About the Borough This special place in South West London between the capital and the country has been a Royal borough longer than anywhere else - it is where the first kings of England were crowned. Today it is a vibrant and diverse borough, with a long history and strong cultural and community heritage. Kingston's riverside location, fantastic retail offer, historic market place and church, parks and gardens all make Kingston town centre the vibrant space it is, and each of our district town centres (Surbiton, New Malden, Tolworth and Chessington) have something unique to offer. Situated in Zone 6, Kingston is among the best-connected town centres in London - with direct train links from Kingston and Surbiton stations to Clapham Junction and London Waterloo, as well as Wimbledon for an interchange with the London Underground and Tramlink. Kingston's people are innovative and entrepreneurial, and have a strong sense of community pride. The borough has been home to great industry and creativity for many years, reflected in assets such as the Rose Theatre, the International Youth Arts Festival and Kingston University, which boasts more new graduate business start-ups than any other. We have seen tremendous generosity and compassion within our communities, particularly in response to COVID-19, which is a demonstration of Kingston's key strength. The council offers a strong level of support to vulnerable groups and those who need additional support, which has also increased significantly as a result of the pandemic. Like most places, the average age of our population is rising as more people are living longer, so we are working closely with residents to help them maintain their independence and further improve the cost effectiveness of our service to meet the ongoing rise in demand. Kingston is home to people from diverse and interesting cultures and backgrounds, which helps to create the rich sense of community shared across the borough. In particular, Kingston has a large Sri Lankan Tamil community and is home to more people from Korea than any other part of the UK. About the Role and our Ideal Candidate Join a Dynamic Team Shaping the Future of Social Care We are seeking passionate and driven Commissioning Managers to join our innovative Strategic Commissioning Team. We are looking for experienced leaders to spearhead the development and delivery of outcomes focused and person-centred commissioning solutions, across three key portfolios: Children and Young People Working Age Adults Older People In these exciting roles, you will play a crucial part in shaping the strategic direction of social care within your designated portfolio. You will be responsible for: Leading the development and implementation of innovative commissioning strategies aligned with our Whole Lifecycle approach and local health and care priorities. Building and maintaining strong relationships with key stakeholders, including providers, community organisations, commissioners, and service users. Managing budgets effectively and ensuring value for money across all commissioned services. Monitoring and evaluating service performance & impact and identifying areas for improvement. Leading and developing a high-performing team of commissioning professionals. Championing a culture of continuous improvement and embracing new and innovative approaches to service delivery. What we're looking for: Proven experience in working in health or care services, ideally in a public sector environment, in areas such as commissioning, transformation, project management and / or service design & development. Strong leadership and management skills with the ability to motivate and inspire teams. Excellent communication, interpersonal, and negotiation skills. A deep understanding of health and social care needs across the lifespan. A commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of our communities. A strong analytical and problem-solving approach. Please be clear in your application which role(s) you'd like to be considered for and why. Please contact Julia McDonald, Head of Service for ASC Strategy Transformation and Partnerships (julia.mcdonaldkingston.gov.uk) for an informal conversation about these opportunities. About Us The ASC Commissioning Team is at the heart of delivering better outcomes for Kingston residents. We're not just about ticking boxes; we're about transforming how we support people to live independent and fulfilling lives. This is your chance to: Lead on key projects that will transform the way we deliver adult social care services. Work collaboratively with system partners to co-design services that truly meet the needs of our diverse communities, in a challenging financial context. Embrace a flexible and supportive environment where your ideas are valued and your contributions make a real impact. As part of the ASC Strategy & Transformation team, you'll be at the forefront of: Developing impactful strategies that ensure high-quality, value-for-money services are available for years to come. Exploring new approaches and embedding good practice in social care, from technology-enabled solutions to strength based preventative support. Building strong relationships with residents, providers, and other stakeholders to ensure their voices are heard. What we offer: The opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of people in your communities. A challenging and rewarding role with opportunities for professional development. A supportive and inclusive working environment, with hybrid working opportunities. Competitive salary and benefits package. (see Our Offer To You below) Please refer to the attached structure chart to view the team's structure within the service. About