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SEND Commissioning Manager
| Posting date: | 22 May 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £41,511 to £46,731 per year, pro rata |
| Additional salary information: | Level 9:- £41,511 - £46,731 per annum, pro rata |
| Hours: | Part time |
| Closing date: | 18 June 2025 |
| Location: | North Somerset, South West England |
| Remote working: | Hybrid - work remotely up to 3 days per week |
| Company: | North Somerset Council |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | SCHB0712 |
Summary
About the role
We are seeking a dedicated and experienced SEND Placement Commissiong Manager. This role will take an operational lead in commissioning placements and services for all children and young people with disabilities or special educational needs. They will be responsible for ensuring the effective commissioning of high-quality services is undertaken in collaboration with key internal and external stakeholders, including children and young people and market providers.
The post holder will develop, shape and deliver an overarching programme to meet the needs of children and young people and ensure that the Local Authority has access to sufficient and suitable high-quality placements. They will promote an appropriate culture, empowering others and demonstrating high practice standards, ensuring that quality assurance and contract monitoring are effective, and that commissioning activity delivers good value for money.
The Role
Key Responsibilities:
To work with Business Intelligence and Procurement colleagues to deliver sufficient and appropriate numbers of local SEND places to meet demand
To look at creative solutions to ensure that as many children as possible are the supported with placements within North Somerset
To work in partnership with delivery managers to deliver the organisational vision and outcomes through integrated planning and the flexible use of resources.
To secure best value from all SEND placements in independent and out of district provision, through contract management and monitoring performance of placements.
To deliver to strategies to ensure that pupil placement needs are met within the district working in partnership with colleagues in Education, Health and Social Care. This will include strategies to reduce the number and costs of pupils placed out of the area and placed in independent settings.
To develop strong relationships with parent cares and other partners in achieving best use of resources.
Ensure the Council’s aims and objectives, vision and core values are actively promoted and made a reality.
This position is exempt under the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions) Order 1975 and is subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check.
Work Style
At North Somerset Council, we offer a hybrid working environment based on four distinct work styles. Depending on the role and personal circumstances, you will fall into one of these categories. However, please note that during the induction period, it may be necessary to spend more time in the office to support your learning and development. We are flexible and open to discussions about your preferred working style, and if you wish to be in the office more frequently, this can be negotiated.
This role falls into the category of Flexible Worker which means you can expect to work in the following way:
2-3 days in the office
Works both from home and the office, depending on the task at hand.
Training is provided to help balance work-life and manage time effectively, with an emphasis on communication for team touchpoints and planning in-office days for collaboration.
About You
We are looking for an individual who is passionate about SEND commissioning and who possesses the following skills and experience:
Essential Criteria:
Educated to degree level or with relevant equivalent professional development in service such as commissioning or procurement management
Hold a thorough understanding of the legislative framework and statutory guidance which underpins the provision of education, early years and children’s services and a good understanding of emerging strategy and policy developments
Experience of working in a contracts and commissioning function within a local government setting or an ability to adapt approaches used in other sectors to a local government setting and being responsible for leading the commissioning process from end to end through initial scoping to evaluation of contract performance
Experience of engaging a wide range of stakeholders to agree priorities, advise and agree the scope of commissioning in conjunction with the Head of SEND and Head of Pupil Place Planning
Strong child-centred and outcomes driven approach to all commissioning activity
Strong skills in partnering and the ability to influence positive change through effective partnership
Ability to work effectively in a local government context (legal, financial, political).
What We Offer
At North Somerset Council, we value our employees and provide a supportive and inclusive work environment. We offer:
Competitive salary and benefits
Flexible working arrangements
Local Government Pension
Opportunities for professional development
Inclusive Staff groups including Carers, Disabled, LGBTQ+, REACH (Race, Ethnicity, and Cultural Heritage), and Young Staff Forums
Opportunity to purchase up to an additional 10 days annual leave each year
Dedicated in house Wellbeing Team
Salary sacrifice Cycle to Work and Electric Vehicle schemes
Contact Information
For further information about the role, please contact Finley Kidd, SEND Commissioning Manager on 01934 426839 or Sally Varley, Head of Strategic Place Planning& Capital Programmes on 07917 587280.
