Commissioning and Contracts Officer

About The Role

Working Hours: 35 Hours per week

Contract Type: Full time / Permanent

Working Style: Hybrid - Employees split their time between working remotely (e.g., from home) and working on-site (e.g., in an office).

Additional Payments: Essential car user allowance

Closing Date: 08 July 2026

Closing time: 11.59pm

Interview Method: Face to Face

This role is subject to:

• Legal right to Work: In accordance with Home Office guidance, successful candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK before commencement of employment.
• 2 References - where possible we require 3 years' history.
• DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) clearance - this post is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (amended in 2013). Appointable candidates will be required to apply an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Information provided by you or the DBS will be dealt with in a confidential manner and in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice which can be viewed here. We have a policy on the Employment of Ex-Offenders, and it is available upon request.

Manchester is a bold, ambitious and forward-thinking city, with a well-earned reputation for getting things done. As a council, we are passionate about making a difference and are driven by a clear vision: to build a safe, happy, healthy and successful future for every child and young person in our city.

We are pleased to offer an exciting opportunity for a G7 Contracts and Commissioning Officer to join our Contracts and Commissioning Team , working within the Centralised Placements Service. This role sits within a high-performing, motivated and supportive team that plays a vital role in securing safe and appropriate care for Manchester's children.

The Placements Service is central to ensuring that children and young people who cannot live at home are supported to live in safe, nurturing environments. Working city-wide, the service collaborates closely with social care teams, the fostering service and external providers to secure the best possible care arrangements.

This is a fast-paced, five-day-a-week service that values creativity, flexibility and solution-focused practice. As a Contracts and Commissioning Officer, you will work alongside colleagues to support care planning, promote children and young people's voices, and contribute to improved outcomes. You will also play a key role in ensuring providers deliver high-quality care that represents value for money and meets children's individual needs.

If you are passionate about making a difference for children and young people, we would welcome your application.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Janell Wilken on View phone number on energyjobsearch.com or [email protected] to arrange a convenient time.

Key Responsibilities

The post-holder will be required to:

• Respond to emergency placement requests, often working to pressured deadlines.
• Work collaboratively across Children's Social Care to support permanence planning and ensure children have caregivers who can meet their long-term needs.
• Work within Our Manchester behaviours, ensuring all communication with external providers, carers and colleagues remains child-focused.
• Support the effective operation of the Placements Service, ensuring children are introduced to their caregivers in a way that is kind, respectful and promotes a sense of belonging.
• Lead and contribute to specialist placement searches for children with disabilities and for young people with experiences of trauma and attachment difficulties, recognising the impact of lived experience.
• Collect, collate and present referral and monitoring data to support analysis and reporting to senior management, ensuring alignment with the Sufficiency Strategy.
• In partnership with Commissioning colleagues, contribute to the development and management of relationships with independent residential and fostering providers across Manchester and the Greater Manchester region.

This is not a remote role, and the successful candidate will be expected to work in line with the Council's flexible working policy.

About the Candidate

We are seeking a motivated, resilient and child-focused professional who:

• Promotes innovation, creativity and continuous improvement within placement and commissioning activity.
• Is kind, reliable and approachable, with a good sense of humour and a strong commitment to going the extra mile for children.
• Understands the critical importance of effective placement-finding and the impact this can have on children's lives, both immediately and long-term.
• Can manage pressure and complexity calmly, making balanced and well-reasoned decisions, and working collaboratively to solve problems.
• Has experience of organisational processes, managing change and handling complex or sensitive issues.
• Is able to support the effective and efficient delivery of brokerage and commissioning activity, working closely with operational services, providers and partner agencies, including health colleagues.

About Us

We're the local council for one of the UK's most vibrant and diverse cities.

Working for Manchester isn't just a job - it's an opportunity to contribute to a city that leads change and transforms lives. Whether it's strengthening communities or driving innovation in public services, you'll play a vital role in creating opportunities and shaping a brighter future for everyone.

