At a Glance
- Tasks: Support quality assurance and contract management for education services, ensuring high standards.
- Company: Join North Northamptonshire Council, a vibrant and inclusive workplace dedicated to community improvement.
- Benefits: Enjoy generous leave, flexible working, and a strong pension scheme.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities for professional growth and a commitment to inclusivity.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in children's lives while developing your skills in a supportive environment.
- Qualifications: Analytical mindset, attention to detail, and a passion for improving outcomes for young people.
The following content displays a map of the job's location - Municipal Offices, Bowling Green Road, Kettering.
Here at North Northamptonshire Council, we’re transforming for the better, using all our creativity and imagination to create the best life for our local people. You’ll find that we have a wide range of careers that may be more surprising than you think!
Why choose us? We offer a vibrant working environment with:
- a pension scheme, where we pay a significant contribution on top of your contribution. It provides life cover and ill-health protection.
- lots of opportunities to develop your skills, knowledge and potential in a large unitary council.
- generous leave entitlement (28 days, rising to 33 days) and bank holidays, plus the option to buy up to an extra 10 days.
- hybrid and flexible working arrangements, where practicable for service needs to help you with a healthy work-life balance.
We provide a range of great benefits such as an Employee Assistance Programme, an Employee Benefits Scheme, wellbeing support, travel rates at HMRC rates, as well as supporting a range of active Employee Network Groups.
About the role: Are you an organised and analytical professional with a passion for driving quality, performance and service improvement? The Children's Commissioning Service is dedicated to ensuring children, young people and families have access to high-quality, effective and value-for-money services. We are looking for an organised and analytical individual to support the implementation and oversight of the Education Support Services Framework.
Working closely with commissioners, providers and stakeholders, you will play a key role in quality assurance, contract monitoring and performance management, helping to ensure commissioned services meet contractual and statutory requirements. This is an exciting opportunity to help ensure children and young people across North Northamptonshire receive high-quality education support services.
By supporting provider performance, contract compliance and quality assurance activities, you will help drive positive outcomes, value for money and continuous service improvement. You will oversee performance monitoring across a range of providers within the Education Support Services Framework, using data and performance information to identify trends, assess risks and support evidence-based decision-making.
Working closely with Commissioning Managers, SEND colleagues, finance teams, education providers and external partners, you will contribute to effective contract management and provider oversight.
We're looking for someone who:
- Enjoys working with data and performance information.
- Has excellent attention to detail.
- Can build positive relationships with providers and colleagues.
- Is confident identifying and escalating concerns.
- Is passionate about improving outcomes for children and young people.
- Thrives in a role that combines analysis, quality assurance and contract management support.
What will you be doing? In this role, you'll support the delivery and oversight of the Education Support Services Framework, helping to ensure commissioned services are high quality, compliant and deliver positive outcomes for children and young people. Working closely with providers, commissioners and stakeholders, you'll monitor performance, support quality assurance activities, analyse data and identify opportunities for service improvement.
You'll play a key role in strengthening provider oversight by monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs), identifying trends and risks, and escalating concerns relating to quality, compliance or performance. You'll also support contract monitoring processes to ensure commissioned services meet contractual, statutory and performance requirements.
Key responsibilities include:
- Monitoring and supporting commissioned providers to ensure services are delivered in line with contracts, performance standards and the Education Support Services Framework.
- Analysing performance and quality data to identify trends, risks and opportunities for improvement, supporting evidence-based decision making.
- Supporting quality assurance and contract management activities to drive continuous improvement and positive outcomes for children and young people.
About you: For this role, you will be required to hold the following:
- Good understanding of contract management, commissioning, quality assurance or performance monitoring, with a willingness to develop knowledge in these areas.
- Ability to gather, analyse and interpret data, identifying trends and using information to support service improvement and decision-making.
- Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and maintain accurate records.
- Effective written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to produce reports and communicate with a range of stakeholders.
- Ability to build positive working relationships with providers, colleagues and partner organisations.
- Awareness of quality standards, compliance requirements and risk management, ideally within children's services, education or a related field.
- Confidence using Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, and the ability to learn new systems and processes.
- Proactive and solution-focused approach, with a commitment to improving outcomes for children, young people and their families.
Shortlisting – 14/08/2026 Interviews – 18/08/2026 and 19/08/2026
About us: Our Values and Behaviours Our values define who we are and how we operate, by forming the foundation for how we interact with our customers, colleagues and provide our services. They are also at the forefront of our decision making and delivery and are:
- Customer-focused
- Respectful
- Efficient
- Supportive
- Trustworthy
Our key commitments help ensure that the priorities we make, now and in the future, maintain the necessary breadth of focus in those areas that we believe matter most.
Disability Confident Employer: We are proud to be a recognised Disability Confident Employer and are committed to providing an inclusive recruitment process and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role. The council obtained the Gold status award for the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS).
Quality Assurance and Contracts Support Officer in Kettering employer: North Northamptonshire Council
North Northamptonshire Council is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment where legal professionals can thrive while making a meaningful impact in the community. With a strong commitment to employee development, competitive salaries, and a supportive culture, this role provides unique opportunities for growth and collaboration within a dedicated team focused on public service.
Contact Details:
North Northamptonshire Council Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Quality Assurance and Contracts Support Officer in Kettering
✨Dive into Local Government Events
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We think you need these skills to ace Quality Assurance and Contracts Support Officer in Kettering
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.
Showcase Your Knowledge of the Sector:When you’re applying for a government role, it’s crucial to demonstrate your understanding of the current political landscape and public policies. Consider including articles you've written or relevant projects that underline your capability to engage with these concepts effectively.
Tailor Your CV to Reflect Core Competencies:Government positions often require a clear demonstration of competencies such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving. Try to structure your CV to highlight these skills, using specific examples of how you’ve applied them in past experiences, ideally with quantifiable outcomes where possible.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to tell your story and convey your passion for public service. Discuss why you want to work for North Northamptonshire Council and how your values align with their mission. Be genuine and let your enthusiasm shine through—this can really set you apart from other candidates.
How to prepare for a job interview at North Northamptonshire Council
✨Get to Know Public Sector Values
Before your interview with North Northamptonshire Council, dig deep into their mission and values, especially how they align with public service and community impact. Understand the key policies or initiatives they are involved in – you’ll want to show that you genuinely care about serving the community.
✨Brush Up on Regulatory Knowledge
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.
✨Highlight Teamwork and Collaboration
The government sector thrives on collaboration. Be ready to discuss how you've successfully worked in diverse teams or involved stakeholders in your projects. Show us how you bring people together to get a common goal achieved – that's what public service is all about!
✨Prepare Real-Life Examples
Craft a few STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) stories that demonstrate your experience in similar roles. Whether it’s a project that made a difference in the community or a challenging situation you managed, be ready to express how your skills and experiences make you a valuable asset for North Northamptonshire Council.
