(JS) - Project Support Officer

About the Role

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Quality Assurance and commissioning professional to support the delivery of high-quality commissioned services across Children's Social Care, SEND, Adult Social Care, Communities, and Public Health.

The role plays a key part in ensuring that commissioned services are safe, effective, compliant, and delivering strong outcomes for residents, with a particular focus on vulnerable children and young people.

This is a predominantly desk-based role focused on audit, compliance, contract monitoring, and intelligence-led assurance, with some requirement to support provider visits where risks or quality concerns are identified.

Key Purpose

To provide robust quality assurance and commissioning support across commissioned services, ensuring services deliver value for money, safeguarding compliance, and continuous improvement through effective monitoring, evaluation, and partnership working.

Key Responsibilities

• Undertake quality assurance audits, compliance checks, and monitoring activity across commissioned services
• Review provider performance against contractual requirements, KPIs, and outcome frameworks
• Identify, assess, and escalate safeguarding concerns, service risks, and non-compliance issues
• Produce clear, evidence-based reports highlighting findings, risks, and improvement actions
• Support and monitor service improvement plans and provider action progress
• Contribute to Ofsted, ILACS, and SEND inspection readiness
• Work collaboratively with internal teams, commissioners, and providers to improve service quality
• Support the development and consistency of QA frameworks, standards, and processes
• Analyse service data to support decision-making, commissioning, and risk management
• Contribute to market oversight, provider risk assessments, and service ratings

Essential Requirements

• Experience in commissioning, contract management, procurement, or quality assurance
• Knowledge of children's and/or adult social care, SEND, or public sector commissioning
• Understanding of the commissioning cycle and contract monitoring processes
• Strong knowledge of safeguarding legislation and frameworks (e.g. Care Act, Children Act, Mental Capacity Act)
• Ability to undertake audits, compliance reviews, and performance monitoring
• Strong analytical and report writing skills
• Experience working with external providers and multi-agency partners
• Ability to manage workload and deliver within deadlines
• Strong communication, negotiation, and influencing skills

Desirable Experience

• Working within local authority commissioning environments
• Experience supporting inspection processes (Ofsted/ILACS/SEND)
• Budget monitoring and performance reporting experience
• Experience in market oversight or provider management

Skills & Competencies

• Strong attention to detail and risk awareness
• Ability to interpret and analyse data effectively
• Confident in challenging poor performance constructively
• Strong organisational and prioritisation skills
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively
• High-level IT skills (Excel, reporting systems, Microsoft Office)

Additional Requirements

• Must be willing to travel across Cheshire East
• Flexible approach to working patterns when required
• Ability to work with sensitive and complex safeguarding information
• Must hold Enhanced DBS (excluding barred list)
• Vaccination requirement applies for CQC-regulated care home visits (as per legislation)