Interim Children's Commissioning Officer Short Breaks

Job Qualification Form

The Basics

Company:

BCP

Contact name, title & number:

Sarah Langdale

Head of Service Commissioning

07966344254

Vacancy job title:

Interim Commissioning Officer Children’s Services

Day rates / Salary / benefits:

£310 per day, remote working but one per month on-site as an expectiation

Framework Vs Direct rates/ budget sign off:  

 Framework order released and signed off - £240 gp on set £48 per day mark up

Length of contract: Budget sign off for full duration

3 month initial sign off

 Location:

Is remote working an option?? Start date & IT Equipment

Civic Centre BCP but remote working supported

Reason for hiring:

What impact will this person have on the community and to your organisation?

They had previously hired Adam Spencer but not got the experience needed, confidentially she shared that just was not up to standard. Avoid his CV in sourcing and maybe keep in mind if he comes up for other roles, her feedback on him is that he says he knows more than he does!

Direct Line Manager, Name, job title, contact number:

(Ensure you also qualify the role with the direct line manager if you aren’t already)

Sarah Langdale is hiring manager with ultimate say but this will also report into our ex contractor Sam Anderson Parker who I can have contact with

Exclusivity:

No, I managed to speak to her and qualify. The JD is out of date on the order and the role does not have SEND aspect so this could give us an advantage! She is going to try avoid agency calls but happy to give me a few minutes as she knows we don’t just upload irrelevant CV’s – Agency race though

Need

Essential / Desirable Skills and Experience (any flexibility?)

All of it children’s not SEND as jd says, the JD is out of date.

They could do with an all rounder, pro-active commissioner, able to write a service specification, sufficiency strategy knowledge, the sufficiency strategy has been set  but understanding this is key. Needs to know the basics!

Can not consider someone who hasn’t done a similar role before and hand hold, they need the exp.

Day to Day Responsibilities (Operational or Strategic) – Who do they report into?

Stefanie

3 Most Important Things (skills / attributes/ qualifications you can’t compromise on)

1. Must have Commissioning experience in LA (must be on CV)
2. Must have worked in children's services commissioning
3. Needs to have experience working with external providers (for example - key task will be to arrange a provider forum)

How long have you been looking? (What is the impact of not hiring? why do you believe you’ve been unsuccessful so far? what skills were missing from previous applicants? Do you have any internal options?)

Went out for 2 commissioning officer roles on lower tier on Comensura just before Christmas, they hired two and the SEND person is still there but they let go of the CSC person. They desperately need a replacement and looking for a quick turnaround.

Avoid Adam Spencer he was the recent person working there. Misisng skills were the above key priorities.

Candidate Background (Previous job titles/ sector experience/ Qualifications)

 LA experience, Commissioning Officer, Senior or manager role would be an advantage, ideally someone who has done a similar interim role in another LA.

DNA 5 – Confirm you have the following

Budget (enough for duration of contract, contract length, framework Vs direct)

3 month sign off, approved and on comensura

Full qualification/understanding of the Role (inc. why, start date, MIT’s, requested exclusivity etc.)

Cant be exclusive – start date asap, would look to review cvs on Wednesday. Agreed for me to call her Weds morning to let her know our CV’s

Interview slots (booked in verbally over the phone and confirmed in ROE)

Will see how cvs look on Wednesday but could move quick and interview before the end of the week! Gain candidate flexibility and we can try push this if she wants to interview

Follow up call scheduled (with DL/mobile & virtual meeting proposed)

Weds morning 8am happy to take a call and me run through the cvs we have

ROE email returned (confirmed by client with SDS/IR35 status)

Sent over clarification on teams but not had ROE returned yet via email. All details correct on Comensura apart from JD

Company Information

Team split/size/structure/culture

Recently restructured commissioning service. They had an interim director of commissioning who did this and then left after service restructured. They just got GOOD from ofsted.

HOS Sarah Langdale

Commissioning Manager Sam Anderson-Parker

This roles and other com officers

Brokerage officers

Projects (relevant current and future they may need to have involvement with)

Pre SEND inspection prep is happening but this wont be a priority for this person, they will be tasked with working with providers and reviewing costs. Need to be proactive and build relationships and communication with external providers.

Final pitch

Any other jobs within their team/ any other managers within your discipline hiring/ anyone hiring across Social Care or Education? (Contact name and numbers)

is aware of the Data role and I am already working with her counterpart Stefanie

Are they looking for a permanent replacement? (Pitch our retained offering)

They will be but I didn’t pitch this as the perm role is around £40k salary , will have to check this with her. I believe Sam Anderson Parker is interim so could ask about this in future conversation