Bed Broker in Leeds

This post is open to existing Leeds City Council employees only. Applications will not be considered from external candidates.

Hours: 37 hours per week

Contract: Temporary

Location: Hybrid – Merrion House 5th Floor East – 2 office days per month

We are looking for a Commissioning Support Officer to join the Commissioning Team in Adults and Health working within the Bed Brokerage Team. The role provides an opportunity to join a small, creative and supportive team who are involved in high profile areas of commissioning, working towards securing better outcomes for the people of Leeds and playing a crucial role in health system flow. This is an exciting opportunity to be involved in ongoing service developments and transformation.

About you

• Ability to work effectively and efficiently during peaks in high demand.
• Ability to progress identified tasks independently to achieve agreed objectives.
• Ability to maintain professional and positive working relationships with colleagues, customers, service providers, and other key stakeholders.
• Ability to plan and organise work and manage workload effectively.
• Ability to use a range of software packages to support office and finance administration.

About the role

The post-holder will be responsible for programmes of work which contribute to the delivery of the following key areas:

• Responding to requests for care services by acting as a broker between care managers and care providers, allocating care packages to service users based on individual need, choice, and value for money.
• Effective relationship management with partners, achievement of quality standards and efficiency savings targets.
• Developing and maintaining productive relationships with providers and all stakeholders.
• Completing appropriate work electronically, taking into consideration confidentiality and data protection rights.

What we offer you

• A competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays.
• Membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions.
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements.
• A clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities.
• A range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further.

How to apply

Please upload your CV and complete a personal statement of no more than 500 words. If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role please contact Alice Loveday, Senior Commissioning Officer. Call 0113 378 0641 or email Alice.Loveday@leeds.gov.uk.

We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.

This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa. If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visa route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Please ensure you are eligible before applying.

Job purpose

To support and facilitate the work of Adults and Health Commissioning by supporting Managers and Officers engaged in commissioning, the management of Contracts, Grant funding and Performance and Quality assurance. Assisting with the establishment, maintenance and review of effective monitoring, reporting and information systems, ensuring that the team’s processes and procedures operate effectively.

Responsibilities

• To assist colleagues in the work with suppliers and potential providers to ensure long term and sustainable social care, health and support services are available including both statutory and universal services.
• Develop good working relationships with all stakeholders both internal and external to the authority.
• To communicate on behalf of the service with a range of people including elected members, service providers, external agencies, service users and local residents in a polite, tactful and helpful manner.
• To support consultation and engagement with service users ensuring that the outcomes are used to influence commissioning, service design and delivery.
• To provide project and administrative support to the commissioning and contract management of existing and new services.
• To deal with correspondence and progress responses and pursue enquiries which have been referred, including those relating to customer complaints, safeguarding, Freedom of Information (FOI) and Data Protection (DP) Subject Access requests.
• To deal with visitors, enquiries by telephone/e-mail and letter and handle all aspects of incoming and outgoing mail to Adults and Health Commissioning Service.
• To support the organisation of internal or external meetings, events, training, away days, and to organise the production and distribution of communication materials, prepare agendas and contribute to agenda-setting and planning.
• To minute meetings as required.
• To provide project support to key areas of work, including working with Council colleagues and external partners to achieve desired outcomes to agreed (and often tight) deadlines.
• Undertake research and obtain information to inform decisions.
• Support colleagues within the team to provide briefings, guidance and support to senior officers, elected members and staff across the Council in relation to one or more service areas.
• To assist in ensuring compliance with any governance requirements relating to the work of the team, including those relating to commissioning, procurement and financial management.
• Analyse findings and contribute updates in a range of informal and formal settings, preparing and delivering presentations on a variety of often complex & sensitive topics/work-streams/projects and to a variety of audiences.
• To assist with developing, maintaining and monitoring databases and other record keeping systems relating to the work of Adults and Health Commissioning, including inputting of data, running of routine reports and undertaking data quality checks.
• Be aware of and support difference and ensure equal opportunities for all.
• To assist the team to ensure due regard is taken of equality and diversity when designing, delivering or reviewing policies, strategies, services and human resources.
• Contribute to the overall ethos/work/aims of the service showing responsibility for your own personal development and assisting colleagues plan and develop activities which ensure up to date knowledge and skills within the team.
• Organise own workload ensuring process is followed to meet conflicting tight deadlines.
• To have responsibility for, processing of orders, operating a computerised Financial Budgeting system and maintaining inventories in accordance with Financial Regulations and Standing Orders.
• To supervise trainees and staff providing temporary cover from time to time as required.
• To develop a working knowledge of relevant Council, Directorate and Partnership plans and priorities, including the implications for service areas.

The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post.

Qualifications

Essential requirements

• Ability to plan and organise work and manage workload effectively.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and adapt to changing circumstances.
• Able to work well with people from all backgrounds and from different organisations.
• Ability to communicate with customers, elected members and others professionally and sensitively.
• Ability to organise, record and support internal and external meetings and events.
• Ability to produce reports/ presentations derived from complex data.
• Able to use and/or monitor databases and to analyse budgetary and other information.
• Investigative, analytical and interpretive skills.
• Ability to think creatively and constructively to solve problems.
• High level of computer literacy and willing to develop new skills in IT.

Knowledge

• Good literacy and numeracy skills.
• Basic understanding of health, support or social care issues.
• Basic awareness of the Data Protection and Freedom of Information principles.

Experience

• Experience of delivering administrative support in a busy office with external contacts.
• Experience of working in partnership with others.
• Experience of organising and prioritising workloads to deliver work to set deadlines.
• Experience of arranging and servicing meetings, including using electronic diaries.
• Experience of communicating effectively with a range of people at all levels.
• Of participating in teams and using own initiative.
• Experience of developing or using databases to manage complex data and other information.
• Experience of producing information and reports using computer systems/software.
• Experience of communicating effectively and sensitively for example, with customers, officers, elected members or other organisations.
• Ability to communicate with others professionally.

Essential Behavioural and other Characteristics

• Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon.
• Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council equality and diversity policies.
• Carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health and Safety Policies.
• Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities.
• Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
• Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities.
• Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures.
• Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, equality & diversity policies of Leeds City Council.
• Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person.
• The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.

Desirable requirements

• Ability to present reports / presentations to a variety of audiences.
• Ability to supervise staff and monitor performance effectively and set clear objectives.

Knowledge

• Basic understanding of monitoring performance / projects and / or budgets.
• Basic understanding of the role of IT systems within health, support or social care services.

Experience

• Experience of responding to customer enquiries and complaints.