Contract Type: Permanent
Working Hours: 37 hours per week
Worker Type: Hybrid Worker
Salary: Starting Salary is £56,730 (Level one) rising to £60,125 per annum (pro rata for part-time) (Pay award pending)
Location: Loxley House, Station Street, Nottingham, NG2 3NG
Working for Nottingham City Council has great benefits. As well as competitive pay, great leave entitlement and access to a generous pension scheme, we strive to create an innovative, inclusive and progressive work culture where everyone is supported to do and be their very best.
About the Role
This role leads Nottingham's Brokerage and Placements Service, securing homes and support for children in a market that is increasingly constrained, costly and complex.
A core focus is children in care and high-cost, high-risk placements, where timely decisions directly affect safety, stability and outcomes.
What you will do
* Lead complex placement searches, including cases where provision is limited or unavailable
* Take ownership of high-cost packages, working with senior leaders to manage financial risk
* Challenge and negotiate with providers to secure appropriate placements at sustainable cost
* Drive pace and grip in the system, ensuring delays and drift are addressed
* Use brokerage intelligence to inform commissioning priorities and market shaping
* Lead a team delivering under pressure, setting clear expectations and standards
About you
This role is aimed at candidates who have done this work, not just worked alongside it.
You will bring
* Direct experience of leading brokerage or placements for children in care or complex needs
* A strong understanding of placement sufficiency, market dynamics and provider behaviours
* Experience of securing placements in challenging circumstances, where there is no straightforward option
* Confidence in holding providers to account and negotiating on price and delivery
* A clear grasp of risk, safeguarding and statutory responsibilities
* The ability to make clear, defensible decisions at pace
You are likely to be
* A current Service Manager, Senior Manager or equivalent in a local authority or provider organisation
* Known for getting things done in difficult situations, not just managing process
* Comfortable working with senior leaders and making recommendations that will be challenged
What success looks like
* Children are placed more quickly, in the right homes
* Fewer escalations and delays in placement searches
* Stronger grip on costs and provider negotiations
* A brokerage service that is trusted, consistent and outcome-focused
Why this role matters
This role sits at the centre of our work to improve placement sufficiency, financial sustainability and outcomes for children.
You will have the space and backing to
* Challenge how things are done
* Influence commissioning and market decisions
* Make a visible difference to children's lives
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