Children's Lead Commissioner - Fixed Term 14 months

Your new company
Southend-on-Sea City Council is a Unitary local authority, providing vital services to meet the needs of the local community. We employ around 1,800 staff who are working alongside our partners and local communities to deliver the Southend 2050 ambition and make lives better for the people of Southend.
Working for Southend-on-Sea City Council offers a challenging and rewarding career in local government within a collaborative and innovate environment, with the benefit of flexible working practices to support a positive work-life balance. As a Unitary Authority, we are responsible for all local government functions ranging from social services, transport, public health and parks through to planning, trading standards, community safety and education, so we offer a wide range of career opportunities. The diversity of our economy and communities and investment in a number of exciting regeneration projects makes our Council a great place to work, learn and make a difference.

Your new role
Southend-on-Sea City Council are looking to appoint a full-time Children's Lead Commissioner in a Fixed Term capacity for 14 months.

Within this position, hybrid working opportunities are available. However, a flexible approach is needed as you will be required to be on site and to travel around the city.

The role exists to transform and modernise care and support in Southend for children. You will co-produce change with people who need support, their friends, families, and the residents of Southend. You will be accountable for the delivery of outcomes by developing a deep understanding of population needs and service outcomes, creating strategies to meet them. This role will support the development of the Children\'s commissioners, supporting the new strategic direction of commissioning.

Within this position, you will promote a culture of self-determination and choice for people who need social care, making innovations, improvements and keeping ahead of a fast-paced and complex national and local agenda, leading change across the system.

You will develop and implement commissioning plans that enable service users and carers to exercise choice and control in relation to how their needs are met and ensuring value for money. There will be a need for you to contribute to the collective team, working at all levels in the council and the wider health and care system. You will develop commissioning strategies for children and contribute to the Council's Southend 2050 ambition and outcomes.

What you'll need to succeed
To be successful in this position, it is essential that you are educated to degree level or have the equivalent experience within a social care setting.
You will need an excellent knowledge of current national social care policies, and an understanding of national and local priorities. As well as a knowledge of the local health and social care system across Southend and the Eastern Region.
You must have experience of commissioning and managing budgets (including delegated budgets). Along with experience of leading a team and working in a complex environment across health and/or social care.

What you'll get in return
Pension:
Southend-on-Sea City Council provide membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) for employees aged under 75. The LGPS is a generous scheme and provides you with a future income, independent of share prices and stock market fluctuations.

Leave Entitlements:
We offer our employees a generous leave entitlement from 25 days up to 32 days based on length of service (Continuous service). Southend-on-Sea City Council also offer a range of flexible working and family-friendly leave.
*We also offer paid time off to allow employees to undertake volunteering activities*

Here at Southend-on-Sea City Council we also offer our employees free access to a benefit portal that provides access to wellbeing support and a range of salary sacrifice schemes to help spread the cost of items, including:

• Bicycles, cars, electronics and gym membership.
• The portal also provides access to a range of discounts on products and services including retail, food shopping, travel, dining out and leisure activities.

What you need to do now
If you are interested in this role, please click 'apply online' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV.
Please note: Applications for this vacancy may close prior to the date advertised above, so you are advised to apply as soon as you are able to.

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