Senior Brokerage Officer

Senior Brokerage Officer

Location: Southwark
Contract: Initial 3-month assignment
Hours: 36 hours per week
Rate: £33 per hour (via umbrella company)
Hybrid: Minimum 2 days in the office, up to 5 when on duty

Southwark Council is seeking a Senior Broker to join our Access to Resources Team (ART) in Children's Services. This is a senior-level role - not an entry point - and we are specifically looking for candidates with significant experience in brokerage, particularly within children's placements.

About the Role: This fast-paced, high-responsibility role is crucial to ensuring that Southwark's children and young people are placed in high-quality, proportionate placements that meet their assessed needs and support their development.

You will:

• Respond rapidly to referrals from social work teams
• Source, negotiate, and finalise placements in Supported Accommodation, Residential Care, and Fostering Agencies
• Work within a dynamic market to secure value-for-money placements that are safe, stable, and support outcomes
• Proactively monitor placement sufficiency and alert senior managers to emerging risks or gaps
• Maintain regular contact with providers and undertake Quality Assurance visits
• Liaise with the Fostering Service, Social Workers, and Managers to ensure a coordinated, child-focused approach

Key Responsibilities:

• Deliver responsive brokerage, with daily 9AM team meetings to monitor children awaiting placements
• Negotiate placement costs and support packages to ensure financial effectiveness
• Manage contracting, IPA agreements, and Mosaic financial systems
• Provide briefings to management on placement activity, pressures, and risks
• Support improvements in the quality of referrals from social work teams
• Keep comprehensive case records and maintain accurate placement and financial data
• Promote use of internal fostering and family placements to reduce reliance on external options
• Keep updated with legislation, Ofsted guidance, and best practice

Who We're Looking For:

• Significant experience as a broker in children's services is essential
• Strong knowledge of the children's social care market, particularly in placements
• Skilled negotiator with a proactive, solutions-focused mindset
• Capable of working independently while knowing when to escalate or seek advice
• Confident managing competing priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Familiar with Mosaic or similar case management and finance systems

If you are an experienced, driven professional ready to help shape and deliver outstanding placements for children in Southwark, we want to hear from you.
Apply now to make a lasting impact where it matters most.