Head of Children’s Services Commissioning - 37 hours

Application Deadline: 12 September 2025

Department: Finance

Employment Type: Fixed Term Contract

Location: Torbay Council

Reporting To: Head of Service

Compensation: £60,854 - £64,865 / year

Description

INTERNAL CANDIDATES ONLY

Job Description & Person Specification >

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a fixed-term secondment to the role of Head of Children's Services Commissioning. This pivotal post supports the delivery of the SEND Priority Improvement Plan and the ongoing transformation within Children’s Social Care.

Although based within the Finance Directorate, the role works in close partnership with colleagues across Children’s Services, including the Director, Divisional Directors and Heads of Service. It also collaborates with the Adults and Public Health Commissioning Teams and commissioners from the Devon Integrated Care Board and neighbouring local authorities.

This secondment is being offered on a fixed-term basis to allow for a review of the current commissioning approach and the service's position within the Council’s structure. This review may lead to changes in the long-term scope and requirements of the role.

We welcome expressions of interest from individuals currently working in commissioning or those with transferable skills from social care, education, or SEND. What matters most is your passion, energy, and commitment to improving outcomes for Torbay’s children, young people, and families.

In this role, you will lead a diverse portfolio of commissioning projects and programmes across Children’s Services, working collaboratively with internal and external partners and stakeholders.

If you share our core values - forward-thinking, people-oriented, adaptable, and always acting with integrity - and are passionate about making a positive difference, we would love to hear from you.

This position is for a fixed term of 12 months from the start date.

If you are viewing this advert on a job board, you can access the full job description by placing the below URL into your browser:
https://www.torbay.gov.uk/jobs/job-descriptions/head-of-children-s-services-commissioning/

For an informal chat please contact Miss Tracey Field on 07747648454 or tracey.field@torbay.gov.uk.

Interviews are expected to be conducted during the week commencing 22nd September 2025.

Our adverts do sometimes close early - even where there's a published deadline - so if you're keen, please apply as soon as possible.

Skills

Essential:

Proven ability to work autonomously and without direction to meet the requirements of the role and Council priorities.
Proven ability to work on and prioritise multiple projects across a diverse range of subject matters encompassing all Children’s Services activity and able to deal with conflicting and ever changing priorities, in relation to own workload and that of direct reports.
Ability to demonstrate the motivational, negotiation, challenge and influencing skills required to secure buy-in and best outcomes through collaborative and partnership working and improved outcomes and best value within service delivery.
Ability to demonstrate the leadership and management skills necessary to ensure direct reports are effectively lead, managed and supported to deliver the outcomes required of their roles and the service as a whole.

Knowledge

Essential:

Extensive knowledge of Children’s Services commissioning in a local authority context sufficient to ensure understanding of the impact and consequences of the decisions made on Council policy, strategy, the wider system, services and individual service users.
Specialist knowledge and understanding of the full commissioning cycle, including needs assessment, co-production and market appraisal.
Extensive knowledge of key social care, education, health and other relevant legislation, regulatory frameworks and policy guidance. This should include the Children’s Act, Education Act, Ofsted Inspection Framework, commissioning best practice and guidance, public contracts regulations, contract law, social value, best value, modern slavery, data protection, transparency and transformation agenda.
Extensive knowledge and understanding, at a local and national level, of current and future trends and issues affecting the Commissioning and delivery of children's statutory and non-statutory social care services.

Experience & Qualifications

Essential:

Demonstrable experience of the successful commissioning of services for children, young people and their families.
Demonstrable experience of partnership and collaborative working across a diverse range of stakeholders.
Demonstrable experience of co-production/ and consultation with service users, carers and other key stakeholders in the design and delivery of outcomes-focused services that meet children, young people and their family’s needs and aspirations.
A proven track record in formulating and delivering presentations to a diverse audience, supported by the effective facilitation of group working and collaborative activities.

Skills

Knowledge

Experience & Qualifications

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