Job Description

Job info	Job info details
Job title	Commissioning Support Officer (Children’s Services)
Strategic team/Directorate	Finance
Service	Commercial Services
Business unit	Children’s Services Commissioning
Responsible to (day to day issues)	Head of Children’s Commissioning
Accountable to (line manager)	Head of Children’s Commissioning
Salary grade	F
JE ref	JCT56

1. Key purpose of job

To provide support across the Children’s Services commissioning for activities undertaken across all aspects of the commissioning and procurement cycles, including services jointly commissioned with internal and external partners.
To provide support to the Commercial Services Team for issuing and managing robust contracts.
To develop and maintain systems to quality assure the commissioning process and ensure the maintenance of professional and ethical practice, both internally and externally.
To develop, maintain and support review process for commissioned services.
To manage or provide support to the Head of Children’s Commissioning and Strategic Commissioning Officers on specific projects undertaken within Children’s Services, which will include working with a range of internal and external stakeholders.
To co-ordinate and produce the components required for commissioning, procurement and contract management. This includes the production of comprehensive regular budgetary information and performance reports to support the management of commissioned provision and the documentation to ensure effective de-commissioning or re-commissioning or commissioning of services.

2. Anticipated outcomes of post

Capacity and support across all sectors is in place to enable officers within Children’s Services with a commissioning and/or contract management responsibility to develop and implement commissioning strategies and manage contracts with greater efficiency, delivering against the agreed outcomes of specific projects.
There is effective and informed quality assurance for the commissioning process.
The right services are commissioned internally and externally to deliver the very best outcomes for our children, young people and their families, whilst ensuring best value within allocated and reducing resources and cost avoidance.
Effective commissioning supports the development, implementation and monitoring of services to ensure quality, effectiveness, efficiency and value for money of all services.
Partnership working, joint commissioning, co-production and co-design is intrinsic to everything we do and we have effective relationships in place with key strategic partners and stakeholders.
The approach to commissioning is fully informed by best practice, a sound evidence base, local and national priorities, prevailing legislation and regulatory guidance.

3. List key duties and accountabilities of the post

As an Employee of Torbay Council all roles are expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. The Designated Senior Lead for Safeguarding is the Chief Executive and Director of Children’s Services.
To conduct relevant research in relation to changes in Government policy, contribute to strategic needs assessment, best practice across other Local Authorities benchmarking and the development of local policies, procedures and protocols.
To provide commissioning support across a diverse range of Children’s Services agendas, to have an understanding and working knowledge of each area and be prepared to manage the effective change from one area to another within conflicting priorities.
To provide support to the Head of Children’s Commissioning and Strategic Commissioning Officers when undertaking consultation with providers, service users, other key stakeholders and partners. Carrying out such activities as cross authority working, planning events, carrying out consultation activities and collating, analysing and reporting on the feedback given.
To work with internally and externally commissioned service providers to embed performance management, monitor and support the implementation, delivery and achievement of service improvement plans.
To support the development and sharing of best practice across internally and externally commissioned service providers, through supporting collaboration between partners and individual service support and associated working groups, as appropriate.
To gather collate and analyse feedback from key stakeholders to inform the quality review process for individual services.
To undertake preparatory work for formal contract review meetings by identifying highlights and exceptions in performance and processes.
To contribute to informing strategic need and service delivery changes as required.
To assist with the development of service specifications and other tender documents. To lead on or provide support for specific projects undertaken by the Children’s Services Commissioning as required. Including procurement planning (timetabling, scheduling and arranging stakeholder and market warming events) engagement with key stakeholders, delivery of project outcomes and reporting to the relevant project board on key targets and milestones.
To contribute to the development of contracts and Service Level Agreements to ensure performance and financial accountability for commissioned services and to inform budget monitoring.
Primary contact for internally and externally commissioned providers for any performance and financial aspects of the Children’s Services commissioning functions.
To lead on the response coordination for Freedom of Information requests for the Children’s commissioning function within the Commercial Services Team either as the response author or coordinate information gathering to answer Freedom of Information enquiries.
Performance Monitoring to provide benchmarking information to determine value for money and best value practices in provider costs. Assist in the assessment of unit costs information, identifying those contracts which are over-priced and high cost schemes.
To represent Children’s Services commissioning in multi-agency meetings as appropriate to the service area and participate in local, regional and national working groups as required.
Any other duties commensurate with the post as may be required from time to time.

4. Budgetary/Financial Responsibilities of the post

None.

5. Supervision/Line Management Responsibilities of the post

None.

6. Working environment and conditions of the post

Normal working conditions.

7. Physical demands of the post

Normal physical demands.

8. Specific resources used by the post

Normal resources.

9. Key contacts and relationships

External:
- Externally commissioned service providers. Service users and their representatives.
- Other local authorities (specifically South West Peninsula local authorities) and public bodies, external boards, Torbay maintained schools and academies.
- Council’s key strategic partners and wholly owned companies, including but not limited to Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, Devon Integrated Care Board, Devon Combined Authority, SWISCo, Torbay Education Ltd.
- Local business forums, including Federation of Small Business, Chamber of Commerce and Torbay Business Forum.
- Voluntary and community sector organisations, including Torbay Communities and Imagine This Partnership.
Internal:
- Director of Finance, Finance Senior Management Team, Finance Managers and Officers.
- Senior Leadership Team, Financial Services staff, officers at all levels across the Council, the Leader and Deputy Leader, Finance Portfolio Holder, Cabinet and all other Members, through formal and informal governance routes.
- Children’s Services, Public Health, Adult Services, Community & Customer Services (Community Safety and Housing Options).
- Children’s Services Divisional and Senior Leadership Teams.
- Individual Children’s Services programme and project boards where applicable.

