Strategy and Commissioning Manager – Education and Early Years Services

Strategy and Commissioning Manager – Education and Early Years Services

Warwickshire County Council

This is an exciting opportunity to join our Education Services Leadership Team in a key role. You will work as part of the senior leadership team in achieving Warwickshire County Council’s (WCC’s) vision and outcomes through integrated planning, effective and flexible use of resources, reporting on the delivery of strategy and outcomes to stakeholders.

The postholder will support the Assistant Director for Education Services in leading, developing and managing WCC’s commissioning approach, with an emphasis upon ensuring that the Local Authority is an effective systems leader for all our children, fulfilling our statutory responsibilities and maintaining effective relationships with headteachers, education leaders, the Regional Schools Commissioner and Ofsted. Using robust data, you will hold schools to account for their performance and fulfil our statutory responsibilities to ensure that schools take action to address concerns and drive continuous improvement. As a member of the Education Services Senior Leadership Team the role holder will contribute to the formulation of overall strategy, setting policy and performance targets for the Education and Early Years’ Service.

The role will involve developing and maintaining strong professional networks and partnerships with Local Authority maintained schools, academies, Multi Academy Trusts, Diocesan Authorities, Teaching Schools, Ofsted, the DfE, Trade Unions, Governors, School leaders, the Regional Schools Commissioner and other partners, ensuring that Warwickshire’s learners have maximum access to new and available resources and developments.

The role will include work with Elected Members and senior officers on key developments and politically sensitive issues.

Further responsibilities

To ensure WCC only commission services and activities that contribute to Warwickshire’s outcomes.  To ensure that activities that do not contribute to the strategic outcomes are decommissioned.

To ensure that our commissioning intentions are clearly defined, aligned to our new operating model and our One Organisational Plan (OOP). 

To develop and maintain good working relationships with our school community, services that work with schools and range of partners including the voluntary sector.

Strategy and Commissioning areas of responsibility include:

• Early Years & Childcare
• Curriculum
• Safeguarding (with Children and Families Service)
• Local Education Strategy
• Narrowing the Gap
• School Performance and Improvement
• School Place Planning & Provision
• School Transport Commissioning
• Virtual School
• Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE)
• Direct line-management of seven service team leads.

Technical & Professional Expertise

• Qualified as a teacher and evidence of further professional study or qualification
• Detailed knowledge and understanding of national curriculum requirements
• Good knowledge of government legislation currently or about to be applied to schools and Local Authorities
• Understanding of school improvement and early years functions.

Salary range: Tier 3B - £70,573 - £77,999.

Closing date: Sunday 6^th December 2020

For more information please call Simon Ray on 07870 620 587 or email simon@hamptonsresourcing.com for a confidential conversation.