About this role
Job summary
We have an opportunity for you to join us as a Senior Complex Care Officer.
We are establishing a new Strategic Commissioning Service, within our Adult Care Directorate which includes a new approach to Care Sourcing and are ambitious about our plans to invest in and advance our approach to innovative, evidenced based commissioning, driving the delivery of positive outcomes for the people of Lincolnshire, in a compliant and efficient way.
To deliver this business-critical function, we are seeking to appoint an exceptional senior officer who will source and secure the right advice, care and support package in the most complex cases for adults with an assessed eligible need, across all care types, at the right time and at the right cost.
Our Senior Officers will manage the most complex cases including, but is not restricted to instances where it is necessary to undertake micro commissioning and competitive tender processes, utilising existing frameworks and contracts or via the open market. They will have significant responsibility for supporting the identification, mitigation and management of risks, safeguarding vulnerable adults, resolving disputes and meeting tight, and often urgent, deadlines.
How our team works is just as important to us as what we do and you will be expected to embody the Councils values as together the whole team establishes our new function, embeds new ways of working and fosters a collaborative, supportive, caring and learning culture.
Main duties of the job
You will be:
A procurement professional with knowledge and experience of external commissioning, procurement, project management, or related discipline who can demonstrate a detailed understanding and excellent knowledge of the public sector, health or social care end to end commissioning, all public procurement activity, legislation, regulations, policies, best practice and markets. Someone with experience in building and maintaining effective relationships at all levels with advanced communication and negotiation skills, the ability to provide effective challenge with sensitivity and diplomacy along with expert analytical and report writing skills which support effective, informed decision making. Have evidence of being able to apply knowledge and understanding of return on investment models, market analysis, benchmarking, supplier development, supply chain management, market management, evaluation models and contract management processes. Please refer to the PERSON SPECIFICATION in the attached job description for more details on the requirements of the postholder.
About us
Lincolnshire County Council, is one of the largest employers in the county. We are an organisation that embraces diversity, innovation and progress. We value our people and want to ensure that we can support you in joining and growing with us.
We will view you as an integral member of our community and recognise that your well-being is paramount. To show our appreciation, weve crafted a competitive package designed to not only acknowledge your hard work but also foster a healthy work-life balance.
From health benefits and retirement plans, we strive to provide a package that supports well-being and financial stability and that meets the diverse needs of our workforce.
We want everyone who works with us to feel included and celebrate their uniqueness. We are committed to promoting equality of opportunity, eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation, and promoting good relations for both employee and for the people of Lincolnshire.
People often say every day is a learning day and at LCC a culture of learning is something we really believe in. We recognise the importance of supporting your learning and development and can offer a variety of different learning opportunities depending on what is right for you and the organisation. This could be through your everyday tasks, through hands-on experience, structured programs, formal qualifications, coaching, or informal learning opportunities.
Job description Job responsibilities
To source and secure the right advice, care and support package in the most complex cases for adults with an assessed eligible need, across all care types (residential, nursing, home, community, supported etc), at the right time and at the right cost.
The management of the most complex cases includes, but is not restricted to instances where existing frameworks and contracts terms cannot deliver the specific individual requirements or where for individuals or groups of individuals, it is necessary to undertake competitive tender processes, utilising existing frameworks and contracts or via the open market, in order to source the right care and support solutions.
This role plays a key part in helping the Council meet its statutory obligations in relations adult care and this is a business-critical service, requiring significant responsibility to support the identification, mitigation and management of risks, safeguard vulnerable adults, resolve disputes or complaints, as well as meet tight and often urgent deadlines.
It requires a thorough and comprehensive knowledge and understanding of local markets as well as expertise in national and Council procurement and contracting processes, practice, legislation and regulations in order to undertake micro-commissioning and tendering exercises.
1. Identifying commercially astute options for care and support packages within the appropriate cost and service requirements, and the end-to-end sourcing for the most complex
requirements. This will include liaising extensively with practitioners, providers and individuals as they undertake commercially robust, appropriately tailored tendering and contracting processes or securing commitments and utilising contractual levers which ensure fit for purpose service provision designed specifically to meet the complex needs of the
individual.
2. Lead end-to-end negotiations with providers, and other individuals/organisations, as appropriate, linked to applicable care sourcing and/or tender processes, contract pricing and/or terms, and other conflict and dispute resolution issues; utilising market intelligence to understand the capacity and capability of the market and acting as the Councils commercial astute client and ensure all complex care placements undergo a process of financial scrutiny
and deliver value for money, with cost avoidance and or savings where practicable; ensuring financial contributions/top ups are effectively implemented and all processes are completed to enable prompt and accurate provider payments.
3. Provide significant support and challenge to the way existing services are commissioned and use extensive market analysis to identify best practice Provider services and innovative delivery models to support the best outcomes for people with care and support needs, improve value for money and deliver savings.
