Job Description
Commissioning Manager – Home Finding & Support Service Northamptonshire’s Children Trust – NN1 1ED\n\n37 Hours Per Week\n\n3 – 6 Months\n\nEnhanced Child DBS needed\n\nFlexible Working\n\nI am currently representing Northamptonshire’s Children Trust who are offering an initial temporary contract for a period of 3 – 6 months with a view to be extended or offered a permanent position for the right candidate at a rate which is negotiable dependent upon experience.\n\nWe are looking for Commissioning Manager based at: NN1 1ED\n\nKey Accountabilities:\n\nReporting to the Service Manager and / or the Strategic Manager for the Commissioning and Strategy function of Northamptonshire Children’s Trust (NCT), this department oversees all internal and external commissioned services. They will ensure that services are meeting the specified outcomes identified within the NCT Business Plan and further, deliver improved outcomes for children and their families.\n\nTo take the lead and deliver evidenced based services for vulnerable children and young people, and their families. To ensure the development and maintenance of high-quality evidence-based services commensurate with the principles of best value which meet the identified local need in line with nationally and locally agreed strategic priorities.\n\n * To provide the operational leadership and management for the Home Finding and Support Service\n\n * To review policies and processes and implement change to improve operational efficiency (e.g.
duty arrangements, forward planning, record keeping etc)\n\n * To review joint funding arrangements and implement change to embed consistent practice to improve partner contributions rates\n\n * To continue to develop the approach to provider negotiation and the development of the team’s skillset in this area.\n\n * To continue to embed circle to success and the use of benchmarking tools as part of normal practice in discussions with providers\n\n * To work with the service to develop the relationship management approach with the external market\n\n * To work across the service as needed to address Northamptonshire’s Sufficiency duties, ensuring that services are commissioned to meet statutory and local requirements so that services are matched to need.\n\n * To work with the service manager to implement cultural change\n\n * To contribute to the annual service plan\n\nRequirements:\n\n * Degree level education (essential)\n\n * Management Studies e.g. PgCMS, PgDMS, MBA (essential)\n\n * Good understanding of Children’s Services. Knowledge of current legislation and national initiatives.
(essential)\n\n * Solid experience of the commissioning cycle and strategic frameworks to manage services. (essential)\n\n * Detailed knowledge of the Government’s agenda for modernising Children’s Services.\n\n * An understanding of a local authority’s sufficiency duties for Looked After Children, Early Years, and other vulnerable cohorts.\n\n * Experience in the strategic development of services in Children’s Services.\n\n * The ability to forge and maintain solid working relationships with internal and external partners. (essential)\n\n * Solid operational project management skills.
(essential)\n\n * Excellent written and interpersonal skills. Able to produce clear reports detailing complex situations, able to present with clear analysis and recommendations. Solid presentation skills - able to present at all levels and gain buy-in to change.
(essential)\n\n * Competent in the design and development of information systems and aptitude to utilise information technology. (essential)\n\n * Solid budget management skills, able to manage complex budgets including the delivery of management controls for expenditure. (essential)\n\n * Experience of working in a commissioning environment at a strategic and operational level with public, private, and voluntary sector organisations.
(essential)\n\n * In depth experience of managing a Brokerage Service ensuring good placements are made that meet the ends of children and are value for money. (essential)\n\n * Ability to form and sustain relationships with internal and external colleagues and service users. (essential)\n\n * Ability to establish and develop monitoring systems for the continuous development of services.
(essential)\n\n * Ability to risk assess whilst effectively developing and managing services and strategic priorities. (essential)\n\n * Ability to liaise and negotiate effectively with a range of organisations and departments, service users and carers. (essential)