Description Suffolk County Council - West Suffolk House, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 3YU - Hybrid £58,270 per annum (pro rata for part time) 37 hours per week - Flexible working options available Permanent This advert is open to current redeployment Suffolk County Council staff only This role presents an exciting opportunity to join Suffolk County Council's Adult Social Care Service as a Head of Service Development and Contracts, working from West Suffolk House, Bury St Edmunds. To work with a diverse portfolio of care providers and wider stakeholders to support and develop the best quality service offers. This role will lead on shaping the council’s social care offers across all care market services operating in the locality and working collaboratively with place partners to promote an integrated approach. You will be asked to develop partnerships and service offers that help people live independently and successfully in their own homes. Are you looking for an exciting new challenge? Are you experienced in managing contracts, and commissioning and developing new services? Would you like to join our thriving, supportive and creative teams? Do you want a meaningful career where you’ll be able to make a real difference to people’s lives every single day? Your role and responsibilities We're seeking a dynamic leader who will drive transformative change in Adult Social Care, championing high-quality, personalised care services. In this pivotal role, you'll provide strategic leadership to our Service Development and Contracts team, shaping market priorities and building robust supplier relationships that put customers' lived experiences at the heart of our approach. You'll actively navigate the complex care landscape, identifying emerging trends and opportunities, while forging strong partnerships across Suffolk Integrated Care Boards and local strategic partners. Your ability to make informed decisions, develop innovative commissioning strategies, and promote cross-directorate integration will be crucial in ensuring sustainable, efficient, and person-centred care services that truly make a difference to our community. You can view a full list of requirements in the Job and Person Profile (docx). If you believe you can succeed in this role, apply. Even if you don't meet all requirements, still apply. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application. The team The Service Development and Contracts team operate in a dynamic and pressured environment. The team needs to be agile, balancing its workload between the routine and methodical management of contracts, whilst being sufficiently flexible and agile to respond rapidly to opportunities and challenges presented by the local market. You will directly manage service development and contract managers and have lead responsibility for supplier relationships, with a thorough understanding of stakeholder priorities and supplier commercial drivers. Empowering Everyone We’re big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We’re always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in our Workforce Equality Report For more information For an informal discussion, please contact Clement Mawoyo by calling 07732603657 or emailing clement.mawoyosuffolk.gov.uk or Justine Cook by calling 07860828299 or emailing justine.cooksuffolk.gov.uk How to apply Step 1 - Read the Job and Person Profile (JPP) (docx). Step 2 - Click ‘Apply Now’ to start your online application. Step 3 - Upload a supporting statement answering the following questions below (no more than 400 words per question). You should use the Supporting Statement template. 1. Can you share an example of how you managed a poorly performing supplier? What steps did you take to improve their performance? 2. Describe a situation where you had to bring together multiple stakeholders (NHS, local government, service providers) to deliver an integrated care solution. How did you manage different priorities and perspectives? 3. Tell us about a time when you identified and implemented cost-effective innovations in service delivery. What was your approach and what were the outcomes? 4. Can you share an experience of managing a serious service delivery crisis? How did you maintain service continuity while addressing the underlying issues? Please note: Without a supporting statement, your interest will not be progressed. Any supporting documents must be in either PDF or MS Word format. We value authentic applications that showcase your genuine skills and experiences. Applications suspected of being generated by AI may be rejected. We encourage you to present your own work and ideas throughout the application process. If you require any reasonable adjustments to the application process before the next selection stage, please contact our Recruitment Team by emailing recruitmentsuffolk.gov.uk or calling 03456 014412. If you are invited to the next stage of selection, you will have another opportunity to request adjustments for the next stages of the process. Closing date: 11.30pm, 12 February 2025. This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts. LI-Hybrid