Description Are you a residential manager who is keen to grow your skills in a commissioning role, offering expertise in quality assurance and home finding for children who are looked after? Are you interested in supporting children and carers to build packages of support to help them succeed? The Placement & Commissioning team is part of the integrated Looked After Children’s service in East Sussex. The post holder will work collaboratively with other managers to lead on all aspects of placement finding for all children requiring care, with a specialist focus on Supported Accommodation and residential quality assurance. You will also manage our placement support team, overseeing delivery of focussed packages to enhance placement stability. You will be involved in the growth and development of a Commissioning team, to ensure needs led, quality and best value placements for the Local Authority. The Placement and Commissioning team is a dynamic, high performing service. Working in close collaboration with the fostering service, social work teams and providers, you will be an excellent communicator and strong negotiator. We are looking for candidates who can: Communicate effectively in highly charged, complex and challenging circumstances to support professional decision making. Build relationships with stake holders with an understanding of local and national sufficiency. Negotiate to achieve needs led, cost effective packages of support that are excellent quality. Offer strong leadership and professional, reflective supervision to the staff team. Within this role you will need to: thrive under pressure and enjoy working with crisis, at pace. be confident in your decision making and understanding of risk. be creative and driven in your approach to problem solving. build relationships while offering appropriately challenge. The successful candidate will have strong multi-agency working skills, some experience of supervision of staff, be a confident motivator and hold a L5 residential qualification, with clear social work values. Experience of commissioning would be advantageous, but not essential. Please download the job description and person specification for more information. When writing your supporting statement be sure to address how you meet all the criteria in the person specification drawing on any relevant work/life experience, education or personal interests. For guidance on how to write an application see our how to apply page. Interviews will be in person on Monday 13 th October at St Marys House in Eastbourne. For more information about Children's Services in East Sussex please visit Children and families | East Sussex County Council or for an informal discussion please contact Donna Collins- donna.collins@eastsussex.gov.uk We offer a diverse range of benefits to help and support you during your employment. More information can be found on our benefits page. Work with an organisation who possess clear vision, strong leadership and help to create an environment of stability and security for children.