Senior Referrals & Placements Manager
We are seeking an experienced, organised, proactive, and compassionate Senior Referrals & Placements Manager to join our Head Office team. This is a fast-paced, rewarding, and highly responsible role supporting the referral, commissioning, placement, and onboarding process for young people within our services.
The successful candidate will play a senior role in managing referral pathways, commissioning relationships, framework opportunities, and complex placements, acting as a key point of contact for local authorities, commissioners, and internal departments. You will be responsible for overseeing placement management processes, maintaining accurate records and compliance documentation, managing communications, supporting strategic occupancy planning across OFSTED and CQC services, and driving service growth through effective partnership working.
This position requires a confident and professional individual with excellent organisational abilities, strong communication skills, commercial awareness, and the ability to manage multiple priorities within a busy operational environment.
Key Responsibilities
- Oversee and manage referrals, ensuring all tracking systems and records are updated daily.
- Coordinate, assess, and prioritise placement enquiries across multiple services.
- Manage the full placement lifecycle from referral through to funding agreement, admission, and successful move-in.
- Respond to referrals, commissioning requests, emails, and enquiries efficiently and professionally.
- Liaise directly with local authorities, commissioners, and placement teams regarding referrals, placement suitability, service availability, and funding arrangements.
- Develop and maintain strong relationships with local authority commissioners, brokerage teams, and framework providers.
- Monitor and manage local authority frameworks, dynamic purchasing systems (DPS), and tender opportunities relevant to the organisation's services.
- Prepare and submit Expressions of Interest (EOIs), placement offers, referrals, and supporting documentation within required timescales.
- Coordinate and lead meetings relating to potential OFSTED and CQC placements, including minute-taking, action planning, and follow-up.
- Work closely with operational managers to assess placement suitability, risks, compatibility, and service capacity.
- Monitor occupancy levels, forecast vacancies, and contribute to strategic placement and commissioning plans to maximise service utilisation.
- Collaborate with finance, operational, and senior leadership teams regarding placements, costings, funding agreements, occupancy performance, and growth opportunities.
- Maintain and oversee databases, trackers, commissioning records, and young person files, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and audit readiness.
- Monitor bedroom availability, planned vacancies, and transition planning for young people approaching adulthood.
- Ensure all required compliance, funding, and placement documentation is received and verified prior to move-in.
- Produce and present monthly referral, commissioning, occupancy, and placement analysis reports for senior management.
- Support continuous improvement of referral, commissioning, and placement processes to ensure efficient service delivery and positive outcomes for young people.
- Represent the organisation professionally with external stakeholders, commissioners, local authorities, and partner agencies.
- Support business development activities through relationship management, framework engagement, and identification of placement opportunities.
Essential Skills & Experience
- Proven experience in referrals, commissioning, placements, or occupancy management within children's services, supported accommodation, social care, healthcare, or a related sector.
- Strong understanding of local authority commissioning processes, placement pathways, funding arrangements, and service specifications.
- Experience working with local authorities, commissioners, brokerage teams, frameworks, dynamic purchasing systems (DPS), and commissioning portals.
- Demonstrable experience managing complex placements from referral through to admission and occupancy.
- Excellent organisational, administrative, and time management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
- Strong communication and relationship-building skills, with confidence engaging professionally at all levels.
- High attention to detail and experience maintaining accurate records, reports, and compliance documentation.
- Strong IT skills, including the use of databases, spreadsheets, referral management systems, and reporting tools.
- Ability to work independently, use initiative, and contribute to service development and continuous improvement.
Desirable Experience
- Experience within children's residential care, healthcare, youth services, supported accommodation, education, or regulated care settings.
- Knowledge of OFSTED and/or CQC regulated services.
- Experience in occupancy management, service growth, and placement strategy.
- Understanding of safeguarding, risk assessment, and compatibility considerations when assessing placements.
- Experience supporting tender submissions, framework applications, or commissioning opportunities.
Personal Qualities
- Compassionate, professional, and highly reliable.
- Flexible and adaptable within a busy and evolving environment.
- Confident communicator with a proactive and positive approach.
- Strong relationship-builder with the ability to engage effectively with commissioners, local authorities, and stakeholders.
- Commercially aware with a solutions-focused mindset.
- Strong team player with the ability to build effective professional relationships.
- Able to remain calm, organised, and decisive under pressure.
If you are passionate about supporting young people and are looking for an opportunity to take on a senior leadership role within referrals, commissioning, and placement management in a dynamic and growing organisation, we would love to hear from you.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: £30,000.00-£35,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Work Location: In person
