Contract Type: Permanent
Salary: Grade G. Scale 23 - £34,434 to Scale 28 - £39,152
Hours Per Week: 36
Base Location: Ashton Old Library, Old Street, Ashton-under-Lyne, OL6 7SG
Assessment Date: To be arranged
Are you passionate about making a real difference in the lives of children and families? Do you bring compassion, curiosity, collaboration, conversation, and courage to your practice? If so, Tameside is looking for you.
The Role
Are you committed to making a positive difference for children, young people and families in Tameside?
We have an excellent opportunity for a motivated Commissioning Officer to join Tameside Council’s Children and Young People’s Commissioning Service.
This role will play a key part in shaping and delivering our Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision priorities across the borough.
Working closely with the Senior Commissioning Officer, you will contribute to the delivery of Tameside’s commissioning intentions for SEND and Alternative Provision. You will support the ongoing development and implementation of our Quality Assurance Framework, ensuring our commissioning activity drives high standards and strengthens relationships with independent specialist education and alternative provision providers.
You will have a central role in overseeing the performance of commissioned services, ensuring providers deliver high-quality education, achieve value for money, and meet the needs of Tameside’s children and young people. Your work will provide assurance to senior leaders that our provision enables children and young people to access appropriate education and make progress towards the outcomes set out in their Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plans.
Ensuring compliance will be a key aspect of this role. You will monitor providers against relevant legislation, including the Children and Families Act, as well as safeguarding and health and safety requirements. Where improvements are needed, you will offer clear guidance and challenge appropriately, supporting providers to meet Tameside’s expectations and standards.
This is a collaborative role, requiring you to build strong working relationships with colleagues across the Council, schools, settings, and external partners to support effective service delivery for our residents.
About You
We are seeking someone who is passionate and dedicated about improving the lives of children, young people and their families and who can work well within a well-established team.
Your essential qualifications
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Good level of Education to ‘A’ Level standard or equivalent i.e. level 3 Qualification
Your essential skills, knowledge and experience
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Substantial experience within a contracting environment
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Project Management approach to managing and reviewing tenders.
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Effective communication skills at both verbal and written levels
- Effective and up to date IT skills
- The ability to monitor and report on financial information
- Effective organisational and planning skills and the ability to coordinate a variety of different activities simultaneously
- The ability to process and manage information effectively including the establishment and maintenance of appropriate systems.
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The ability to take a pro-active approach including initiating work, taking lead responsibility, working autonomously where appropriate
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The ability to work productively with a range of people, including senior officers, independent Providers and people who use services
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The ability to work in complex situations and offer solutions
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The ability to self-reflect and a commitment to own personal and professional development
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The ability to converse at ease with service users/customers and provide advice in accurate spoken English
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Knowledge and understanding of the tasks and processes involved in managing and designing contracts
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Understanding of the relevance of Local Authority Standing Orders relating to contracts and financial regulations, and European procurement regulations
About Us
Message from Jill Colbert, Director of Children’s Services
“I joined the council at the beginning of 2025 and was instantly charmed by the warmth, openness, and energy of colleagues.
“I came to Tameside for one reason; because I know we can do fantastic things for our families here.
“We’re a children’s service on a significant improvement journey. We know what needs to be different for our children and families and we’re ambitious to deliver that change.
“We have a growing range of specialist services for children, where you can test and grow your skills and practice. We have a Social Work Academy that is led by people who bring passion to learning and who know that the DCS’ of the future are right in front of them. We are working on our progression pathways so that staying in Tameside is rewarded and recognised. We have investment in innovation and improvement from the council so that we can grow services and support for families that we can sustain, from family hubs through to complex safeguarding.
“I am so certain that we can build a proud, inclusive and safe climate for great practice to flourish in Tameside. I’d love you to join me on the journey here at Team Tameside.”
Our Heart of Support Practice Approach
At Tameside, we believe in:
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Compassion understanding the lived experiences of children and families.
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Curiosity asking questions that lead to deeper insight and better outcomes for children.
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Collaboration working together across services to deliver joined-up support.
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Conversation listening and engaging meaningfully with children, families and professionals.
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Courage leading with courage, making bold and compassionate decisions that put children first.
At Tameside, we are committed to ensuring all our Citizens lead long, fulfilling and healthy lives. We are committed to supporting economic growth, providing high quality health and care services, protecting our most vulnerable and creating strong and supportive, self-sufficient communities.
We recognise that our people drive our success and enable the organisation to deliver on its vision, purpose and priorities, and that our people are our most important resource and asset. Our values underpin our practice and behaviours, and are at the heart of everything that we do; and we understand that how we do things is just as important as what we do. We pride ourselves on living by our STRIVE values of Support, Trust, Respect, Integrity, Value Diversity and Engage. Our values underpin our practice and behaviours and are at the heart of everything that we do. How we do things are just as important as what we do.
Our employees’ skills, experience and knowledge are essential to our success along with their happiness, wellbeing, commitment, enthusiasm and motivation to be the best they can be.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults and expect all staff to share this commitment. This position is subject to Enhanced with Barred List Disclosure Procedures.
Unfortunately, at this time we are not able to offer sponsorship.
We are committed to developing a culture which respects individuals, appreciates difference and allows everyone regardless of background to reach their full potential. We are proud to be an accredited disability confident employer. Reasonable Adjustments will be considered in accordance with the Equality Act 2010 in relation to the Job Role Criteria.
Our rewards and benefits package can be viewed here
We have made a commitment to improve the employment opportunities for people with disabilities, care leavers, carers, and ex-military personnel. Please click here for more information on our guaranteed assessment scheme.
For further information about this role please contact the recruiting manager Sally Atkinson on 0161 342 3649 or [email protected]
