Senior Commissioning Officer

2 x Senior Commissioning Officer (Children's Services) - Ref: CH01626

G10 £47,181 - £50,269 Full Time (37 hours)

Join our Children's Commissioning Team in Walsall

We are looking for two experienced commissioning professionals to design and improve services for children and young people, working across the Council and with partners to deliver high-quality, inclusive services that improve outcomes for children and young people and their families.

Roles Senior Commissioning Officer - Lifelong Learning and Inclusion

This role leads commissioning activity across education related provision and inclusive pathways, including:

• Alternative Provision (AP)
• Independent day and residential school placements
• Transitions and preparing for adulthood
• Sufficiency, market development and cost control across education and learning provision

You will play a critical role in securing high quality, inclusive local provision and reducing reliance on out of area and high cost placements.

Senior Commissioning Officer - Early Intervention and Communities

This role focuses on commissioning across prevention and community based pathways, including:

• Family Hubs and early intervention systems
• Holiday Activities and Food (HAF), including SEND inclusion and discretionary access
• Development of Voluntary, Community and Faith Sector (VCFS) provision
• Wider prevention, youth, early years and parenting support

You will be central to strengthening prevention, reducing escalation into statutory services, and maximising the impact of quality community based provision.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead service reviews and commissioning activity across the commissioning cycle, ensuring services are outcome-focused and deliver value for money
• Shape and develop provider markets to improve quality and local sufficiency
• Co create joint commissioning strategies with education, health and social care partners
• Champion co production so lived experience informs service design
• Use data and insight to inform decision making
• Monitor provider performance, quality and risk across our commissioned services
• Prepare reports, business cases and recommendations for senior leaders and elected members
• Represent the Council at local, regional and national forums
• Deputise for Commissioning Managers where required

About You

You are a confident system leader with experience of commissioning in complex environments, shaping markets, working across organisational boundaries and turning strategy into delivery. You are comfortable influencing senior stakeholders, using data to inform and drive decisions, and confident holding providers to account while building strong relationships. Most importantly, if you are motivated by improving outcomes for children, young people and families, then this is the role for you.

Legal Requirements

This post is covered by the Government's Code of Practice on the English Language Fluency Duty for public sector workers. The post holder will be required to communicate verbally with customers and provide advice and/or information in accurate spoken English.

Walsall Council takes seriously its responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children, young people and vulnerable adults entrusted to our care and expects all staff to share this commitment. All staff will undergo a baseline professional security standard (BPSS) check and any post requiring an enhanced DBS clearance must declare any periods of time lived, studied or worked abroad and provide an Overseas Criminal Records Certificate or Statement of Good Conduct.