Lead Officer - Placement Brokerage
PO4: Starting salary £51,228 pa. rising in annual increment to maximum salary of £54,360 pa. including LW.
About Us:
Located in the heart of South London, Lambeth Borough is a vibrant community of over 317,600 residents. Stretching from the dynamic neighbourhood of Streatham in the South to the iconic landmarks of Waterloo in the North, we are proud to be the 9th largest borough in London. Our diversity is our strength, with more than 130 languages spoken, making Lambeth the home of the Windrush generation, London's largest LGBTQ+ community, and a thriving Portuguese-speaking community.
Job Description
Lead Officer - Placement Brokerage
It is an exciting time to join Lambeth Council, we have bold ambitions for the future of Lambeth’s communities and residents through our Lambeth 2030 Plan ‘Our Future, Our Lambeth.
With exceptional schools, lush green spaces including Brockwell Park, cultural gems like the Black Cultural Archives, and world-renowned institutions such as St Thomas's Hospital, Lambeth offers an enriching and dynamic environment.
Please have a look at our dedicated One Lambeth Values and Behaviours page.
About the Team:
The Children’s Brokerage and Specialist Placements (CBSP) team is committed to securing safe, appropriate and timely placements and services that meet the individual needs of children and young people, while achieving best value for the borough. The team works collaboratively with social care teams, providers and internal partners, with a strong focus on problem‑solving, effective negotiation and positive outcomes. The team promotes a supportive, inclusive and solution‑focused culture, with opportunities for staff to develop their knowledge, negotiation, commissioning, quality assurance and leadership skills.
About the Role:
We are looking for an experienced Lead Officer who is confident working in a fast‑paced, high‑demand environment and can respond quickly and effectively to changing priorities, urgent requests and complex placement needs.
You will provide strong day to day leadership and management to the allocated team, ensuring workloads are effectively prioritised and service requests are progressed promptly, efficiently and to a high standard. You will lead on complex placement searches, support staff with problem‑solving, negotiate effectively with providers and build positive, professional relationships.
The role will also involve supervising and developing staff, monitoring performance, managing escalations and complaints, identifying and managing risk, and ensuring compliance with CBSP procedures, legal frameworks and service standards.
We are looking for someone who is self‑motivated, dynamic, enthusiastic, flexible, adaptable and open‑minded, with proven experience in children’s brokerage and placement services. You will need to be resilient, solution‑focused and confident making decisions, negotiating and finding creative solutions to complex challenges. This is a demanding role where no two days are the same.
You will play a key role in driving continuous improvement, developing staff capability and strengthening partnership working, with a clear focus on securing safe, appropriate and timely outcomes for children and young people while achieving best value for the Council.
DBS
Successful candidates will be asked to apply for an Enhanced/Standard/Basic Certificate from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). Further information about the DBS can be found at www.homeoffice.gov.uk/agencies-public-bodies/dbs You will be required to undertake a Cifas check. Further information about Cifas can be found here Cifas
Contact Information:
For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Adina Demle at ademle@lambeth.gov.uk .
At Lambeth, we are dedicated to providing quality services and equal opportunities for all. We are committed to safer recruitment and are proud to be a Stonewall diversity champion, a Living Wage Employer, and to guarantee interviews for all disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria of the role. For a full list of our accreditations, please click here.
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Lead Officer, Placement Brokerage employer: London Borough of Lambeth
The London Borough of Lambeth is an exceptional employer, dedicated to fostering a supportive and collaborative work culture that prioritises the well-being and professional growth of its employees. With a focus on driving practice excellence in Children’s Social Care, staff are provided with ample opportunities for development through training and multi-agency collaboration, all while contributing to meaningful outcomes for the community. Located in vibrant London, employees enjoy a dynamic environment that encourages innovation and engagement.
