Commissioning Officer

Description:

Commissioning Officer

Homelessness Commissioning Team, Neighbourhoods Directorate

The role holder plays a critical role in delivering a range of commercial or commissioning services to a consistently high standard. These services will deliver value for money and ensure commercial viability in line with financial regulations to meet the needs of local communities and the priorities of the Council. The role holder will develop enhanced business management practices to deliver high-quality contract compliance and/or improved commercial performance. Additionally, the role holder will support the efficient and timely move-on from various commissioned accommodation services, including Housing Related Support (HRS), A Bed Every Night (ABEN), and the Rough Sleepers Accommodation Programme (RSAP). Collaboration with providers, partners, customers, and colleagues is essential to stimulate local communities to develop personalized and flexible services that deliver positive outcomes for customers.

Key Role Accountabilities

Strategic Resource Planning: Develop a strategic approach to resource planning, procurement, and commissioning to deliver a cost-effective and efficient service, either through contract management, service commissioning, or business unit management.

Commercial Performance Management: Provide expertise on commercial performance management and reporting to ensure customer needs are met, services improve, value for money is increased, and performance against indicators improves, particularly for positive move-on outcomes from commissioned accommodation services.

Practice Analysis: Lead the analysis of current practice, including benchmarking against models and options, ensuring consistency. Deliver quality assurance arrangements to support outcome-driven commissioning; monitor contract management stages within financial regulations and legislation, ensuring targets and objectives are met within agreed timescales.

Stakeholder Engagement: Effectively engage with a range of stakeholders, both internal and external, to ensure the highest standard of service delivery. Manage resources through direct line management of a team or matrix management of a virtual team of officers.

Information Management: Oversee the production of effective and accurate management information, ensuring accuracy and consistency to strict deadlines.

Personal Commitment: Demonstrate a personal commitment to continuous self-development and service improvement. Ensure diversity is positively valued, resulting in equal access and treatment in employment, service delivery, and communications.

Role Portfolio

The Homelessness Commissioning Team is responsible for commissioning activities across several areas of homeless provision, including housing-related support, advice, and domestic violence and abuse services. The successful candidate will support the delivery of a commissioning portfolio, including developing service specifications, performance monitoring frameworks, and monitoring targets. The role holder will improve the delivery of positive move-on outcomes across commissioned accommodation provision, working closely with commissioned accommodation and support providers, colleagues in the homeless service, and wider partnerships across Manchester. They will also contribute to the development of wider homelessness services and strategies, ensuring services are strategically relevant, meet identified needs, and provide good quality/value for money.

The Purpose of the Role

The post holder will be responsible for:

Contract Management: Manage performance in line with contract and service specifications, ensuring timely and appropriate move-on as a key contract requirement in accommodation services.

Procurement: Support the Homelessness Commissioning team to commission delivery partners and provide expert consultancy support as appropriate via the appropriate framework.

Collaboration: Develop and maintain strong collaborative relationships with internal and external partners and stakeholders as appropriate for the project.

Service Development: Contribute to the development of services, working closely with colleagues, providers, citizens, and other stakeholders. Support the wider team to ensure services are strategically relevant, meet identified needs and agreed outcomes, achieve performance targets, and are good quality/value for money.

Key Behaviours, Skills, and Technical Requirements

Generic Skills:

Communication Skills: Write convincingly and clearly, avoid unnecessary jargon, write in a structured and logical way to meet the audience's needs.

Analytical Skills: Identify patterns and trends, propose realistic conclusions, identify risks and assumptions.

Planning and Organising Skills: Excellent time management, create work schedules, prioritize tasks, and set realistic timescales.

Problem-Solving Skills: Perform at high levels, demonstrate tenacity, energy, and commitment to achieve desired results.

Creative Skills: Find creative solutions without existing parameters or procedural framework.

Commissioning Skills: Use partners' skills and knowledge to inform commissioning intentions in various activities.

Technical Requirements (Role Specific):

Consent to and apply for a standard Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check