This will include:
Drafting reports to inform both formal and informal decision making, in particular in relation to options for and outcomes of the most complex care sourcing and procurement activity
Providing professional and technical advice as the Council's commercial expert Designing and delivering effective, commercially tailored and fit for purpose commissioning routes and associated tender processes and documentation, ensuring that best practice models of innovative service delivery are explored and incorporated where appropriate, and manage or assist in the analysis and evaluation of tender submissions
Ensuring all commissioning activity is managed in a legal, ethical and accountable manner in accordance with relevant national and Council legislative, regulatory and procedural requirements.
Identify, mitigate and manage risks, as well as resolving issues disputes and-or complaints, throughout the commissioning lifecycle.
4. Ensuring practice contributes to and is consistently aligned with the delivery of Adult Care and Community Wellbeing strategic commissioning strategies, approaches and intended
outcomes as well as all Council policies, practices and behaviour expectations. Remaining up to date and compliant with all relevant legislation, regulations, organisational procedures, policies and professional codes of conduct in order to uphold standards of best practice.
5. Build, manage and maintain strong, positive working relationships with service - commissioning leads, contract managers, practitioners and individuals as well as providers across the adult care market.
Liaise with commissioning leads, contract managers, practitioners and individuals to ensure
the efficient and effective transfer from the commissioning and tendering process onwards to
accurately complete and maintain individual placement agreements outlining the
service/outcomes to be purchased from service providers.
- Where there are shortfalls as mapped against anticipated demand, work with the
market to support development of the necessary capacity and/or capability.
- Identify and implement as appropriate opportunities to further develop services on
behalf of the Council and other partners locally and regionally.
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6. Support, and where required, lead on engagement and research with stakeholders and end users to inform effective care sourcing processes, ensuring that delivery solutions identified meet service user requirements. This includes supporting the effective co-production of service models and delivery solutions through the active involvement of end users in procurement processes, as appropriate.
7. Providing day to day leadership, advice and guidance within own area of responsibility as appropriate, to colleagues both within and beyond the Strategic Commissioning Team.
8. Ensure all procurement and care sourcing activity undertaken complies with regulatory frameworks (including CQC), Procurement Legislation, organisational policies and procedures, and professional codes of conduct, and aligns with the Corporate Risk Strategy. Throughout each stage of the procurement and care sourcing process, ensure that potential risks are identified, managed and minimised, and escalated as appropriate.
9. Manage and oversee the work of the Complex Care Officers and assisting the team to continually review and improve practice, embedding new ways of thinking and working.
10. Maintain the Councils databases, case and management information systems ensuring accurate, timely and comprehensive records for all complex care placements.
11. Lead on analysis of the data concerning complex care placements and producing intelligence and insight reports to meet Service, Directorate and Council requirements. Ensuring a robust approach to analysis and forecasting of population needs and balancing service delivery in terms of volume, cost and funding.
12. Responsibility for recording, monitoring and reporting on care sourcing activity, efficiency gains and service improvements in order to contribute to the team and wider Council performance management frameworks and to measure achievement against the commissioning and care sourcing outcomes and objectives.
13. Support the Care Sourcing Manager and wider Strategic Commissioning Team through contributing to integrated commissioning activities across the full breadth of the commissioning cycle, including but not restricted to:
planning commissioning and procurement
contract management, assurance and improvement processes
quality assurance, monitoring and review of services and Providers
market engagement and shaping activities
performance analysis and desktop data analysis
14. Take personal responsibility for:
- Ensuring Council resources are optimised and utilised effectively and efficiently,
- Delivering excellent customer service, incorporating the Council's equality and
diversity objectives and supporting the council to achieve best practice in all it
delivers
- Contributing to organisational transformation and changes in ways of working,
maximising the benefits and efficiencies for both internal and external customers
15. The post will provide line management and supervision to Complex Care Officers (Grade 8) as required, including planning, checking, allocating work, appraisal and dealing with day-to-day capability and conduct to meet the overall requirements of the service.
The post will also provide day-to-day leadership as appropriate to deliver the team priorities and work plan. Coaching and mentoring teams and colleagues as appropriate to embed new ways of working and thinking. Deputising for the Care Sourcing Manager as appropriate and necessary.
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
A good commercial and procurement professional qualification (e.g. Diploma in Purchasing & Supply and/or membership of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply) / membership of professional body / educated to degree level or equivalent or otherwise demonstrate equivalent knowledge of external commissioning through significant experience. Significant experience of commissioning, procurement, project management and / or related disciplines demonstrating detailed understanding and excellent knowledge of public sector / health / social care commissioning, public procurement legislation, regulations, policies, best practice and markets. The post holder will be expected to possess and maintain up to date knowledge of relevant and current procurement legislation, regulations, and sector trends, and the ability to apply this insight to inform commercial and procurement decisions.
Employer details Employer name Lincolnshire County Council
Address Lincolnshire County Council
County Offices
Newland
Lincoln
Lincolnshire
LN1 1YL
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://jobs.lincolnshire.gov.uk/home.html (Opens in a new tab)