Contract & Quality Assurance Manager – Children’s Commissioning Team Are you driven by the ambition to make a real difference in the lives of children and young people? Are you looking for an opportunity to work within a specialist service where your skills and knowledge will be developed whilst working in a friendly and supportive team? At Solihull Council, we pride ourselves on being a Council that is small enough to care, but big enough to make a difference. Being ambitious for Solihull children remains central to all our work as a Council and Children’s Services is our top priority within our Council Plan, placing children at the heart of all that we do. The Children’s Commissioning and Placements Team within Solihull Council have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Contract and Quality Assurance Manager to join their team of specialist officers. We have a fantastic opportunity for a motivated and innovative Contract and Quality Assurance Manager who will be responsible for monitoring and reviewing the performance and quality across a portfolio of contracts, responding to and addressing quality assurance and the performance of our contracts to ensure that we use our funding in the most effective way to provide the right support to children, in the right place, at the right time. You will be responsible for building and maintaining positive relationships with a multitude of independent providers and partner agencies whilst ensuring our children & young people are securing positive outcomes in line with their care plan. To be successful in this role you will have : A degree level qualification (or equivalent) or you will be able to demonstrate specialist skills and knowledge gained from experiential learning. Experience of working in a quality assurance and / or contract management environment. Experience of contract management and working knowledge of its practices, regulatory frameworks and techniques. The ability to engage and build relationships with providers and stakeholders at all levels using strong interpersonal and communication skills. A commercial awareness of managing external suppliers and assessing market requirements In return, you will be working as part of a friendly and supportive team and will have the opportunity to shape and further develop our Contract Management & Quality Assurance Framework to improve outcomes for vulnerable children and young people and ensure continuous improvement with regards to quality standards, performance and value for money. Working for Solihull, we also offer: A range of flexible working options including a flex-time scheme Generous annual leave entitlements with the opportunity to purchase up to 10-days additional leave per year Access to our Employee Assistance Programme – a 24-hour independent, free and confidential advice and support service Family and carer friendly policies Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme Employee benefits including staff discounts, subsidised travel passes and Cycle 2 Work Scheme To apply, please click on the link below. If you have a specific question regarding this post, please contact: Fran Murray, Senior Quality and Contracts Manager on 07721 237493/ frances.murray@solihull.gov.uk Closing date – 9 September 2025 Interviews will take place on Wednesday 24 September This post requires an Enhanced DBS check. This is an essential car user post as the demands of the job make it operationally essential and there is a contractual requirement to make a suitable vehicle available to ensure the requirements of the job can be carried out effectively. Applicants must be able to drive, have a driving licence and be a car owner, however for disabled applicants, reasonable adjustments will be made where required. This post is covered by the Fluency Duty, as outlined in the Code of Practice on the English language requirements for public sector workers. Solihull Council has a responsibility for, and is committed to, safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk, and requires all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Solihull Council is proud to be an Equal Opportunities Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees - a place where we can all be ourselves and succeed on merit. Attached documents SOL-TP-179-1522 JDPS Contract and Quality Assurance Manager.docx