Commissioning Support Officer

This role has a starting salary of £31,262 per annum based on a 36-hour working week.

This role is open to hybrid working meaning that although you aren't required in the office five days a week, the team do spend time rotating around a few of the Surrey offices. You will therefore require access to your own vehicle, which is insured for work purposes. In support of our people and our greener futures strategies, we'd welcome a conversation with the successful candidate on what remote working may look like for you.

We are excited to be hiring two Early Years Commissioning Support Officers to join our fantastic Children's SEND, Education and Early Years Commissioning team.

We currently have the following positions on offer:

• 1 x full-time, permanent position
• 1 x full-time, 18 month fixed-term position

The role is based in Quadrant Court in Woking. As an Early Years Commissioning Support Officer, you will be part of a team that is at the centre of children's services in Surrey, driving change and innovation with a relentless focus on improving outcomes for children and their families.

Rewards and Benefits

• 26 days' holiday (prorated for part time staff), rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 30 days after 5 years' service
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• An extensive Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Up to 5 days of carer's leave per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, shopping and many more
• 2 paid volunteering days plus 1 team volunteering day per year
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources

About the Team

It is an exciting time for childcare and early education with the biggest ever expansion of funded childcare starting from April 2024, and with that comes challenges and opportunities. The team works collaboratively with providers, schools, communities and partners to support children accessing early years settings.

The SEND, Education and Early Years Commissioning Team sits within the wider 'Commissioning for Transformation' directorate and works extremely closely with many other teams across Surrey County Council, such as Education, Inclusion and SEND. We strive to ensure that every child has the best start in life and by working with health, education and social care colleagues, we understand the importance of working holistically to support the outcomes for children and their families. We have been successful over the past couple of years in developing The Best Start for Surrey Strategy and using Inclusion Pathway Planning to understand educational pathways for children and where we can help them thrive.

The heart of our ambition is to develop a deeper understanding of our communities and the challenges they face - but also to recognise their strengths, assets and aspirations - and look to work with them to improve outcomes for children, young people and families.

About the Role

The Early Years Commissioning Support Officers work with the Early Years Governance Coordinators to support the processes, pre and post panels for Early Intervention Funding (EIF). The role will involve liaising with internal and external colleagues via email and Teams calls. The Support Officer is responsible for managing applications, creating the agenda for the panels and informing the applicants of the outcome of the panel via award letters.

Shortlisting Criteria

To be considered for shortlisting for this position, your application will clearly evidence the following:

• Good organisational and administrative skills
• Excellent IT Skills (Word, Outlook, Excel, MS Teams)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including diplomacy and discretion
• Ability to work independently as well as part of a team
• A full driving licence and a vehicle you are able and willing to use to travel around the county

The job advert closes at 23:59 on Sunday 17th March 2024 with interviews planned for Wednesday 27th March 2024.

Our Commitment

Surrey County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. A guaranteed interview will be offered to all disabled applications where:

• The candidate has evidenced the minimum criteria for the role through their application
• The candidate has chosen to share that they have a disability on the application form

Our application form and onboarding process will provide an opportunity to request any reasonable adjustments for the interview and/or the role.

We want to be an inclusive and diverse employer reflecting the community we serve and particularly welcome applications from all underrepresented groups.