Job Introduction
We're embarking on an ambitious transformation of Children’s and Families services and our vision is rooted in four core principles that underpin everything we do :
- Families first – network and community always
- Right help, right time – proportionate, timely and co-produced with children and families
- Whole-system responsibility for supporting children and families to be happy, healthy and safe
- Permanence as belonging from day one
To achieve our ambition, we are looking for talented, values-driven leaders who can champion these principles, inspire others and help shape the future of Children's and Families services in Staffordshire.
We want to create a more resilient, child-centred and future-focused system that enables children, young people and families to receive the right help at the right time.
Through this redesign, we are strengthening leadership, increasing capacity and creating clearer lines of accountability across our services. These changes will support high-quality practice, stronger partnerships and better outcomes for children and families, while ensuring we are well positioned to respond to national reforms and future challenges.
Join us at an exciting time of transformation as Staffordshire continues to develop innovative support for children and young people with SEND.
We are focused on helping families thrive by providing the right support at the earliest opportunity. Through effective commissioning, partnership working and evidence-based decision making, we are committed to improving outcomes for children and young people while ensuring services provide excellent value for money.
This is an excellent opportunity for an organised and motivated individual to develop their career within a supportive commissioning team, helping to shape and monitor services that make a real difference to children and families across Staffordshire.
We are looking for an enthusiastic and proactive Commissioning Support Officer to join our SEND Commissioning Team until 31/3/2028.
Working alongside Commissioning Managers and Commissioning Officers, you will play a key role in supporting commissioning projects from development through to implementation.
This role offers a varied workload combining project support, research, stakeholder engagement and financial administration.
If you enjoy working collaboratively, are highly organised and want to make a positive difference for children and families, we would love to hear from you.
This is a hybrid role, with an expectation of being available to work from the office / attend face to face meetings as required.
Main Responsibility
You'll:
- Support the delivery and monitoring of commissioning projects and service developments.
- Assist with research, consultation and engagement activities to help understand the needs of children, young people and families.
- Contribute to ensuring services deliver outcomes within available resources and provide value for money.
- Assist with monitoring commissioning budgets, processing invoices and supporting financial administration.
- Maintain information systems, databases and filing arrangements.
- Organise meetings, workshops or events, including venue bookings, communications and attendee management.
- Work collaboratively with colleagues and partners to support new initiatives and service improvements
The Ideal Candidate
The minimum criteria that will be used to shortlist for this role will be:
- An understanding of the Council as a commissioner of services, and of the County Council Operating Model
- An understanding of the financial constraints facing the service areas
- Computer literate with an appreciation of the use and application of data collection and analysis techniques
- Experience of monitoring budgets
- Working with internal/external customers to provide a quality service
- Understanding the Council and its changing role in the community.
- Good organisational skills and the ability to work under pressure.
- Demonstrate relevant numerical skills required to complete the full range of financial transactions
The assessment process:
The process will take the form of in person interview which may include a role specific exercise.
Interviews will take place week commencing 19th October.
Don’t feel you meet all the requirements? We value transferable skills, experiences, and qualifications so consider applying anyway or for an informal chat about the role please contact Viki Ashcroft, SEND Commissioning Officer on email at viki.ashcroft@staffordshire.gov.uk or Ellie Brownridge on email ellie.brownridge@staffordshire.gov.uk
Please note: The minimum criteria in the ideal candidate section detailed above will be used if you are applying under one of our Interview Guarantee Schemes, detailed below
We anonymise applications during shortlisting to ensure only relevant information is considered. Please complete your application fully, especially the supporting statement, to highlight what you’ll bring to the role.
About Staffordshire County Council
We are no ordinary county council:
Our Values:
The core of who we are as an organisation. Just like we all have personal values that shape our thoughts and behaviour, organisational values drive how we think and act collectively.
Our values were created and shaped by colleague feedback and national best practice and they sit at the heart of People Strategy:
We have a real sense of community spirit that brings our people together. This feeling of belonging means we are all connected to what we do and take pride in the difference we make every day for Staffordshire people. We are ambitious and our sights are set firmly on a better future.
We look forward and race ahead - that goes for your career too.
Our benefits:
We recognise that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. We aim to create a supportive working environment where employees can achieve their full potential and achieve a healthy work-life balance.
In addition to your salary, as a member of staff, you will have access to Our rewards and benefits - Careers at Staffordshire
Our recruitment process:
As an Authority we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
Staffordshire County Council is an equal opportunities organisation and Disability Confident employer. We encourage applications from all background and communities
As part of our commitment as a Disability Confident employer, a Gold Award Armed Forces employer and our commitment to supporting care leavers - we offer a guaranteed interview as long as your application meets the minimum criteria for the post.
As you’ll know safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our children and young people/vulnerable adults is important to us and that’s why this position is subject to a criminal record check from the Disclosure and Barring Service. If applicable you should disclose details of unspent and unfiltered spent reprimands, formal warnings, cautions and convictions in your application form.
Attached documents
