Strategic Children's Provision & Commissioning Lead

Blackpool Council; Lancashire; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Blackpool Council is seeking an experienced Childrens Provision Lead to shape housing, education placements and supportive services for vulnerable children and young people. You will lead a dedicated team, working across Childrens Services, Finance and Commissioning to secure timely, cost-effective provision and ensure statutory sufficiency duties are met.

As a strategic leader, you will build strong provider relationships, analyse market data and forecast demand, while monitoring costs and

Qualifications

• Degree-level qualification or equivalent experience within Children's Services or Children's Commissioning.
• Significant knowledge of Children's Services, commissioning processes and relevant statutory and regulatory frameworks.
• Experience of working collaboratively with providers and external partners.
• Strong analytical, project management and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities.
• Experience of managing and developing staff.
• The ability to influence and negotiate effectively, particularly in relation to provider pricing and value for money.

Responsibilities

• Leading and managing the Home Finding.
• Overseeing the sourcing of residential, fostering, education and support placements for children and young people.
• Negotiating provider fees and uplifts to ensure value for money and effective use of resources.
• Working closely with Children's Services and Finance colleagues to monitor placement costs, implement step-down plans and reduce drift and delay.
• Building strong relationships with providers, local authorities and framework partners.
• Using market intelligence, data and forecasting to identify gaps in provision and support strategic planning.
• Monitoring high-cost provider portfolios and supporting innovative solutions for children with complex needs.
• Contributing to quality assurance arrangements and oversight of high-risk and unregulated settings.
• Producing high-quality analysis and reports to inform commissioning decisions and future sufficiency planning.

Skills

Leadership

Commissioning

Negotiation

Stakeholder management

Analytical

Project management

Staff development

Communication

Problem-solving

Influence

Education

Degree-level qualification

Job description

Blackpool Council is seeking an experienced Childrens Provision Lead to shape housing, education placements and supportive services for vulnerable children and young people. You will lead a dedicated team, working across Childrens Services, Finance and Commissioning to secure timely, cost-effective provision and ensure statutory sufficiency duties are met.

As a strategic leader, you will build strong provider relationships, analyse market data and forecast demand, while monitoring costs and