At a Glance
- Tasks: Support vulnerable children and families through tailored direct payment packages.
- Company: Join Gloucestershire County Council, dedicated to improving children's services and community support.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, generous leave, and a supportive environment with career development opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in children's lives while working in a dynamic, values-driven team.
- Qualifications: Experience with direct payments and multi-agency work is essential; driving license required.
- Other info: Part-time role, 2 days a week, with hybrid working options available.
The predicted salary is between 36124 - 39513 £ per year.
Commissioning Officer – Permanent
This is a Gloucestershire County Council job.
- Job Title: Commissioning Officer
- Job Location: Shire Hall, 2nd Floor
- Salary: £36,124 – £39,513 per annum
- Hours per Week: 37.00
- Contract Type: Permanent
- Closing Date: 23/02/2025
- Job Requisition Number: 10830
- This post is not open to job share
About The Role
The core role is to find homes for children in care. This could be foster families, residential homes or supported accommodation for older young people.
Key tasks:
- Work as part of a placement (home) finding team.
- Lead on specific area of placement finding, eg residential care.
- Review profiles for children needing care.
- Liaising with Social Workers and providers to make matches for a case load of children and young people.
- Complete record keeping and paperwork for each child.
- Be part of a duty rota to manage emergency placement searches for same day home finding.
- Work alongside GCC’s inhouse fostering service.
About You
It is a busy and fast paced role, working to tight deadlines and you need to be able to work in this way. You will be part of a team of staff undertaking placement finding, with admin support and a contract monitoring team to support with managing existing placements for children. The team work closely together with daily MS teams calls and a lively MS teams chat stream.
Everyone works together and we are all passionate about finding the right home for every child or young person.
We have monthly team meetings and work in the office 1 to 2 days a week. You can work in the office daily if this suits. We are based at Shire hall.
Core hours at 9am to 5pm and this is required to manage the demands of the service provision.
About Us
For all your hard work, you will receive the following:
- Flexible and agile working opportunities
- 25.5 days annual leave rising to 30.5 days after 5 years continuous service
- An option to purchase 10 days of additional leave per year (pro rata for part-time staff)
- Family friendly employer offering benefits to help support you and your family
- Career development and qualification opportunities
- Supportive and positive working environment with regular, robust supervision
- Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
- Access to our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) that provides free, confidential, counselling and advice for
- employees, available 24 hours a day, online and by telephone.
- An in-house Occupational Health service
- Employee discount scheme
- Cycle to Work scheme
- Gloucestershire Salary Sacrifice Green Car Scheme (T&Cs apply)
- Links to employee networks such as Prism (LGBT+) network and the Young Employees Network
For an informal discussion please contact Len Wilton
Additional Information
To access the Job Profile for this role, please follow the link below:-
Commissioning Officer Job Profile
This Position is subject to a DBS check.
Gloucestershire County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people or vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
We want to be an employer of choice, attracting and retaining excellent people to work for us, so that we can best serve all of Gloucestershire’s diverse communities. Our promise to you is that we will provide an inclusive and supportive working environment that enables you to bring your whole self to work and realise your full potential.
It is a legal requirement, under the Immigration Act 2016, that anyone appointed to a ‘customer facing role’ must be able to demonstrate an ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence in fluent English.
Hybrid working arrangements are available for the majority of our roles, giving teams the opportunity to work in a way that suits them, balancing service need and individual choice, with a mix of both remote and office working.
Commissioning Officer, Permanent employer: Gloucestershire County Council
Contact Detail:
Gloucestershire County Council Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Commissioning Officer, Permanent
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarize yourself with the specific needs of disabled children and their families. Understanding the challenges they face will help you demonstrate your commitment to providing tailored support during the interview.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with professionals in children's services or social work. Engaging with others in the field can provide valuable insights and may even lead to referrals or recommendations for the role.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss your experience with direct payments and multi-agency assessments. Be ready to share specific examples of how you've successfully supported families in similar situations.
✨Tip Number 4
Research Gloucestershire County Council's values and recent improvements in children's services. Showing that you align with their mission and understand their progress will set you apart as a candidate.
We think you need these skills to ace Commissioning Officer, Permanent
Some tips for your application 🫡
Understand the Role: Make sure to thoroughly read the job description for the Commissioning Officer position. Understand the key responsibilities and required skills, especially those related to direct payments and working with families.
Tailor Your CV: Customize your CV to highlight relevant experience in social work, direct payments, and multi-agency collaboration. Use specific examples that demonstrate your ability to support vulnerable children and families.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that reflects your passion for supporting children and families. Mention how your values align with those of Gloucestershire County Council, such as accountability and respect.
Highlight Relevant Experience: In your application, emphasize any previous roles or experiences that involved working with children, young people, and families. Discuss your familiarity with financial management and your approach to engaging parents creatively.
How to prepare for a job interview at Gloucestershire County Council
✨Understand the Role
Make sure you have a clear understanding of the Commissioning Officer role and its responsibilities. Familiarize yourself with the specific needs of disabled children and their families, as well as the direct payment system. This will help you articulate how your experience aligns with the job requirements.
✨Showcase Your Experience
Prepare to discuss your previous experience working with children, young people, and families, especially in relation to direct payments. Highlight any multi-agency work you've done and be ready to provide examples of how you've successfully supported vulnerable groups.
✨Demonstrate Your Values
Gloucestershire County Council emphasizes values like Accountability, Empowerment, Excellence, Integrity, and Respect. Be prepared to discuss how these values resonate with you and how you've embodied them in your previous roles.
✨Engage with the Interviewers
During the interview, engage actively with the panel. Ask insightful questions about the team dynamics, the challenges they face, and how they measure success in supporting families. This shows your genuine interest in the role and the organization.