You Our Offer To You As an organisation that values and nurtures talent, we're committed to helping you fulfil your potential and will offer you a supportive, friendly and collaborative environment to grow and develop your career and skills. We're constantly striving to improve our ways of working so putting your ideas across however big or small; will be fully encouraged and supported by your colleagues and our dynamic and experienced management team. In addition we offer a modern and flexible working environment for our staff supported by our IT infrastructure, Google Chromebooks and Google Apps, which have acted as a key enabler for collaborative and streamlined working. We operate hybrid working, a flexible working model which allows staff to work from a variety of locations and staff are not required to work within the office 5 days a week. It enables staff to achieve a work life balance whilst still meeting the needs of the organisation. Employees have access to a wide range of benefits, some of which include: Generous annual leave entitlement plus bank holidays (pro-rata if part-time working hours apply) Three volunteering days per year in Kingston Flexible and agile working arrangements Comprehensive learning and development programme Discounts on a range of local shops, restaurants, gyms and leisure centres Interest free season ticket loans Local Government Pension Scheme Bicycle loan facilities and cycle to work scheme Zip car scheme Free eye tests and contribution towards glasses Confidential wellbeing and counselling support Subsidised gym membership Application Process Please apply online outlining what skills, abilities and experience you can bring which makes you an ideal candidate for this role. Please ensure you refer to the requirements outlined in the job profile when completing your application. The closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. Therefore, it is strongly advised that you complete and submit your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. We are committed to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) so all personal information that can identify job applicants e.g. name, title etc is completely anonymised during the shortlisting process. Our hiring managers review applications based on the knowledge, skills and experience demonstrated in your application, and how well these match the job profile. Our HR Shared Service with Sutton Council was recently recognised nationally for having the 'Best Inclusion and Diversity Programme' at the PPMA Excellence in People Management Awards 2023, something that we're incredibly proud of. Hiring managers are encouraged to ensure that their interview panel is diverse, and representative of a range of protected characteristics, to help remove unconscious bias and ensure candidates are treated fairly during the selection process. Some characteristics may not be obvious, but our panels are diverse wherever possible. We have a number of measures in place to inform and support our approach, including mandatory EDI and unconscious bias training for all staff, safer recruitment training for diverse panel members, engaging with our staff networks and encouraging allyship. We are fully committed to removing barriers and enhancing the diversity of our workforce. Additional Information We are proud to be a diverse and welcoming Borough. Our aim is to create a workforce which reflects the community we serve, and staff feel a sense of belonging. We celebrate and respect differences and appreciate the value of having a diverse workforce. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, particularly Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic, and disabled candidates, as these groups are currently under-represented in our workforce. As a Disability Confident employer, we are committed to thinking differently about disability and taking action to improve how we recruit, retain and develop disabled people. We guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum essential criteria for a role. We offer a range of family friendly, inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements, staff engagement forums and inclusive staff networks who help drive our diversity agenda. We are an accredited London Living Wage Employer and this means that everyone working at the Royal Borough of Kingston, regardless of whether they are permanent employees or third-party contractors and suppliers receive the London Living Wage. The real Living Wage is higher than the government's minimum, or National Living Wage, and is an independently calculated hourly rate of pay that is based on the actual cost of living. The UK has introduced a new points-based immigration system affecting EU and Non-EU workers and sponsorship requirements. We advise checking the GOV.UK website for right to work guidance. Important Information - Criminal Records This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to this post will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory result to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) helps employers make safer recruitment decisions and prevent unsuitable people from working with vulnerable groups, including children. It replaces the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA). Job Profile Older People Commissioning Manager Role Profile.docx.pdf - 218KB Opens in a new window Additional Document 1 Working Age Adults Commissioning Mgr_Role Profile.docx.pdf - 209KB Opens in a new window Additional Document 2 Children and Young People Commissioning Manager _ Role Profile.docx.pdf - 238KB Opens in a new window Additional Document 3 Commissioning Team Structure v2 for recruitment.pdf - 67KB Opens in a new window