Strategic Commissioning Officer - AR

Job Description: Strategic Commissioning Officer (Fixed Term - up to 12 months) Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced Strategic Commissioning Officer to support the delivery of key transformation and financial priorities across Children's Services, SEND, Education, and Adult Social Care. This is a fixed-term role for up to 12 months, reporting to the Strategic Commissioning Manager (Children and Young People).

The postholder will play a critical role in service redesign, commissioning strategy, contract management, and delivery of savings and improvement programmes across complex service areas.

The role is aligned to the postholder's expertise, with a focus on delivering measurable outcomes, improved service quality, and financial sustainability.

Key Responsibilities Children's Services / SEND / Education

• Support delivery of the Council's long-term strategic financial plan, focusing on service sufficiency and demand management.
• Develop and implement SEND sufficiency strategies, ensuring appropriate placements and provision.
• Review and strengthen independent special school contracts, including provider assurance and due diligence processes.
• Lead commissioning input into joint SEND priorities, including therapies such as Speech and Language Therapy and Occupational Therapy under the Local Area Reform Plan (LARP).
• Review and improve alternative education provision, ensuring robust contracts, quality assurance, and governance.

Adult Social Care - Working Age Adults

• Lead a commissioning review of volunteering services, assessing current models and future commissioning intentions.
• Support service redesign across Adult Social Care, Communities and Culture, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities and demand pressures.

Adult Social Care - Older Adults

• Support annual fee setting and cost of care processes, working closely with providers and Corporate Finance.
• Contribute to budget setting and market engagement for financial planning.
• Support implementation of a new home care contract, transitioning from time-and-task models to outcomes-based commissioning.
• Ensure robust systems for contract monitoring, risk management, and provider performance.

All Age / Cross-Cutting Work

• Support development and delivery of the Autism Strategy implementation plan, working across partner agencies and internal stakeholders.
• Lead on improvements to self-directed support, including:
  • Direct payments
  • Individual Service Funds (ISFs)
  • Development of the Personal Assistant (PA) market
• Work with operational and finance teams to improve uptake, consistency, and governance of personalised care arrangements.

Key Accountabilities

• Deliver commissioning activity that supports financial sustainability and transformation goals.
• Ensure commissioning decisions are evidence-based, outcome-focused, and legally compliant.
• Manage competing priorities across multiple service areas.
• Engage effectively with providers, partners, and internal stakeholders.
• Contribute to market development and service innovation across children's and adult services.

Key Skills and Experience

• Significant experience in public sector commissioning, ideally within local authority or NHS settings.
• Strong knowledge of SEND, children's social care, and/or adult social care commissioning.
• Experience of contract management, service redesign, or market shaping.
• Ability to work in complex systems with multiple stakeholders and competing priorities.
• Strong analytical skills with a focus on financial and performance outcomes.
• Experience working with providers and managing commissioning relationships.

Working Arrangements

• Hybrid working model supported.
• Occasional travel to Gateshead Civic Centre required.
• From September 2026: expectation of 2 days per week on-site attendance.

Reporting Line

Reports to: Strategic Commissioning Manager - Children and Young People