Location: Northallerton, North Yorkshire
Are you highly organised, analytical and passionate about making a real difference to children and young people? This is an exciting opportunity to join North Yorkshire Council’s Children and Young People’s Service at a pivotal time, supporting the commissioning and contracting of high-quality education, care, fostering, therapy and bespoke placement arrangements for children and young people across the county
We are looking to appoint two Commissioning and Contracting Assistants to join our Partnerships and Sufficiency Contracting and Commissioning team on an 18-month fixed-term basis. The posts are also available as internal secondment opportunities, offering an excellent route for colleagues who are looking to broaden their experience, develop commissioning knowledge and contribute to work that directly supports some of our most vulnerable children and young people.
About the Service
This is a fantastic opportunity to develop your skills within a supportive, knowledgeable and ambitious commissioning team. You will gain valuable experience across children’s services, SEND, care, education, procurement, contract management, quality assurance and partnership working.
For internal colleagues, the secondment route offers an excellent development opportunity to broaden your knowledge of commissioning and contribute to county-wide work with visible impact.
About the role
Working closely with the CYPS Commissioning Manager and Commissioning and Contracting Officers, you will support the day-to-day operation of commissioning and contracting activity across a diverse and high-profile portfolio. This includes residential care, fostering, education placements, alternative provision, external therapies and bespoke packages for children and young people with complex needs, including SEND.
You will help develop the provider market, source provision, prepare and issue contracts and contract variations, support quality assurance activity, maintain accurate records, analyse information and contribute to continuous improvement across commissioning systems and processes. The role offers a varied mix of operational delivery, partnership working, data analysis, provider engagement and contract support.
What you will be doing
- Supporting searches for education, residential, fostering and therapy provision for children and young people with complex needs.
- Preparing, issuing and maintaining contracts and contract variations in line with agreed processes and timescales.
- Working with providers, social care, SEND, finance, legal, health and wider partners to support effective placement and commissioning arrangements.
- Collecting, reviewing and analysing information to support quality assurance, performance monitoring and value for money.
- Helping to develop effective systems, reporting tools and processes that improve consistency, timeliness and service oversight.
- Contributing to commissioning activity that supports sufficiency, improves outcomes and promotes high-quality provision across North Yorkshire.
About you
You will be:
- Someone who enjoys working in a fast-paced environment where no two days are the same. You will bring strong organisational skills, attention to detail and the ability to manage competing priorities while maintaining a professional and responsive approach.
- Confident working with information, using systems and spreadsheets, communicating with a range of stakeholders and supporting decisions through accurate records and analysis.
- Have experience of commissioning, contracting, procurement, SEND, education, social care or provider services would be beneficial, but we are also interested in candidates who can demonstrate transferable skills, curiosity, resilience and a commitment to improving outcomes for children and young people.
Interested?
We welcome applications from external candidates as well as internal colleagues seeking an 18-month secondment. Internal applicants should discuss this opportunity with their line manager before applying, in line with normal secondment arrangements.
Join us and help shape high-quality, responsive services that make a difference to children, young people and families across North Yorkshire.
For an informal discussion about this role and the service please contact
Beverley Rigg atBeverley.rigg@northyorks.gov.uk
Key dates
Closing Date: 2nd August 2026
Interview date: 7th August 2026
Key documents
Total rewards
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We are committed to meeting the needs of our diverse community and aim to have a workforce reflecting this diversity. We are also committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. We expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
Commissioning and Contract Assistant in Northallerton employer: North Yorkshire Council
North Yorkshire Council is an excellent employer, offering a supportive work culture that prioritises employee well-being and professional growth. Located in the picturesque town of Scarborough, employees benefit from a local government pension scheme, generous employee discounts, and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the community through their work in council tax and business rates management.
