Commissioning Contract Team Manager
Posted 1 hour 27 minutes ago by Old Moat
Sufficiency Team Manager - Commissioning, Home Finding and Business Development
Working hours: 35 hours per week; Contract type: Full Time / Temporary (2 Year Fixed Term); Closing Date: 19 May 2026; Closing time: 11.59pm; Interview method: In person (Face to Face).
This Role is Subject to:
Applicants must have existing rights to work in the UK, as visa sponsorship is not available for this position. Successful candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK before commencement of employment.
DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) clearance: This post is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (amended 2013). Applicants will be required to apply for an Enhanced DBS check. Information will be handled confidentially under the DBS Code of Practice.
About ManchesterManchester is an ambitious city committed to doing the best for children and young people. At the heart of this is ensuring children are supported to live in safe, stable and nurturing homes, and that services around them work well together.
Children's placements are becoming more complex. The external care market is under pressure, and the impact of instability can be significant for children. In response, Manchester is strengthening its sufficiency, commissioning and placement arrangements to improve stability, oversight and outcomes. This role is central to that work.
About the roleWe are recruiting to a new Sufficiency Team Manager post within the Contracts and Commissioning Service. This role will be the designated Sufficiency Manager for the service, with day to day responsibility for leading sufficiency activity across commissioning and placement pathways.
A major part of this role is leading the implementation of Manchester's Provider Portal, which will become a key tool for how we work with providers across placements and commissioning.
What you'll do in practice- Provide clear leadership across sufficiency, commissioning and placement coordination; oversee responses to urgent and complex situations, ensuring children are supported safely and proportionately.
- Work closely with the Home Finding Team to support timely placement matching, stability planning and step across moves, reducing the need for emergency or unregistered provision wherever possible; also provide oversight of quality assurance and due diligence activity, including responding to provider concerns and Ofsted related issues.
- Strengthen relationships with providers, promote open, professional and constructive engagement, helping providers understand expectations while ensuring children's needs remain central.
- Ensure placement, referral and market data is collected, understood and shared with senior leaders, supporting Manchester's Sufficiency Strategy and longer term planning.
The Sufficiency Team Manager leads the Sufficiency Team and is responsible for sufficiency activity across commissioning and placements. The Business Development Team exists within the service, focusing on wider market shaping and strategic commissioning work. While you will work closely with this team, it remains under separate management. This role brings those strands together operationally, ensuring sufficiency activity is aligned, coordinated and effective.
About the Candidate What we're looking for- Experience in Children's Services, particularly placements, sufficiency or commissioning.
- Evidence of implementing and coordinating a project such as the provider portal.
- Strong understanding of provider markets, risk and safeguarding.
- Confidence working at pace and managing complexity.
- Experience leading teams and embedding new ways of working.
- A child centred, practical approach that balances compassion with challenge.
This role will make a tangible difference to children, carers and providers by improving placement stability, strengthening quality assurance and creating more confident, consistent commissioning practice.
Benefits we offer- Generous holiday allowance: Up to 26 days annual leave per year plus bank holidays; increasing to 31 days after five years of local government service; optional purchase of up to two additional weeks.
- PB pension scheme with life cover of three times your salary.
- Enhanced parental and carers leave.
- Access to a range of discounts through MCR+: networking, holidays, phone contracts, cycle to work scheme, free flu jabs and eye tests.
- Learning and development opportunities, including workshops, training sessions, apprenticeships and qualifications.
- Good Employment Charter membership: secure, flexible work, fairness commitments, pay review, trade union recognition and wellbeing support.
- Up to 3 days volunteering leave.
At Manchester City Council we actively welcome applications from people of all ages and backgrounds, particularly those from Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic communities, disabled people and young people.
Support During the Process- Interview adjustments: Let us know if you need adjustments to demonstrate your suitability.
- Accessible formats: ReciteMe tool available for accessible formats such as text to speech, translation, adjustable text size and colour.
We guarantee assessments for applicants who meet the minimum shortlisting requirement for the role and identify with at least one of the following criteria:
- Members of the Armed Forces or veterans.
- Current or former care leavers.
- Have a disability or long term condition.
We're a Disability Confident Employer, offering a workplace adjustment hub, disabled staff networking, and commitment to accessibility standards.
Pre Employment Checks- Proof of Right to Work.
- References from current and previous employers.
- Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check.
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 any task proves unachievable, we will look at redesigning parts of the role.