SEND Senior Commissioning and Quality Assurance Officer

This role will involve working from home, council premises, and involve site visits to education providers across the West Midlands and into neighbouring local authorities. An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced professional within Quality Assurance, Commissioning and/or Contract Management to join the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Commissioning Team, part of the Children & Families directorate.

This Senior Officer role sits within the Commissioning & Finance Team - a dynamic and fast-paced service where no two days are the same. We are seeking to recruit highly motivated and enthusiastic professionals with excellent team leadership skills. We are developing a resilient and skilled workforce in Birmingham that works well together with shared values and trust.

We are seeking a candidate who can make this role their own, driving work forward by responding to complex situations at pace while remaining committed to the longer-term priorities and vision of the SEND Strategy & SEND and AP improvement plan.

As a SEND Senior Commissioning & Quality Assurance Officer, you will be responsible for leading a team of commissioning & quality assurance officers undertaking commissioning activities that support the vision and priorities of Birmingham’s Strategy for Children and Young People and Young Adults (CYP) with SEND and its relentless drive for improving outcomes for children and young people across the city.

You will be responsible for the development & monitoring of commissioned SEND services, utilising contract management and monitoring to ensure education services commissioned are delivering outcomes for CYP. This role will focus on quality and performance, delivering better value for money and developing strong working relationships with stakeholders and providers.

Reporting to the SEND Commissioning & Quality Assurance Manager, you will implement & manage robust quality assurance processes across all commissioned placements to ensure services deliver the best outcomes for CYP. The role involves working in partnership with stakeholders to develop, commission and implement a variety of outcome-based education services which are of high quality, meet identified needs, and deliver value for money.

You will work collaboratively with SEND officers in the commissioning process for securing the best range of possible school placements and educational experiences for some of our most vulnerable children and young people with SEND. You will help to manage the SEND Commissioning & QA Team, growing their confidence and skills to make sure they are able to excel in their roles.

We will match your commitment to us with opportunities to grow and develop your knowledge and experience in SEND and Commissioning. To be part of this dynamic team and to play your part in the improvements we are delivering for Birmingham families, please get in touch.

We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the communities we serve. If you would like to chat about this role, please contact Daniella Gilligan.

Please upload an up-to-date CV and Personal Statement via the attachments part of your application. The Personal Statement should outline how you meet the essential criteria for the role through your personal qualities, skills and experience and include your motivation for applying to the post. Note the Personal Statement should be no more than 1500 words. Unfortunately, we cannot consider any applications without a CV and Personal Statement attached.

Birmingham City Council is an accredited Disability Confident Leader employer, and we are committed to employing, retaining and developing all of our people. We are dedicated to supporting internal mobility and the development of our people. As such, applications from internal employees and those under S118 will be given priority and reviewed before external applications are considered.

We want to ensure your recruitment journey with us is a positive and equitable one, so please let us know if there are any reasonable adjustments, additional support, accessibility needs, or if there is any way in which we can support you through your application. Interviews for this post will take place in-person. Shortlisted candidates will be provided with further information.

We welcome applications from people with caring responsibilities, and flexible working options will be considered. A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be undertaken. Proof of Right to work in the UK will be required for all applicants in accordance with UK Home Office requirements, before any employment offer can be confirmed. Non-UK applicants (excluding Ireland) would be required to hold a relevant Visa from the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).

We strive to advertise all roles for a minimum of two weeks. However, due to high application volumes, vacancies may close earlier than the stated deadline. We encourage you to submit your application without delay to ensure consideration.