Commissioning Officers

The Early Help and Prevention Commissioning Team plays a key role in developing services across Surrey that support children, young people and families at the earliest opportunity. At the heart of the services we commission is providing timely interventions as soon as a need emerges, and ensuring support is in place before issues escalate. The team is responsible for commissioning a wide range of services, including Family Centres, support for young carers and parent carers, services for children and young people with autism and sensory needs, mental health support, and children's community health services. We take a category management approach to commissioning, working strategically across whole areas of need to understand and respond to changing demand, improve outcomes, and shape sustainable provider markets over time. This approach enables us to deliver evidence-based, person-centred services that meet the needs of Surrey's children, young people and families both now and in the future. On a day-to-day basis you will be involved in the following activity:

• Contract management of providers, ensuring Surrey's children and families are receiving early, high quality, safe and effective services
• Supporting work on all aspects of the Commissioning cycle, across our various provider markets, including activities like needs analysis, service evaluation and review, options appraisals, business cases and tendering activities
• Writing high quality reports based on complex qualitative and quantitative data to help inform change
• Analysing multiple data sources, summarising key points and effectively presenting information to a high standard either in a written or verbal format
• Reviewing, interpreting and advising on commissioning and contract queries in partnership with Procurement, Legal and Finance colleagues to provide pragmatic problem-solving solutions
• Working on commissioning projects from start to finish ensuring stakeholders are communicated with in a timely way
• Supporting co-design and co-production activities with children, young people, families and charity organisations, to help develop and shape any future provision, 2. Please tell us about a time when you have effectively delivered a project within a children's social care or related service area. What work stages did you go through and how did you ensure your work supported improved outcomes for children and families?
3. Please describe an example of when you worked in partnership with a range of organisations to achieve a shared outcome. What was your role and what was the result? 4. Please provide an example of a problem or challenge you identified and resolved using your own initiative. What action did you take and what was the outcome?


• Degree qualified, hold a relevant professional qualification, or possess significant vocational experience in commissioning, together with a sound understanding of the commissioning cycle
• Proven experience of successfully managing and delivering multiple projects simultaneously, from initiation through to completion
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills, with experience of building effective relationships and networks across a range of partners to influence and implement positive change
• Excellent communication, facilitation, presentation and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively and influence at a strategic level
• Demonstrable analytical and problem-solving skills, including experience of interpreting data, producing high-quality reports, and developing innovative solutions to complex challenges
• Experience of working within complex, multi-agency environments, with an understanding of public sector accountability and governance
An enhanced DBS 'Disclosure and Barring Service' check for regulated activity (formerly known as CRB) and the Children's and Adults' Barred List checks will be required for this role. This role may require travel to locations that are not easily accessible by public transport. The role holder will need to have the willingness and ability to travel around the county to meet the demands of the role.

The salary range for this role is £42,958 - £46,624 per annum based on a 36 hour working week. We are excited to be hiring two Commissioning Officers to join our fantastic Early Help and Preventative Commissioning Team. One position will be based in East Surrey, with a work base location at Woodhatch Place in Reigate, and one position will be based in West Surrey, with the current work base location at Victoria Gate in Woking. These roles are open to hybrid working with the right balance. As a team we split our time between collaborating with colleagues in the office and working remotely, including from home. This can be discussed further at interview. Our Offer to You
• 26 days' holiday, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 31 days after 5 years' service plus bank holidays
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Up to 5 days of carer's leave and 2 paid volunteering days per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
• An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources
• Wellbeing and lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, and shopping
• A chance to make a real difference to the lives of our residents