Placements Officer needed in Bedford, £25ph PAYE - Reference: 5295370 To be accountable and responsible for searching thoroughly and sourcing suitable quality placements, taking full responsibility in managing placement searches for children looked after and care leavers. Including for complex cases. To quality assure placement referral search forms, provider documents, checking providers have been regulated and highlighting where this isn’t the case. To manage competing demands and have ability to work in a high-profile area and manage and prioritise requests. To ensure service managers approval for all searches and commissioned placement packages To negotiate packages and costing with external providers To collaborate with social work teams, particularly the fostering team, when trying to source placements to ensure options internally are exhausted before looking externally To manage a range of database systems to record and maintain up to date information about providers, commissioned packages, external placements and develop infrastructure for effective use of this information. To contribute To tender / framework development, evaluation and monitoring To record, maintain, analyse and share data for management and budgetary information and other monitoring data including attending resource panel, monitoring meetings as required. Including but not limited to Freedom of information requests, auditing, reviews To manage respite requests from in house foster carers and find suitable respite matches To communicate with compassion and confidentiality as often placements made be of a sensitive nature To manage payments to external stakeholders for placement packages To communicate clearly with external stakeholders and respond to payment queries This is a full time role on a temporary contract basis. If you are interested in the role please apply on our website with your CV, alternatively you can email your CV to katie@essentialemploy.co.uk quoting the reference number. Essential Employment is acting as an Employment Business in relation to this vacancy. Essential Employment is an Equal Opportunities Employer. All our roles may be subject to pre-employment checks including references so please be prepared. Due to high volumes of CVs received we are not able to respond to all unsuccessful applications. You will always however hear from us by phone if we are able to take your CV forward to the next stage. You can also follow us at Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn or via our website www.essentialemploy.co.uk.