West Berkshire Council
Service Lead - Children's Commissioning - 05590
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We are seeking a dynamic and experienced commissioner to head up West Berkshire's new Children's Commissioning Service from January 2027.
This is an exciting time to join the Council and you will play a pivotal role in shaping and developing the new service. You will make a real difference to the lives of children and young people in West Berkshire, improving outcomes and delivering meaningful change.
The Role
As Service Lead - Children’s Commissioning, you will be responsible for:
- Leading the commissioning of high-quality Children’s Social Care, Education and SEND services, including the management of contracts and provider relationships.
- Ensuring effective needs assessment and market analysis to drive commissioning decisions.
- Working collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders to achieve positive outcomes for children and young people.
- Monitoring and reporting on performance, quality, and financial aspects of commissioned services.
- Contributing to the overall strategic leadership and direction of the Service.
The ideal candidate will possess the following skills and attributes:
- Significant experience in commissioning within a children’s services context.
- Proven ability to lead and manage commissioning teams.
- Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the ability to engage and influence a range of individuals.
- Data-driven decision maker with strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
- Effective communicator, both verbally and in writing.
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West Berkshire Council Offer Excellent Employment Benefits Such As
- Flexible working wherever possible between the hours of 07.00-21.00
- Hybrid working wherever possible working 40% in the office
- Access to a wide range of training and development opportunities
- Generous Local Government pension scheme
- Family friendly policies
- A range of local discounts
- Wellbeing Programme including Employee Assistance Programme and employee benefits
- You will also be entitled to a generous annual leave entitlement starting at 30 days per annum (plus public holidays) Rising by an additional 5 days after 5 years’ service.
Please note that the closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
In addition, you will be part of a supportive and collaborative working environment, dedicated to making a positive impact on the lives of children and young people in West Berkshire.
This post is a Sensitive Post for the purpose of the Local Government Housing Act 1989 and the post-holder is therefore restricted from engaging in any prescribed political activities. In summary, this means that you are prohibited from holding political office and from involvement in any political activity within or outside the workplace. Full details of the restrictions can be found in the Council’s Policy and Guidance on Politically Restricted Posts.
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For an informal discussion about the role, please email Tony Parker at tony.parker1@westberks.gov.uk
Join us at West Berkshire Council and make a positive impact in our community while advancing your career.
Explore everything that a career with West Berkshire Council has to offer here: Working with Us
Equal Opportunities
The Council supports Equal Opportunity of employment, and positively encourages applications from people who fall within any of the nine protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010.
How To Apply
Please now complete a short online application form. You will then be able to upload your CV.
This role has been identified as public facing in accordance with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016; the requirement to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence in English applies.
All successful candidates will be subject to Disclosure and Barring Service checks along with other relevant employment checks.
This privacy notice applies to job applicants applying for vacancies with West Berkshire Council here
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