Sheffield City Council’s Integrated Commissioning Service is looking for a Contract Officer to support the quality and sufficiency of provision for Sheffield’s Looked After Children and Care Leavers in the Children in Care in External Placements Team.
The Children in Care in External Placements Team is an exciting place to be as we bring together a range of commissioning functions across our services.
We have strong and positive relationships with Children’s Social Care and external providers enabling us to ensure that we commission ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’ provider services, in the right place that can meet the needs of our children in care.
Working as part of the Children in Care in External Placements Team, the successful applicant's main focus will be to support Commissioning Officers with quality assurance and monitoring visits to external providers.
There may also be opportunities to support the commissioning of existing and new services, and contract management of external services to improve outcomes for children and young people.
We require a confident and committed officer who is motivated, has excellent interpersonal skills, good IT skills, the ability to apply appropriate processes, who can communicate and develop strong working relationships with stakeholders and partners, and who has a focus on achieving good and outstanding services for children and young people.
The post holder will, among other activities:
1. Support the monitoring of contracts, collating monitoring information, undertaking regular site visits and compliance audits, which will involve significant and regular travelling outside of Sheffield.
2. Act as a first point of contact for providers and services for initial enquiries.
3. Support the wider Commissioning Service with activities related to the commissioning, tendering and purchasing of services, including market development as the service develops and grows, support provider events and engagement opportunities.
4. Work to deadlines and deliver a programme of works to ensure contract compliance, including issuing new contracts and individual placement plans for commissioned services.
5. Work closely with placements team, social care, education and health partners and officers.
Successful candidates may come from a range of backgrounds.
Some experience of contracting and procurement would be helpful, but equally important are skills in quality assurance and needs assessment with a solution-focused attitude and a passion for getting the best outcomes for some of Sheffield’s most vulnerable children.
A background and passion for working with Looked After Children and Care Leavers is desirable as is an understanding of working with external providers.
For informal enquiries please contact Gregory Harrison on 07766543852 / Gregory.Harrison@sheffield.gov.uk or Kat Rothwell on 07827978911 / Kat.rothwell@sheffield.gov.uk
To apply please click the Apply Now link below.
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