The role
This role is located within a dynamic and fast paced team where no two days are the same.
We are seeking to recruit an experienced, highly motivated and enthusiastic individual with a team approach and an ability to stay calm under pressure while managing competing priorities.
The ability to develop strategic priorities and lead on the work on the design and commissioning of services for children, young people and their families, in order to improve quality, value for money and reflect local and national priorities is essential.
The post holder will be responsible for the delivery of complex project plans, monitoring and managing progress and taking responsibility for problem solving and resolving issues to ensure individual projects and the wider commissioning programme remain on track to deliver on time and in budget.
The role involves providing support to senior leaders in Social Care for children, young people and their families in achieving value for money with third party spend, whilst working closely with finance procurement and legal officers to ensure that procurement processes are timely, competitive, transparent and equitable with a specific focus on regulated services such as residential and fostering as well as semi-independent accommodation, adoption services and young carers.
The post holder will need to develop and maintain expert knowledge on relevant legislation, guidelines and government policy in relation to children, young people and families in order to support and develop effective collaboration with service managers from across the department.
The ability to research, collect, collate and analyse information about the local market in order to identify changes or developments in service provision, develop the local market and ensure a relentless focus on efficiency and value for money from commissioned services is essential.
Reporting to the Head of Startwell, Integrated Commissioning, the successful candidate will play a critical role in the delivery of complex projects across Children’s services. This will include conducting commissioning reviews, developing persuasive business cases, conducting service user consultations and managing provider relationships.
This will be a dynamic and rewarding role for a candidate who has the aptitude and skills to really make a difference to the management of the Council’s social care and education programmes. A focus on asset-based approaches, achieving public value and the ability to provide expert commissioning advice is essential.
About you:
You’ll have enthusiasm, drive and a commitment to your own learning and development.
The successful candidate will be experienced in managing complex health and/or social care commissioning projects and contracts.
We are looking for someone who:
- Employs an assertive yet personable approach to achieving your goals
- Is a skilled communicator, with the ability to build credible relationships across the Council and the wider provider market
- Is able to identify where/when rigorous commissioning approaches can be applied to add value
- Responds calmly and professionally where there may be competing priorities
- Is able to work collaboratively with officers across the Council, with health partners, voluntary and private sector providers, and service users and carers to achieve the department’s strategic commissioning priorities
Additional details
About Southwark:
We are the largest local authority social landlord in London, managing 55,000 homes lived in by 40% of Southwark’s residents. We are home to over 18,300 businesses including iconic London venues and social enterprises and we have a young, diverse and growing population.
At Southwark we are committed to making our borough just and fair and are taking positive action to tackle inequalities. Our residents and communities are our greatest asset and the passion we have for Southwark is shared by millions of Londoners who enjoy our outstanding cultural offer, use our hospitals and attend our universities. Our refreshed borough plan and focus on Southwark Stands Together, (which is our work with Southwark’s communities and the council’s staff to tackle racism, injustice and inequality) underpins all that we do.
Additional information:
This role is fixed term for 18 months. Any internal staff would need to gain agreement from your substantive line manager if considering this is as a secondment opportunity.
Please note that this appointment may be made by either the Council or the Integrated Care Board, dependent on the background and preference of the successful candidate.
Benefits and more information:
In your role, we want you to feel supported, challenged and rewarded. You will benefit from our family-friendly policies including flexible working, home working, and a local government pension scheme, plus many other staff benefits. You will join a motivated, driven and supportive team that strives for excellence and values its members. You will also be part of a successful and high-achieving development team that is making a real difference to the lives of residents in the borough. For more information about the wide variety of benefits you can take advantage of please visit our Staff Benefits page.
Guaranteed Interview Scheme:
As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role, and identify with one of the below criteria:
- Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
- Are currently in care, or have previously been in care
- If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition
Recruitment timetable
Closing date: 15/03/2024 at 23:59
Interview Date: 28/03/2024
SWC1
We are an organisation who is passionate about our people and understands that richness of diversity is a requirement to provide the best possible services to our communities. This is demonstrated through our council-wide ambitious commitment to tackle racial inequality in our communities and workforce through our Southwark Stands Together programme. We particularly welcome applications from members of the Black, Asian and ethnic minority communities to increase representation at senior management level in the Council.
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