Job Introduction
Join Our Team as Head of Commissioning
Are you a visionary leader with a passion for transforming health, social care, and housing services? Do you thrive in a fast-paced, multi-disciplinary environment? If so, we have a brilliant opportunity for you.
As Head of Commissioning at Milton Keynes City Council, the unitary authority for one of the UK’s fastest growing places, you’ll play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our community services.
Working closely with the Assistant Director of Commissioning, you’ll develop and implement strategies that foster partnership working and an integrated approach to commissioning for health, social care (adults and young people), wellbeing, and housing-related services.
Why Join Us?
- Impactful Work: Make a real difference in the lives of our community members by leading transformative projects.
- Collaborative Environment: Work with a dedicated team of professionals committed to excellence and innovation.
- Professional Growth: Opportunities for continuous learning and professional development.
You can find out more about the Commissioning Strategy and Team here.
Main Responsibility
- Strategic Development: Collaborate with the Assistant Director to create and execute strategies that enhance partnership working and integrated commissioning.
- Service Oversight: Lead commissioners in securing services, ensuring thorough needs analysis, outcome-focused specifications, and robust review processes.
- Expert Advice: Provide expert advice and timely reports to senior managers, elected members, and NHS colleagues.
- Resource Management: Ensure financial, contract, and administrative support is available for effective service commissioning.
- Project Leadership: Manage the commissioning of complex projects, driving transformation in social care and housing services.
- Network Development: Build and maintain networks across the health, social care, housing, and wellbeing sectors at local and regional levels.
The Ideal Candidate
- Experience: Proven senior experience in a similar environment, with a strong understanding of legal, commercial, political, and social aspects.
- Commissioning Expertise: Demonstrated experience in commissioning and contracting high-quality social care, health, and/or housing services.
- Relationship Building: Ability to develop and maintain positive relationships with a range of stakeholders, enhancing personal and organisational profiles.
- Leadership: Track record of leading change in complex environments, with strong team leadership and development skills.
- Commitment to Equality: Demonstrable commitment to equality and diversity in service provision and employment practices.
- Education: Degree-level education or equivalent experience, with evidence of continuous professional development.
- Budget Management: Successful experience in managing budgets and strategic planning.
- Framework Development: Experience in developing and implementing planning, commissioning, and performance frameworks in a multi-disciplinary setting.
If you are ready to take on this challenging and rewarding role, we want to hear from you! Apply now and be a part of our mission to achieve better outcomes for our residents, businesses, and visitors.
As part of the application process, you are required to complete the personal statement. Applications will not be considered if this part is incomplete.
Package Description
In addition to your salary, we offer a range of benefits including:
- Great holiday benefits - most roles include 28 days annual leave every year on top of public (bank) holidays, increasing to 32 days after five years. In addition, there is a holiday purchase scheme allowing staff to purchase up to 5 additional days of leave each year.
- Excellent pension – everyone who works for us can join the national Local Government Pension Scheme, widely regarded as one of the best available.
- A full range of family friendly policies including enhanced maternity, adoption and paternity support and a childcare subsidy.
- Access to an award-winning employee benefits programme that includes a health cash plan, a low-cost bike purchase scheme as well as high street discounts and money off entertainment and travel.
- Salary sacrifice car scheme – low-cost leasing of electric and low emission vehicles.
- Blue Light Card - employees working within social care can qualify for an additional range of discounts from national retailers and local businesses.
Why join us? Along with more on our Benefits, discover why Working at the City Council could be the right move for you here Working at the Council | Milton Keynes
Our roles are either designated ‘site based’ or ‘home based’. ‘Site based’ roles can include up to two days a week working from home whilst ‘home based’ roles are based at home four days a week. Of course, managers designate which category roles are in based on the needs of the service and the circumstances.
About The Organisation
Milton Keynes City Council is a large, modern and financially stable employer with around 2,500 people working across our eight areas. Together we provide local residents and businesses with a wide range of important round-the-clock services and aim to make our city a better place to live.
We work hard because of the demands placed on us, like protecting children from harm or preventing homelessness. However, working for the city is always rewarding and everyone has the opportunity to make a real difference.
We’re very proud of our diversity and are committed to having a workforce that reflects the community we serve. Whatever your background, you will be welcome here if you share our values of being dedicated, respectful and collaborative.
We offer great training and support and because of the size and scale of the organisation there are always new opportunities to explore when it’s time for a new role.
If you’d like to know more about how we do things and what matters to us, take a look at our short booklet What makes us Milton Keynes City Council.