Our Manchester is our vision for a fairer, greener, and healthier city - a vision shaped by the people of Manchester. It guides everything we do at the Council and is brought to life through the Our Manchester behaviours:

• We take time to listen and understand
• We work together and trust each other
• We show that we value our differences and treat each other fairly
• We 'own it' and we're not afraid to try new things
• We're proud and passionate about Manchester

Benefits we offer

• Generous holiday allowance - Enjoy up to 26 days annual leave per year plus bank holidays. Increasing to 31 days after five years of local government service. Want more leave? You can purchase up to two additional weeks.
• A buzzing pension - You'll be enrolled in the UK's largest local government pension scheme, with plenty of options to top up your benefits. Includes life cover of three-times your salary as a lump sum.
• Enhanced parental and carers leave - Take advantage of our enhanced family leave options, designed to provide ample time for you to bond with your new born or support your family during critical life events.
• Brilliant perks - Access a range of discounts, from saving on the weekly shop to holidays and days out with MCR+. Plus discounts on phone contracts, cycle to work scheme, free flu jabs and eye tests, and more.
• Learn and grow - We are dedicated to nurturing talent and providing you with the tools to thrive. Take part in a diverse set of learning opportunities, from workshops and training sessions through to apprenticeships and qualifications. All this begins with our comprehensive onboarding process.
• A Good Employment Charter member - We are committed to offering secure, flexible work and embedding fairness into everything we do. We review pay annually, recognize three trade unions, and are constantly working to offer the best possible health and wellbeing support throughout all stages of your working life.
• Up to 3 days volunteering leave - Give back to the community with three days pro-rate of paid volunteering leave, in addition to existing benefits.

Creating an Inclusive Team at Manchester City Council

At Manchester City Council, we're dedicated to creating a workplace that truly reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. We actively welcome applications from people of all ages and backgrounds, particularly from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic communities, Disabled people and young people.

Support During the Process

• Interview Adjustments: Let us know if you need any adjustments to demonstrate your suitability during the interview.
• Accessible Formats: Our ReciteMe tool can be accessed through the "Accessibility tools" button at the top of our careers page. This tool offers features like text-to-speech, translation into multiple languages, and adjustable text size and colour to make our site more accessible for everyone.

Guaranteed Assessment Scheme

We guarantee assessments for applicants who meet the minimum shortlisting requirements for the role and identify with at least one of the criteria below:

• Members of the Armed Forces members or veterans
• Current or former care leavers
• Have a disability or long-term condition

When You Join Us

We're a Disability Confident Employer, offering:

• A workplace adjustment hub which provides specialist support, advice and guidance to ensure you have the adjustments needed to thrive at work.
• Disabled Staff Network, Neurodiversity Staff Network and Mental Health Staff Network that provides a safe inclusive space to share experiences and opportunities to influence council practice.
• A strong commitment to ensuring all information adheres to accessibility standards and that our workplaces are accessible and disability-friendly.

For more information about the role or any adjustments, email [email protected].

What we will need from you if you're successful

In accordance with Home Office guidance, successful candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK before commencement of employment. This is not a role we consider to be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route based on Manchester City Council policy. Candidates are therefore encouraged to consider their own right to work options without the requirement for Manchester City Council sponsorship.

Pre-Employment Checks

If you are successful in securing a position with us, the pre-employment checks required will depend on the role you've applied for. As a guide, these checks may include:

• Proof of Right to Work: You'll need to provide documentary evidence of your right to work in the UK. Please note, visa sponsorship is not guaranteed for this role.
• References: We'll require references from your current and previous employer(s).
• Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check: A criminal record check may be necessary, depending on the role.

These checks are an important part of our commitment to ensuring the safety and security of our workforce and the community we serve.

Other relevant information

We want everyone to be able to be themselves at work and give their best. If you need additional support to undertake the duties of the role, we'll make every effort to source any necessary aids, adaptations or equipment. If, however, any task proves to be unachievable, we will look at redesigning parts of the role.

For more information about the role, please ensure that you read the role profile attached.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.

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