Head of Commissioning and Contracts

About the role As a Head of Commissioning and Contracts for Children's Services, you will play a key role in designing and delivering commissioned services that meet the needs of children and families, ensuring positive outcomes. This role is critical in ensuring that services are effectively commissioned, managed, and aligned with the needs of children and families across North Northamptonshire. You will be part of a 'Commissioning Centre for Excellence' and have the opportunity to shape the services that support Children, Young People, their families and Carers. What will you be doing?You will be responsible for the strategic and operational management of commissioning activity and contracts. You will ensure that services are designed and commissioned in a way that meets the needs of children and families, supports good outcomes, and aligns with the council's goals alongside being efficient and cost effective. Key responsibilities include: Leading the commissioning strategy and plan for Children's Services, including co-production and service specification development.Ensuring services are delivered at the right time and place, promoting good outcomes for people and communities.Stimulating a vibrant market of micro providers by basing commissioning decisions on evidence, service reviews, and value-for-money evaluations.Leading the development of market position statements and overseeing market trends, risks, and opportunities within North Northamptonshire.Providing a comprehensive overview of commissioning requirements, contractual issues, and quality outcomes to ensure continuous improvement.Developing Fee Frameworks for commissioning activity and supporting negotiations around contractual terms and conditions.Facilitating effective partnership working across stakeholders, creating collaborative solutions to deliver desired outcomes.Managing commissioning and contract managers, embedding best value and fostering strong working relationships.Ensuring services meet statutory requirements and safeguarding standards for children.Deputising for the Assistant Director when required.Taking on additional duties as needed.About you To succeed in this role, you will need a degree-level qualification (or equivalent) in a relevant subject, along with a professional or management qualification. You will bring a wealth of knowledge and experience, particularly in the legislative frameworks and statutory requirements related to Children's Services, including Ofsted, CQC regulatory frameworks, Public Contracts Regulations. Proven experience in managing large budgets and holding budget management responsibility within a large, complex organisation.Knowledge of legal, commercial, political, operational, and social community aspects of a diverse environment.Extensive experience in partnership working, particularly with NHS bodies.Demonstrated success in leading change, driving improvement, and commissioning services.Ability to analyse complex data and produce management reports to inform strategies and plans.Proven problem-solving skills, with the ability to overcome barriers to success.Ability to lead and empower multidisciplinary teams, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and high performance.Strategic thinker with the ability to make informed decisions.Strong decision-making skills and the ability to manage diverse and conflicting interests.Shortlisting w/c 8th December 2025.Interviews w/c 5th & 12th January 2026.Should you have any queries, please contact us via email at recruitment@northnorthants.gov.uk.We kindly ask that you include a brief description of your enquiry to enable us to respond promptly and appropriately.Our benefits Here at North Northamptonshire Council, we're transforming for the better, using all our creativity and imagination to create the best life for our local people.You'll find that we have a wide range of careers that may be more surprising than you thinkWhy choose us?We offer a vibrant working environment with:A competitive salaryA pension scheme, where we pay a significant contribution on top of your contribution. It provides life cover and ill-health protection.Lots of opportunities to develop your skills, knowledge and potential in a large unitary councilGenerous leave entitlement (28 days, rising to 33 days) and bank holidays, plus the option to buy up to an extra 10 daysHybrid and flexible working arrangements, where practicable for service needs to help you with a healthy work-life balance.We provide a range of great benefits such as an Employee Assistance Programme, an Employee Benefits Scheme, wellbeing support, travel rates at HMRC rates, as well as supporting a range of active Employee Network Groups.About us Our values define who we are and how we operate, by forming the foundation for how we interact with our customers, colleagues and provide our services. They are also at the forefront of our decision making and delivery and are:Customer-focusedRespectfulEfficientSupportiveTrustworthyOur Key CommitmentsOur key commitments help ensure that the priorities we make, now and in the future, maintain the necessary breadth of focus in those areas that we believe matter most.We are proud to be a recognised Disability Confident Employer and is committed to providing an inclusive recruitment process and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role.North Northamptonshire Council re-signed the Armed Forces Covenant in June 2024 which highlights the Council's pledge to support the Armed Forces community. The council obtained the silver status award for the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) and we are now currently working towards achieving Gold status.Further information can be found at Jobs and careers | North Northamptonshire Council (northnorthants.gov.uk)