Directorate: Adults Social Care & All Age Commissioning
Section: All Age Commissioning
Location: Civic Centre
Grade: SM4
Hours: 37 hours per week
This advert is open to both internal and external applicants.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council is looking for an exceptional strategic leader to join our All Age Commissioning leadership team as Head of Commissioning – Adults. This is a rare opportunity to lead major transformation across Adult Social Care and Public Health, influencing how commissioned services are delivered for residents across the city.
You’ll work at the heart of a highly ambitious organisation, driving commissioning strategies, market development, service redesign and innovation to improve outcomes for adults and older people. You'll play a pivotal role in delivering transformation, supporting CQC improvement activity, and ensuring services remain sustainable, high quality and focused on what matters most to local people. We're looking for someone who:
- Has significant senior level commissioning experience within local government, health or the wider public-sector.
- Can lead complex transformation programmes and deliver measurable outcomes.
- Brings strong commercial, financial and political acumen.
- Builds effective partnerships across organisations and sectors.
- Is passionate about improving lives and making best use of public resources.
Why join us?
- Lead some of the most important transformation programmes in the city.
- Influence strategic decisions at the highest level.
- Work across children, adults, public health and integrated care.
- Be part of an ambitious team committed to innovation, collaboration and continuous improvement.
- Make a lasting difference to the lives of Stoke-on-Trent residents.
- If you're a strategic thinker, passionate leader and accomplished
The Role:
Team: The All Age Commissioning Team leads the strategic planning, commissioning and market development of a wide range of services across Children & Families, Adult Social Care, Public Health and All Age Transport. The team plays a central role in driving transformation, delivering efficiencies, ensuring statutory responsibilities are met and shaping high-quality services for local residents.
Directorate: Adult Social Care and All Age Commissioning is responsible for shaping, commissioning and transforming services that support children, young people, families, adults and older people across Stoke-on-Trent. Working closely with health partners, providers and communities, we develop innovative, sustainable solutions that improve outcomes, deliver value for money and ensure residents receive the right support at the right time.
Role: This is an exciting senior leadership opportunity to lead strategic commissioning and transformation across a diverse portfolio of services. You will influence system-wide change, develop innovative commissioning solutions, deliver ambitious transformation and savings programmes, and work with partners across local government, health and the voluntary sector to improve outcomes for Stoke-on-Trent residents. The role offers the chance to make a lasting impact on the future of services across the city.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Lead the development and delivery of strategic commissioning plans across Adult Social Care and, Public Health.
2. Drive large scale transformation programmes, service redesign and innovation for externally commissioned services and in house provision to improve outcomes for residents and deliver sustainable savings.
3. Provide strategic leadership for market shaping, provider relationships and commissioning activity, ensuring high quality, value for money services.
4. Build strong partnerships with NHS colleagues, providers, communities and other key stakeholders to deliver integrated, person centred services.
5. Lead and support statutory improvement activity, including CQC Assurance and Adult Social Care market sustainability requirements.
6. Manage significant budgets and commissioning programmes, providing expert advice and assurance to senior leaders, elected members and strategic boards.
About You:
1. Significant experience of strategic commissioning, service transformation and change delivery within local government, health or the wider public sector.
2. Strong leadership skills with a track record of leading high-performing teams and delivering results in complex environments.
3. Experience of managing large budgets, delivering savings programmes and applying commercial thinking to improve outcomes and value for money.
4. Excellent partnership building skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate effectively across organisations, including health partners, providers and elected members.
5. Extensive knowledge of Adult Social Care commissioning, procurement and contract management, together with relevant statutory and regulatory frameworks.
6. A strategic and innovative mindset, with the ability to use data, insight and evidence to shape services, drive improvement and deliver better outcomes for residents.
What we offer:
- A competitive salary based on your skills, experience and talent
- Hybrid and flexible working options
- An excellent local authority benefits pension scheme
- Professional development through learning opportunities, regular training sessions and apprenticeship and management schemes
- Further information on our Rewards and Benefits can be found here
For more information on the role, please contact the Recruiting Manager, Shelley Brough, [email protected]
Proposed interview date W/C 17th August
About us:
We are a city of strengths, with a proud heritage and bright future. Working for Stoke-on Trent City Council is more than just a job, it's about making, protecting and improving the services for the local population, reducing inequalities and improving independence for the people who live and work in the city. And that’s where you come in. We are always looking for people of the highest calibre with skills, knowledge and experience to help us deliver our compelling vision.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s diverse and talented workforce is its greatest asset and most valuable resource. The skills, knowledge and experience of our c.4,600 employees are essential to delivering our ambitions and vision for our organisation and Stoke-on-Trent. We want to be an employer that people are proud to work for, and where our staff are supported, developed and rewarded in an inclusive way that helps them to excel and to deliver the high-quality services that our residents need.
Further information on the Council and our directorates
Pre-Employment Checks:
Any offer of employment will be subject to the successful completion of required pre-employment checks. These may include:
- Occupational Health Clearance
- Evidence of professional qualifications or registrations
- DBS check at the appropriate level (if applicable for the role)
The Council will not accept any speculative CVs from employment agencies. No agency terms and conditions accompanying any such CVs will be accepted by the Council. Any unsolicited information sent by an employment agency will be treated as the property of the Council.
Organisation Process
Please note that if an employee who is currently at risk of redundancy within the organisation applies for this vacancy their application will receive priority. If this happens you will be advised accordingly.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
At Stoke-on-Trent City Council, we believe our strength comes from the diversity of our community, and we want our workforce to reflect that. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and experiences. We understand that some people, especially those from underrepresented or marginalised backgrounds, may hesitate to apply if they don’t meet all the listed requirements. If this role interests you and you think you could be a good fit, we encourage you to apply. We are proud of what makes each of us unique and are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels included, can be themselves, and can succeed together.
To Apply
If you have any queries or want an application form in another format, please email
[email protected] or call us on 01782 238189.
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