Interview Date: Wednesday 25th June and Friday 27th June 2025
We are seeking a dedicated and experienced SEND Placement Commissiong Manager. This role will take an operational lead in commissioning placements and services for all children and young people with disabilities or special educational needs. They will be responsible for ensuring the effective commissioning of high-quality services is undertaken in collaboration with key internal and external stakeholders, including children and young people and market providers.
The post holder will develop, shape and deliver an overarching programme to meet the needs of children and young people and ensure that the Local Authority has access to sufficient and suitable high-quality placements. They will promote an appropriate culture, empowering others and demonstrating high practice standards, ensuring that quality assurance and contract monitoring are effective, and that commissioning activity delivers good value for money.
The Role
Key Responsibilities:
To work with Business Intelligence and Procurement colleagues to deliver sufficient and appropriate numbers of local SEND places to meet demand
To look at creative solutions to ensure that as many children as possible are the supported with placements within North Somerset
To work in partnership with delivery managers to deliver the organisational vision and outcomes through integrated planning and the flexible use of resources.
To secure best value from all SEND placements in independent and out of district provision, through contract management and monitoring performance of placements.
To deliver to strategies to ensure that pupil placement needs are met within the district working in partnership with colleagues in Education, Health and Social Care. This will include strategies to reduce the number and costs of pupils placed out of the area and placed in independent settings.
To develop strong relationships with parent cares and other partners in achieving best use of resources.
Ensure the Council’s aims and objectives, vision and core values are actively promoted and made a reality.
This position is exempt under the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions) Order 1975 and is subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check.
Work Style
At North Somerset Council, we offer a hybrid working environment based on four distinct work styles. Depending on the role and personal circumstances, you will fall into one of these categories. However, please note that during the induction period, it may be necessary to spend more time in the office to support your learning and development. We are flexible and open to discussions about your preferred working style, and if you wish to be in the office more frequently, this can be negotiated.
This role falls into the category of Flexible Worker which means you can expect to work in the following way:
2-3 days in the office
Works both from home and the office, depending on the task at hand.
Training is provided to help balance work-life and manage time effectively, with an emphasis on communication for team touchpoints and planning in-office days for collaboration.
About You
We are looking for an individual who is passionate about SEND commissioning and who possesses the following skills and experience:
Essential Criteria:
Educated to degree level or with relevant equivalent professional development in service such as commissioning or procurement management
Hold a thorough understanding of the legislative framework and statutory guidance which underpins the provision of education, early years and children’s services and a good understanding of emerging strategy and policy developments
Experience of working in a contracts and commissioning function within a local government setting or an ability to adapt approaches used in other sectors to a local government setting and being responsible for leading the commissioning process from end to end through initial scoping to evaluation of contract performance
Experience of engaging a wide range of stakeholders to agree priorities, advise and agree the scope of commissioning in conjunction with the Head of SEND and Head of Pupil Place Planning
Strong child-centred and outcomes driven approach to all commissioning activity
Strong skills in partnering and the ability to influence positive change through effective partnership
Ability to work effectively in a local government context (legal, financial, political).
What We Offer
At North Somerset Council, we value our employees and provide a supportive and inclusive work environment. We offer:
Competitive salary and benefits
Flexible working arrangements
Local Government Pension
Opportunities for professional development
Inclusive Staff groups including Carers, Disabled, LGBTQ+, REACH (Race, Ethnicity, and Cultural Heritage), and Young Staff Forums
Opportunity to purchase up to an additional 10 days annual leave each year
Dedicated in house Wellbeing Team
Salary sacrifice Cycle to Work and Electric Vehicle schemes
Contact Information
For further information about the role, please contact Finley Kidd, SEND Commissioning Manager on 01934 426839 or Sally Varley, Head of Strategic Place Planning& Capital Programmes on 07917 587280.
Interview Date: Wednesday 25th June and Friday 27th June 2025
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.