At a Glance
- Tasks: Source and secure care packages for vulnerable adults, ensuring they receive the support they need.
- Company: Join Reading Borough Council's Joint Commissioning and Wellbeing Team, committed to diversity and inclusion.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, generous holiday, flexible working, and a supportive environment for growth.
- Other info: Hybrid working options available, with excellent career development opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in people's lives while developing your career in social care.
- Qualifications: Experience in social care or health, strong communication skills, and good IT proficiency.
The predicted salary is between 29071 - 40444 £ per year.
Are you passionate about helping vulnerable adults access the care and support they need? Do you have experience in social care, health, commissioning, or working with external providers and stakeholders? If so, we'd love to hear from you. We are looking for a Brokerage Officer to join our Joint Commissioning and Wellbeing Team. This is a rewarding opportunity to play a key role in sourcing and securing high-quality care and support services that help people live independently and achieve positive outcomes.
We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity and inclusion is the key to our success. Reading Borough Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to the recruitment and continued employment of people with disabilities. We support hybrid working; it’s important to us that working arrangements are designed to enable our employees to excel and within this role you’ll have the opportunity to work in a way that suits your lifestyle.
About The Role:
As a Brokerage Officer, you will work closely with social care teams, care providers, service users and carers to identify and secure appropriate care and support arrangements. You'll use your knowledge of the care market to source services, negotiate best value solutions, and ensure support packages are in place quickly and effectively. You will:
- Source and broker care and support packages for vulnerable adults.
- Work closely with social workers, operational teams and care providers.
- Negotiate costs and secure value-for-money solutions.
- Develop strong relationships with providers across the local care market.
- Maintain accurate records, financial information and purchasing arrangements.
- Support market development through feedback on provider performance and service gaps.
- Ensure services are arranged in line with legislation, policies and safeguarding requirements.
You’ll also have the opportunity to contribute to wider commissioning activity and help develop creative solutions when care is difficult to source.
About You:
We're looking for someone who can build effective relationships and thrive in a fast-paced environment. You will have:
- Ideally experience within social care, health, commissioning, brokerage, or the independent care sector.
- Some knowledge of adult social care, person-centred approaches and current social care developments.
- Strong communication and relationship-building skills.
- Experience working collaboratively with a variety of stakeholders.
- Good IT skills including Microsoft Office applications.
- Strong numerical skills with the ability to work accurately with financial information.
- Excellent organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities.
- Confidence in negotiating with providers and achieving positive outcomes.
You’ll be part of a team that relies on each individual to play their part to the best of their ability. As well as the colleagues that you work closely with every day, you’ll also be part of Team Reading, playing your personal part in making Reading a successful and vibrant place. Our vision is to ensure that Reading realises its potential as a great place to live, work and play, and that everyone shares the benefits of this success.
Our values and behaviours guide how we will achieve this:
- Work Together as one team - work collaboratively, with each other and with our partners, and demonstrate the Team Reading values in everything we do.
- Drive Efficiency - show initiative, be adaptable to change and put forward ideas to help improve delivery and efficiency.
- Take responsibility for our own learning and development and for reaching our potential.
- Be Ambitious - be demanding of our own performance – striving to be even better – and be prepared to engage with and challenge leaders in a constructive and positive way.
- Make a Difference to Reading - maintain the highest levels of customer service and be flexible and willing to provide the services needed at the time they are needed.
Our offer:
We offer a supportive environment to grow and develop your career with the opportunity to put your ideas across. Innovation and ambition are strongly encouraged, and you’ll get a great feel for that working in our friendly and collaborative environment. A competitive salary alongside a range of benefits including:
- Generous holiday entitlement - 25 days holiday each year plus bank holidays - rising to 30 days after 5 years and 33 days after 10 years' service, with the option to buy additional leave.
- A wide range of flexible working opportunities.
- Modern working environment at the Civic Offices in the heart of Reading.
- Life Assurance - three times your annual salary (for members of the LGPS).
