services strategic commissioning priorities. You will focus on delivering positive outcomes for children, young people and families who draw on our services, whilst ensuring value for money for NCT, our Councils and the NHS.

You’ll work closely with our key stakeholders, both internally and externally forging relationships for the Trust and delivering our vision. This will include our partners in health and social care, as well as children, young people and families.

You’ll work across a number of portfolios across children’s services delivering commissioning priorities across family help, disability, children in care and leaving care.

You will be based at One Angel Square, Northampton, and we embrace flexible ways of working and support a hybrid approach. While much of our work can be carried out remotely, colleagues are expected to attend the office and other face-to-face meetings as appropriate to support collaboration, team activities, and service delivery.

We welcome the opportunity to speak to any interested candidates so please feel free to email: [e-mail] and they can agree a mutually agreeable time to call you

Interviews are planned for the 9th September.

What will you be doing?

• You’ll work closely with key stakeholders, both internally and externally. Delivering our vision, in partnership with providers, care staff, NHS and those who draw on care and support, with the guidance and direction of Commissioning Leads.
• You’ll contribute to improving the outcomes for children, young people and families in Northamptonshire. As a strategic thinker you will be contributing towards the development and implementation of strategic commissioning priorities including our children’s social care sufficiency strategy and short breaks strategy to enhance our integrated local offer for families.
• You will focus on joint commissioning activity between health, social care and housing.
• Ensuring shared ownership of priorities, you will navigate complex organisational environments to support the successful implementation of joint commissioning strategies and partnership-led initiatives.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, we encourage you to submit your application as early as possible.

About you

We are looking for experience of commissioning and project management in health and social care.

You have strong change management and outstanding communication skills. You are able to work effectively with children and families who draw on services, respecting and supporting their experiences, lifestyles and backgrounds.

You demonstrate excellent report writing skills, combined with strong analytical ability, meaning that you can interpret complex information and translate it into clear, evidenced based proposals aimed at driving improvements within our commissioned services and support.

With your planning and organisational skills and clear focus on the delivery of key objectives to specified timescales, you will plan, develop and deliver commissioning projects as directed by Commissioning Leads.

This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore subject to an enhanced DBS certificate. It is also a regulated activity and will be subject to a Barred List check

When applying please ensure your supporting statement details how you fulfil the essential criteria set out in the person specification as this will be used for shortlisting. You will need to provide a full employment history including any gaps since leaving full time education

About us

At Northamptonshire Children’s Trust, children, young people and families are at the heart of everything we do. Every decision we make and every action we take is guided by our commitment to delivering high-quality services that make a lasting difference to the lives of children, young people and families across Northamptonshire.

We know that our people are our greatest strength. Our workforce is at the centre of our success, and we are committed to creating an environment where colleagues feel valued, supported and empowered to do the best job of their lives every day. We foster a culture built on kindness, collaboration and trust, where achievements are recognised, ideas are welcomed and innovation is encouraged.

We are proud of the positive impact we make together and delighted that our work has been recognised by Ofsted, with anOutstanding rating for Leadership and Management and Good ratings across Help and Protection, Children in Care and Care Leavers.

At NCT equality, diversity and inclusion are part of us and in everything we do, to enable all colleagues to develop and thrive in our organisation. We are a Disability Confident employer and have a commitment to care leavers, who we guarantee an interview if they meet the essential criteria.

If you are passionate about making a difference and want to be part of an ambitious, supportive and forward-thinking organisation, Northamptonshire Children’s Trust could be the place for you.

Supporting Children – A Career That Matters

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