10. Other duties

To undertake additional duties as required, commensurate with the level of the job.

Other Information

All staff must commit to Equal Opportunities and Anti-Discriminatory Practice.
The Council operates a Smoke-Free Policy and the post-holder is prohibited from smoking in any of the Council's buildings (including Council owned and Council leased buildings, but excluding designated areas in residential schemes), enclosed spaces within the curtilage of buildings, and Council vehicles. The Council does not permit smoking breaks within work time, however, in services where the flexi-scheme is in operation, employees may take reasonable break times outside of core hours, in accordance with flexi-time arrangements. Employees should follow the flexi-scheme procedure for agreeing time away from their duties in the normal manner with their immediate colleagues and line manager, with break start and finish times being recorded, as with any other break-time arrangement.
The post-holder is expected to familiarise themselves with and adhere to all relevant Council Policies and Procedures.
The post-holder must comply with the Council’s Health and Safety requirements as outlined in the H&S policy appropriate to the role.
This post is office based at Tor Hill House but the post holder may be required to move their base to any other location within the Council at a future date.
The post is eligible for both hybrid working.
The post-holder must be committed to the Council’s Core Values for employees – “Torbay Council employees are committed to being forward thinking, people orientated and adaptable - always with integrity”. Evidence will be sought during the probation and appraisal processes.
If you are required to use your own vehicle on Council business or drive a council vehicle you will be asked to provide information on any driving endorsements by accessing gov.uk/view-driving-licence and providing a code to your Line Manager in order to share your driving licence information with the Council.
You will be asked to complete a Criminal Records Self Declaration Form. Criminal convictions will only be taken into account when they are relevant to the post. You will only be asked to disclose ‘unspent’ convictions.
As this post meets the requirements in respect of exempted questions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, all applicants who are offered employment will be subject to a criminal record check (Disclosure) from the Disclosure & Barring Service before the appointment is confirmed. This will include details of ALL cautions, reprimands or final warnings as well as convictions, whether “spent” or “unspent”. Criminal convictions will only be taken into account when they are relevant to the post.
Torbay Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo the checks appropriate to the post applied for.
The post holder is expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures.

Person Specification

Note for Candidate

All Candidates

The supporting statement on your application form will be used to assess ability to meet the essential requirements of the role, so you should explain how you meet each of the numbered essential requirements within your supporting statement. In a competitive situation, the desirable criteria may be taken into consideration, so you are encouraged to show how you also meet each of the desirable criteria.

Candidates who consider that they have a disability

Reasonable adjustments will be made to the job, job requirements or recruitment process for candidates with a disability.

If you consider yourself to have a disability you should indicate this on your application form, providing any information you would like us to take into account with regard to your disability in order to offer a fair selection interview.

Where ever possible and reasonable we will make adjustments and offer alternatives to help you through the application and selection process.

If you have indicated that you have a disability on your application form you will be guaranteed an interview if you clearly demonstrate in your supporting evidence how you broadly meet the essential requirements of the role.

Job info	Job info details
Job Title	Commissioning Support Officer (Children’s Services)
Strategic team/Directorate	Finance
Service	Commercial Services
Business unit	Children’s Services Commissioning

Skills and effectiveness

Essential skills and effectiveness

Interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with a range of people; service users, suppliers, all levels within the Authority, external agencies and partner organisations.
Numerical and analytical skills.
Ability to meet challenging deadlines and work with competing demands across a diverse range of disciplines.
IT related proficiencies including MS Office.
Ability to organise and record meetings.
The ability to work effectively as part of a team as well as autonomously and use own initiative.
Ability to interpret complex information/data.
Ability to research, analyse and evaluate.
Ability to observe confidentiality.
Proven organisational and time management skills.

Desirable skills and effectiveness

Contract preparation, tender analysis and evaluation skills.
Demonstrate a flair to build and maintain effective relationships with providers, service users, agencies etc.
Negotiation skills.
Empathy and understanding of the needs of service users.
Experience of commissioning.
Budget setting, oversight and management skills, including a working understanding of financial procedures and financial standing orders.

Knowledge

Essential knowledge

Knowledge and understanding of all elements of the Commissioning Cycle.
Knowledge of Microsoft Office applications.
Knowledge of quality assurance frameworks.
Experience of dealing effectively with the general public and specific agencies.
Knowledge of financial management processes and standards.

Desirable knowledge

Knowledge of local and national policy in relation to Children’s Services.
Knowledge of the Children’s Services functions and key drivers.

Experience and achievements

Essential experience and achievements

Experience of contract establishment and monitoring.
Experience of working with a wide range of partners and stakeholders.
Experience of maintaining, developing and manipulating spreadsheet and database records.
Experience of undertaking research, analysing data, interpreting and evaluating.
Understanding and experience of interpreting complex statistical information.
Experience of performance management systems to achieve continuous service improvement.
Experience of delivering projects within set deadlines.
Experience of managing projects.
Experience of maintaining confidentiality / data protection.
Experience of dealing with confrontational situations

Desirable experience and achievements

PRINCE 2 methodology / project management.
Experience of carrying out consultation activities.
Previous budget monitoring experience.
Experience of budget management and income/payment processes within local Authorities.

Qualifications/professional memberships

Essential qualifications/professional memberships

Educated to ‘A’ level standard as a minimum (to prove ability to research and analyse information) or equivalent.

Desirable qualifications/professional memberships

N/A

Other requirements

Other requirements of the job role

Demonstrates a commitment to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people.
Ability to travel efficiently around the Bay/South West/UK in order to carry out duties.
Ability to accommodate unsociable hours.
Ability to accommodate occasional/permanent home-working.