- On-site day nursery (Kennet Day nursery) rated outstanding by Ofsted.
- Season Ticket Loan - a loan to help with the cost of your rail or bus journey, to and from work.
- Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand new, greener car for three years. The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax.
For more information on this position please contact Susan Holmes, Lead Brokerage Officer at susan.holmes@reading.gov.uk
Closing Date: Wednesday 30th September 2026
Interview Date: To be confirmed
Interview Setup: In person at the Civic Centre, Bridge Street, Reading, RG1 2LU
Brokerage Officer - Joint Commissioning and Wellbeing Team in Reading employer: Reading Borough Council
Reading Borough Council offers a supportive and collaborative work environment for the Finance Officer role at Addington School, where you will play a vital part in managing the school's financial resources. With a strong focus on employee development, you will have access to training opportunities and career progression within the council, all while contributing to the educational success of the community in Woodley, Reading.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Brokerage Officer - Joint Commissioning and Wellbeing Team in Reading
✨Dive into Local Community Groups
Social work thrives on community connections, so get involved in local groups or forums specific to your interests. Whether it’s volunteering at local shelters or joining community action boards, these are great ways to boost your visibility and make direct contacts that could lead to opportunities like the one at Reading Borough Council.
✨Attend Social Work Events and Workshops
Keep an eye out for workshops, seminars, or conferences in social work. These events are fantastic for meeting professionals in the field, learning about emerging trends, and spotting job openings. Plus, you might just bump into someone from Reading Borough Council!
✨Showcase Your Passion and Expertise
Use platforms like Instagram or LinkedIn to share your journey and insights into the social work sector. Whether it’s writing about your experiences or sharing relevant articles, this helps to establish you as an engaged professional. Potential employers, like Reading Borough Council, will notice your enthusiasm!
✨Leverage Your Network
Don’t hesitate to reach out to professors, mentors, or even past colleagues who are in social work. They might have inside knowledge about openings at Reading Borough Council or be able to connect you with someone who’s hiring. Networking is key, especially in a full-time role where relationships matter.
We think you need these skills to ace Brokerage Officer - Joint Commissioning and Wellbeing Team in Reading
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Social Work:In your cover letter, let us see your passion for social work shine through! Talk about the experiences that made you want to pursue this career—whether it’s volunteering, personal experiences, or academic projects. We want to know why this field matters to you.
Emphasise Relevant Qualifications:Make sure your CV highlights any relevant qualifications, like degrees in social work or certifications like a DBS check. If you've done any workshops or training, don’t forget to include those as well. We're keen to see your commitment to your professional development!
Detail Your Experience with Clients:Since this is a hands-on field, detailing any direct experience you have with clients is crucial. Whether it's internships, volunteer roles, or previous jobs, highlight those experiences in your CV to show us you've got the practical skills necessary for the job!
Tailor Your Application to Reading Borough Council:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to Reading Borough Council! Research our mission and values, and refer to them in your cover letter. This shows us that you understand our work and are genuinely interested in being a part of our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Reading Borough Council
✨Understanding the Role of Empathy
In social work, understanding and demonstrating empathy is key. Be prepared to share personal experiences or scenarios where you effectively showed compassion and support. This helps show that you genuinely care about the well-being of others, which is crucial in social work.
✨Demonstrating Knowledge of Frameworks
Familiarise yourself with the frameworks and models used in social work, such as the Strengths-Based Approach or the Ecological Perspective. Be ready to discuss how these frameworks apply to your work, especially if you can tie them into real-world examples or case studies you've encountered.
✨Showcasing Your Multi-Disciplinary Skills
In a full-time social work role, you'll often collaborate with healthcare professionals, educators, and law enforcement. Be prepared to describe your teamwork experiences and how you've effectively communicated with other disciplines to achieve the best outcomes for clients.
✨Preparing for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that put you in hypothetical social work situations, such as dealing with a crisis or managing a complex case. Think through your thought process for these scenarios beforehand, considering how you'd assess the situation and what steps you'd take, as this demonstrates your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
