Senior Commissioning Manager – SEND (E3755) in Crewe

About us

At Cheshire East Council we are resident and partner focused with a vision to enable prosperity and wellbeing for all. People really are at the heart of everything we do and that starts with our incredible workforce. We promote a culture of high performance where people can aspire, thrive and flourish, where we strive to deliver best value in everything we do.

For us, success isn’t just about what we achieve, but how we achieve it together. We promote curiosity, excellence, innovation and continuous improvement. We are values led and committed to wellbeing and inclusion for all, where our employees co-created our values of drive, integrity, respect and collaboration which inform all that we do.

We are proud to work for Cheshire East Council and believe you would be too!

Join us on a meaningful journey in Children’s Social Care at Cheshire East Council. We’re on a meaningful journey in Children’s Social Care and we’d love for you to be part of it. Joining us means becoming part of a supportive, forward-thinking team that’s passionate about making a real difference in the lives of children and young people. Everything we do is about putting them first, helping them grow, thrive and reach their full potential so they can build brighter futures.

If this sounds like the kind of impact you want to make, we’d be delighted to hear from you. Come and join us in shaping positive change for our young people.

At Cheshire East we’re making significant, tangible investments in our foundations. This includes strengthening our commissioning function, expanding workforce development and creating clearer, more ambitious pathways. To realise these ambitions, we’re seeking experienced, flexible individuals who want to help us shape the future.

About the Role

Provide strategic portfolio leadership for commissioning across SEND. Whilst the post has a specific area of focus, post holders will be expected to work flexibly across all portfolios to meet business need and priorities as required. This includes Children’s Social Care (CSC) and joint commissioning programmes of work.

The role will lead the full commissioning cycle for allocated portfolios, translating system priorities and strategies into deliverable plans that secure sufficiency, quality, value for money and improved outcomes for children, young people and families.

The successful candidate will:

• Act as the strategic portfolio lead for defined commissioning areas (e.g. SEND), with clear accountability for outcomes, quality, sufficiency and spend.
• Develop, deliver and periodically refresh portfolio commissioning and joint commissioning strategies and action plans aligned to statutory duties, system priorities and the Council’s commissioning framework.
• Lead needs assessment, demand and sufficiency analysis for the portfolio, using data and intelligence to shape commissioning intentions, market interventions and business cases.
• Shape and manage provider markets, including development of market position statements, frameworks and regional commissioning arrangements, and proactive engagement with independent and VCS providers.
• Lead complex procurement, contracting and negotiation activity within the portfolio, ensuring compliance with public procurement law and achievement of value for money and social value.
• Oversee contract management and performance assurance for commissioned services, working closely with QA colleagues to address underperformance, safeguarding concerns and provider failure.

The successful candidate will bring:

• Degree of equivalent experience in commissioning, public service or related field.
• Substantial experience of commissioning services for children and young people.
• Demonstrable experience of strategy development, market management, contracting and performance within a complex public-sector environment.
• Extensive understanding of the commissioning cycle.
• Demonstrable knowledge of SEND Code of Practice, Children Act duties, and procurement regulations.
• Strong understanding of safeguarding expectations and quality assurance principles.
• Application of needs assessment, outcomes-based commissioning benefits realisation and options appraisal techniques.

What we offer in return:

• A competitive salary– Between £54,994 per annum – £62,777 per annum (CEC NJC – Grade 12) with guaranteed yearly pay increases!
• Enhanced annual leave– Start with an impressive 34 days of annual leave (including bank holidays) from day one, and watch it grow to 39 days after just five years of service.
• Purchase of annual leave – Want more time off? You can purchase up to 10 extra days of annual leave each year, giving you the flexibility to balance work and life just the way you want (Pro-rata for part-time staff).
• Flexible working pattern– Enjoy a 37-hour standard full-time work week with the added perks of flexitime and hybrid/remote working arrangements where possible.
• Salary sacrifice green car scheme– Drive green and save green! Lease a brand-new electric or hybrid car through our salary sacrifice scheme.
• White goods salary sacrifice scheme – Upgrade your home with ease. Purchase home and electronic items through our salary sacrifice scheme.
• Enhanced public pension– Secure your future with our career average pension.
• Cycle to work scheme – Save up to 25-39% on the retail price of bikes and safety equipment.
• Employee assistance programme– Access a completely free and confidential assistance service to help manage, reduce, and overcome life’s challenges.
• Discounted gym membership – Stay active and healthy with corporate membership prices for Everybody Leisure.

As an equal opportunities’ employer, we warmly welcome applicants from all backgrounds. We believe that a diverse workforce helps us better reflect and serve our local communities, and together, we can build something truly special.