This role is covering maternity leave but they would like someone to do a 4 month handover so the role will be for a minimum of 12 months. This role can also be done fully remotely.

As one of the three Heads of Commissioning for Care and Support services in Barking and Dagenham, the post-holder will take a leading, strategic role in the planning, commissioning and procurement of services that support the most vulnerable members our community.

Responsible for delivering high-profile improvement programmes that are vital to both the long-term outcomes of our residents, as well as ensuring the Council can deliver sustainable services at a time of considerable change, the post-holder will also ensure that high-quality services are a cornerstone of our business as usual. The post-holder will also carry significant financial and operational risk, with delegated financial authority (to an appropriate level) for spending decisions and discharging our statutory safeguarding and market oversight duties for children and adults placed by the Council in all forms of provision as described in relevant legislation such as the Care Act 2014 and Working Together 2018.

Required to formally deputise for the Commissioning Director, Operational Directors of Care and Support as well as the Director of People Children's and Adults Services (statutory DCS and DASS) each Head of Commissioning will play a highly visible, ambassadorial role for the Council in a multitude of external and public meetings. The role entails significant Member engagement, meeting routinely with the Lead Member for Health Integration and Social Care as well as playing a leading role in many other Member forums e.g. Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Responsibly for ensuring the delivery of key improvement programmes the Heads of Commissioning also have oversight of our new integrated Partnerships and Governance function that will cut across service silos to include Safeguarding Adults, Children, our Health and Wellbeing Board as well as the integrated Brokerage, Placement Finding and Provider Quality Assurance function.

Job Purpose

The post holder will be required to ensure that the Council is planning and commissioning a safe, high quality, cost effective and responsive range of health and social care services to meet emerging needs. The post holder will take a leading role in ensuring that the Council meets new duties and that the Council moves towards maximising the opportunities for integration with Health partners as set out in national policy guidance.

As Head of Commissioning the post-holder will shape and lead our approach to the commissioning, procurement and contract management of Children's Services. Through the commissioning strategies, they will play the leading role in driving forward the improvement, transformation and integration of children services, to deliver improved outcomes for children, young people and their families.

This role is highly placed within the Council in terms of its strategic accountability, its purpose in developing and commissioning services with partners, its operational profile and targeted aims and objectives. The post holder will be expected to demonstrate highly visible leadership around the change process as the new structure is embedded and the effective delivery of the various impacts, providing policy advice, support and constructive challenge as may be required.

Specific Accountabilities of the Role

· To provide strategic leadership for the Council's commissioning mandates and plans, which involves working with senior officers and members across the council, external partners and providers to achieve the best outcomes for residents.



· To develop a strategic and evidence-based approach to commissioning, understanding the organisation's priorities and assessing a range of policy and service delivery options to best deliver the desired outcomes in a strategic and cross cutting way.



· Responsibly for ensuring the delivery of one of the Council's three key strategies (in this case the Prevention, Independence and Resilience Strategy).



· To lead on the commissioning of services through a range of options including negotiation, procurement, partnership development, enabling, regulating etc. To produce service specifications and service level agreements to achieve improved outcomes for service users.



· To constructively challenge and provide leadership in terms of holding providers to account for performance and ensure commissioned services provide value for money and deliver against agreed specifications, including managing risks and underperformance. To report on delivery of outcomes to stakeholders including elected members and other council officers.



· Formally deputise for the Commissioning Director, Operational Directors of Care and Support as well as the Director of People and Resilience (statutory DCS and DASS) each Head of Commissioning will play a highly visible, ambassadorial role for the Council in a multitude of external and public meetings.



· To carry significant financial and operational risk, with delegated financial authority (to an appropriate level) for spending decisions and discharging our statutory safeguarding and market oversight duties for children and adults placed by the Council in all forms of provision as described in relevant legislation such as the Care Act 2014 and Working Together 2018.



· To ensure an effective Brokerage and Placement Finding function is in operation, delivering the highest-quality provision for our most vulnerable residents in the most cost-effective, financially robust way.

This role is to start in June, so if you are interested please send your updated CV in the first instance.