At Cheshire East we’re making significant, tangible investments in our foundations. This includes strengthening our commissioning function, expanding workforce development and creating clearer, more ambitious pathways. To realise these ambitions, we’re seeking experienced, flexible individuals who want to help us shape the future.
We have an exciting opportunity for a Commissioning Officer – SEND, based at Delamere House, Crewe. To provide operational commissioning support and delivery for SEND working closely with colleagues in Children’s Social Care (CSC), joint commissioning, placements and QA .
About the Role
You will be expected to work flexibly across portfolios to meet business need and priorities. Portfolio focus may be re-prioritised through commissioning governance (HoS/boards) to meet system pressures (e.g. sufficiency, inspection, provider risk).
You will support the commissioning cycle, contract management and market engagement activity to help secure high‑quality, sufficient and value‑for‑money services for children, young people and families.
The successful candidate will:
- Support delivery of commissioning activity for SEND working with colleagues in CSC, joint commissioning and placements and QA portfolios.
- Contribute to needs analysis, service reviews and evidence gathering to inform commissioning intentions and service redesign.
- Support procurement activity, including preparing tender documentation, evaluation materials and contract documentation, in line with procurement regulations.
- Carry out day to day contract management tasks such as monitoring performance data, tracking spends, arranging review meetings and maintaining contract records.
- Liaise with Placements & Brokerage colleagues to provide commissioning intelligence on demand, availability and cost trends.
- Prepare reports, briefing notes and data returns for managers, inspections and partnership meetings.
The successful candidate will bring
- Experience or training in commissioning or public service.
- Excellent administrative and organisational skills within a supporting capacity to commissioning contracts or service delivery teams.
- An overview of commissioning processes, safeguarding principles and public-sector working.
- Application of needs assessment, outcomes-based commissioning and performance management approaches.
- Excellent understanding of information governance, equality duties and basic safeguarding requirements.
- Excellent communication skills
- Flexible approach to work
- Willingness and ability to travel throughout the borough
If you would like to have a confidential conversation about this post prior to application, please contact Natalie Kelly email: [email protected]
Cheshire East Council is committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults across the Borough. As such, any cautions, convictions, reprimands or final warnings that are ‘not protected’ as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) order 1975 (as amended in 2013) relating to the non-disclosure of spent convictions do not apply to this job. You must therefore, disclose whether you have any previous convictions where prompted to do so within the application process.
