At a Glance
- Tasks: Support strategic programmes in children's social care, education, and public health to drive innovation.
- Company: Northumberland County Council, dedicated to benefiting the community.
- Benefits: 26 days annual leave, pension scheme, flexible working options, and career development.
- Other info: Hybrid working with travel opportunities and a supportive team environment.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in children's lives while developing your professional skills.
- Qualifications: Experience in children's social care or education commissioning and a Level 6 qualification.
The predicted salary is between 39862 - 44075 £ per year.
The purpose of this role is to support the strategic programmes of commissioning activities across Children's Social Care, Education and Public Health - driving innovation to deliver better outcomes and financial efficiencies which in turn deliver the Council's key corporate and partnership priorities - a council that works for everyone, to benefit the people of Northumberland.
In this role you will develop relationships with providers within the children's social care, education and public health arena, with the purpose of working with them to achieve positive outcomes for looked after children in Northumberland and the wider population. This will include understanding the market, managing the market and building productive and positive relationships to achieve the required outcomes. Along with commissioning relevant service provision for individual young people or on a population basis.
There will also be the requirement to analyse data, plan and monitor commissioned services and negotiate packages, to ensure statutory compliance and value for money. The Service consists of the Head of Strategic Commissioning and Contracting, for Children's Social Care, Education and Public Health, a Senior Manager, Contracts and Commissioning, four Contracts and Commissioning Specialists (including this post) and an Assistant Contracts and Commissioning Officer.
We are looking for someone who has recent and significant experience in children's social care, or education and public health commissioning including all aspects of the commissioning cycle, which includes assessing needs, planning and prioritising, purchasing and monitoring services, to get the best outcomes for service users. Be commercially aware and able to understand the relationship between cost, quality, customer care and corporate performance assessments.
To negotiate directly with providers the costs of support for children and young people requiring residential care, and/or education within the range of contractual arrangements available. This is a full-time position, fixed term for 18 months. NCC Band 8 salary £39,862 - £44,075. The post will be hybrid between home-working, with a hot-desk base at County Hall, Morpeth. There will be a need for travel around the country to undertake the monitoring, with the potential for occasional overnight stays.
For this role, you must have:
- Level 6 or above qualification or senior professional experience.
- Be able to demonstrate ongoing development in specialist or emerging areas relevant to the service or role.
- Recent and significant experience in children's social care, or education and public health commissioning including all aspects of the commissioning cycle, to achieve the best outcomes for service users.
- Substantial knowledge and understanding of Local Government and the range of services involved in supporting children, young people and their families.
The monitoring aspect of the role is significant and will include visiting the sites of external providers as well as undertaking Regulation 44 visits for the Council's internally operated children's homes. It follows that the postholder will be required to work with internal and external service providers on both a stand-alone or collaborative basis. There will be a need for travel around the country to undertake the monitoring, with the potential for occasional overnight stays. A valid UK driving licence is therefore essential. An enhanced DBS check will be required for this post.
Northumberland County Council's (NCC) vision is ‘Land of Great Opportunities', for current and future generations. We believe there is no better place to live and work.
Why choose us? We have some outstanding benefits and perks to offer you, including:
- 26 days annual leave plus public/bank holidays, rising to 31 days after 5 years of service (pro rata for part-time employees).
- Automatic enrolment into the Local Government Pension Scheme.
- Flexi scheme (if applicable) - up to 2 days flexible leave available per month (pro rata for part-time employees).
We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria. If you have a disability and would prefer to apply in a different format, please see the alternative methods below. This information will be treated as confidential and will only be used to check that you meet the essential requirements of the post.
Alternative application format: British Sign Language: northumberlandcc-cs.signvideo.net For those with speech difficulties or hearing loss: Text relay service dial 018001 01670 623930.
Further information for guidance on completing your application and for information about our Equality and Diversity principles, please see the attached guidance notes here.
Contracts and Commissioning Specialist in Morpeth employer: North East Combined Authority
Northern Education Trust is an exceptional employer dedicated to enhancing the life chances of children and young people. With a strong focus on employee development, we offer comprehensive training programmes and opportunities for career progression across our family of schools. Our supportive work culture, combined with benefits like free flu vaccinations and onsite parking, makes Hetton Academy a rewarding place to work for those passionate about student wellbeing.
Contact Details:
North East Combined Authority Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Contracts and Commissioning Specialist in Morpeth
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We think you need these skills to ace Contracts and Commissioning Specialist in Morpeth
Some tips for your application 🫡
Highlight Relevant Experience:In the public sector, having experience in community engagement, policy analysis, or project management stands out. Make sure to showcase any previous roles or volunteer work that reflects your understanding of public service values and how they've shaped your career path.
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How to prepare for a job interview at North East Combined Authority
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Brush up on the regulations, laws, and compliance standards relevant to the role you’re applying for. Since this is the government and public sector, they might throw technical questions related to policy frameworks or project management best practices that you'll need to navigate day-to-day.
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