Are you an experienced commissioning or contracts professional passionate about improving outcomes for children and young people? Connect2Hackney, the council's internal talent team, is seeking a proactive and skilled Commissioning & Contracts Officer to join our new, ambitious Integrated Commissioning & Health Function. This is a crucial role supporting the delivery of services across our Children & Families, Education & SEND, and Health portfolios. You will be at the heart of our mission to ensure the social care, educational, and health needs of Hackney's children are met through high-quality, value-for-money services. If you have a strong background in commissioning, procurement, or contract management and want to make a tangible impact, we want to hear from you. Your Role and Responsibilities As a Commissioning & Contracts Officer, you will manage a varied and dynamic workload. Your key responsibilities will include: Procuring Services: Supporting the full commissioning cycle by negotiating, drawing up, and procuring a diverse range of contracts with children's service providers. Contract Management: Taking responsibility for a portfolio of contracts, ensuring they deliver on commissioning outcomes through robust financial and performance monitoring. Project Leadership: Providing high-quality project management for key initiatives, including service reviews, options appraisals, and business cases. Market Development: Engaging with and developing the provider market through relationship management, provider forums, and identifying gaps in service provision. Stakeholder Engagement: Building and maintaining constructive relationships with a complex range of internal and external stakeholders, including colleagues in health, education, and social care. User Involvement: Leading on activities to ensure the voices of service users are central to our commissioning strategies, using innovative ways to gather feedback.About You We are looking for a candidate with a strategic mindset and a proven ability to manage complex projects and relationships. You should have: Relevant Experience: Demonstrable experience of working in a commissioning or contracting context, ideally within an education, health, or social care setting. Stakeholder Management: A proven track record of working successfully with partner agencies and managing complex relationships with internal and external stakeholders. Project Delivery: Experience of successfully initiating, developing, and implementing projects, and being accountable for their delivery within set deadlines. Contracting Skills: Experience with procurement, supplier relationship development, and establishing contract monitoring arrangements. Analytical Ability: Experience in budget management and/or the analysis of financial information, with strong research and analytical skills. Strong Communication: The ability to present information clearly to diverse audiences, with strong report writing skills.Why Hackney? This is an exciting time to join the London Borough of Hackney. You will be part of a new, integrated team working to deliver the best possible outcomes for our residents. We offer a supportive, high-performance culture and are committed to your learning and development. Commercial Services Trading Ltd is acting as an Employment Business in relation to this vacancy