Children's Commissioning and Contracts Manager

The pay range for this role will be £52,413 - £60,357 (pro rata for part time colleagues). We’re looking forward to welcoming new colleagues under this refreshed framework of pay, terms, and conditions. To promote fairness and consistency, all new starters will begin at the bottom of the pay band. This reflects our commitment to equity across the organisation and aligns with the approach taken with existing staff during the transition.

While the starting salary is fixed, the role offers excellent scope for growth, meaningful contribution, and being part of a forward‑thinking team.

More about the new terms and conditions that we are introducing can be found on our careers site in the ‘More than just a job’ brochure.

This is a unique and rare opportunity to join the Children’s Commissioning Team as the Commissioning and Contracts Manager. The post holder will have experience of the commissioning cycle principles and Local Authority procurement legalisation.

• Provide effective oversight and co‑ordination to drive service improvement and ensure the commissioning programme delivers on time and within budget.
• Contribute to the development, implementation and monitoring of service commissioning plans to enable a considered and co‑ordinated approach to delivering the Council’s strategic objectives in social care, which are effective and customer focused.
• Recruit, motivate and manage staff to deliver a high quality, flexible and responsive service to internal and external customers, reviewing performance and coaching their development, so that the team is able to support the Council's commissioning plans and priorities.
• Represent the service unit and the Council in multi‑agency forums, working parties, local and regional bodies to contribute to the exchange of information and the promotion of best practice/’practice excellence’ developments.
• Work closely with partners including the NHS Dorset, Ofsted and external providers and to contribute to the planning and delivery of the contracts and brokerage service improvement function alongside the business planning process for the service unit and Children's Services directorate.
• Ensure compliance with legislation and the Council’s systems including finance, procurement and legal governance, risk management, performance monitoring, information governance and staff performance management.
• Ensure effective budget monitoring arrangements are in place within the team and that timely corrective action is taken to deal with any variances and eventualities that arise.
• Develop, implement, and monitor processes and procedures for commissioning and project activity in the team, to enable the management of risk, commissioning and projects in accordance with departmental policy, legislation and good practice.

There will be a supportive management and learning environment where there will be opportunities to further develop your knowledge and skills in the contracting, procurement and Children’s Services sector.

Please note, this role is not eligible for visa sponsorship and we can only consider applicants with existing right to work in the UK.

At BCP Council, inclusion is more than a promise – it’s how we work. We’re committed to providing a fully inclusive recruitment process ensuring every candidate and colleague has the support and reasonable adjustments they need to thrive.

From the moment you apply, through the recruitment process and throughout your career with us, we’ll be here to listen and provide the help and support you need.

It’s why we’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer – and why you can trust that we’ll always do our best to make your experience positive and accessible.

If you require any reasonable adjustments or support during the recruitment process, please let us know when you apply or contact us directly – we’re here to help. For further information on the accessibility support we can offer please see Preparing for your interview | Working for BCP
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BCP Council provides services to a diverse community of 400,000 residents and employs more than 5,000 people. Our area includes over 15 miles of beautiful world‑renowned…