Commissioning Officer in Bury St Edmunds

The Children's Commissioning Team have a full-time opportunity for the right candidate to join us in the role of Commissioning Officer. This is a new post created as part of the development of the Children's Commissioning Team in Bury, which has seen significant investment by the Council to increase capacity, develop and drive forward our commissioning plans and intentions.

As a Commissioning Officer, you will be responsible for co-ordinating the commissioning cycle for areas of responsibility across the service pillars and managing agreed areas of work and projects. You will support the Strategic Lead in the development of strategies, projects and delivery plans.

The role will focus on commissioning services and educational placements for children with SEND, and with additional and complex needs and/or children who are in need or in the care of the council. You will have a track record of working creatively to deliver positive outcomes, social value, and value for money, while working within statutory and regulatory frameworks.

You will have strong interpersonal skills and be able to build and maintain strong relationships, while also having the confidence to test and challenge old approaches. This will be a demanding and exciting role, with considerable direct impact on the outcomes achieved by children, young people, and their families. You will have the ability to think on your feet, have sound judgement, and resilience. You will be child and family focused and continually strive for the best services possible for Bury’s children.

Normal hours of work are 37 hours per week based around the usual business working week. Dependent on service requirements, you may be required to work on a rota basis.

The Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults and expects all staff to share this commitment. Appointment may be subject to a satisfactory disclosure at the appropriate level under the Disclosure and Barring Service.

In line with safer recruitment, please ensure that your application/CV covers your full employment history and there is a reason noted for any gaps in employment. Successful candidates will be asked to provide relevant references for the past ten years, and character references will not be accepted.

Please note we are unable to support with sponsorship at this time. As a Corporate Parent, ensure that the work and services you deliver consider our care experienced young people, promote their life chances, empower them to influence the policies, services, and decisions that affect them, champion their rights, and ensure they grow up in the best possible way.

We support employees to work with agility, where appropriate for the post and service requirements. We are committed to Bury being an equal society that recognises, values, and embraces all people, regardless of any difference, for the skills, abilities, and experiences they bring into the workforce and the wider community. Therefore, we guarantee an interview for disabled people, looked after children/care leavers, armed forces personnel (including reservists and veterans), and carers of adults or disabled children if they meet the essential criteria.

If you have completed the GM Elevate (Leadership Development) Programme, please indicate this within the ‘About You’ or ‘Supporting Statement’ section of your application.

For an informal chat regarding the role, please contact Marie Thomson on 0161 253 7633 or 07356 104802. Interviews will be held w/c 9th February 2026.