Brokerage Officer - SEND

Brokerage Officer - SEND

At Cheshire East we’re making significant, tangible investments in our foundations.  This includes strengthening our commissioning function, expanding workforce development and creating clearer, more ambitious pathways.  To realise these ambitions, we’re seeking ambitious and flexible individuals who want to help us shape the future. 

We have an exciting opportunity for a Brokerage Officer - SEND based at Delamere House, Crewe.  To deliver active brokerage for children and young people with SEND, sourcing and negotiating education, health and social care packages (e.g. specialist placements, therapies, support) that align with assessed needs/EHC Plans, represent value for money, and are compliant with quality and safeguarding requirements.

• Source and negotiate SEND provision (e.g., independent/specialist education, AP elements, therapies, support at home/community), ensuring suitability, cost efficiency and timely start dates.
• Interpret needs (EHC Plans/assessments) to produce clear, outcome focused specifications for providers; seek innovative solutions where markets are tight.
• Use frameworks and spot purchasing appropriately; gather multiple quotations/options; apply commercial judgement within agreed tolerances.
• Prepare costed proposals and business cases for approval, setting out options, risks, mitigations and impact on sufficiency/VFM.
• Prepare contracts following placement in line with agreed provision and cost, to include service delivery arrangements (KPIs/outcomes, review points, safeguarding contacts, data sharing) and ensure accurate, secure records.
• Monitor in year performance signals (missed sessions, complaints, incidents) with Commissioning Managers/QA colleagues and recommend remedial actions.

• Experience of procurement / commissioning or SEND.
• Demonstrable experience in brokerage and/or commissioning  
• Experience of contract negotiation in SEND / Education / Health / Social Care.
• Knowledge or SEND Code of Practice basics, EHC Plan components, safeguarding and light-touch procurement principles.
• Excellent communication skills in English
• Ability to work on own initiative within parameters
• Have a flexible approach
• Willingness and ability to travel throughout the borough

• Enhanced annual leave - Start with an impressive 34 days of annual leave (including bank holidays) from day one, and watch it grow to 39 days after just five years of service
• Purchase of annual leave – Want more time off? You can purchase up to 10 extra days of annual leave each year, giving you the flexibility to balance work and life just the way you want (Pro-rata for part-time staff)
• Flexible working pattern - Enjoy a 37-hour standard full-time work week with the added perks of flexi-time and hybrid/remote working arrangements where possible. Your work-life balance just got a whole lot better
• Salary sacrifice green car scheme - Drive green and save green! Lease a brand-new electric or hybrid car through our salary sacrifice scheme. There’s no credit checks, no deposits, just significant savings and exclusive offers on a three-year lease
• White goods salary sacrifice scheme - Upgrade your home with ease. Purchase home and electronic items through our salary sacrifice scheme, spreading the cost of big-ticket purchases like appliances, computers, and tech gadgets directly from your salary
• Enhanced public pension - Secure your future with our career average pension, where contributions are built at a rate of 1/49th of your yearly pensionable pay
• Cycle to work scheme - Save up to 25-39% on the retail price of bikes and safety equipment through Income Tax and National Insurance savings. Get fit and save money!
• Employee assistance programme - Access a completely free and confidential assistance service to help manage, reduce, and overcome life’s challenges, both at work and in your personal life
• Discounted gym membership - Stay active and healthy with corporate membership prices for Everybody Leisure, including:
• Gym, Swim and Group Fitness at all 16 facilities
• Off-Peak Racket Sports
• Athletics Tracks
• Sauna/Steam/Spa

How to apply

We’re delighted that you’re considering applying for this role!

As an equal opportunities’ employer, we warmly welcome applicants from all backgrounds. We believe that a diverse workforce helps us better reflect and serve our local communities, and together, we can build something truly special.

To join our team, simply click ‘Apply for this job’ at the bottom of the page. If you’d prefer an informal chat first or have any questions about the role, feel free to reach out to Natalie Kelly at: [email removed], they will be happy to hear from you! Please remember to include the job reference so we know which role you are interested in.

Once you’ve applied for the position, please keep an eye on your email inbox (including your junk and spam folders), as we’ll send any correspondence there to stay in touch with updates about your application.

If you haven’t heard from us within four weeks of the closing date, it likely means we weren’t able to move forward with your application at this time but please don’t let this discourage you as your interest means a lot to us, and we’d truly love to hear from you again in the future!

External applications, including speculative submissions, cannot be accepted and will be declined.

We wish you all the best in your application and if you run into any technical issues, our friendly team are here to help at: [email removed]. 

If you have previously applied for this position and were not successful, you will not be shortlisted this time around.

Cheshire East Council is committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults across the Borough. As such, any cautions, convictions, reprimands or final warnings that are ‘not protected’ as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) order 1975 (as amended in 2013) relating to the non-disclosure of spent convictions do not apply to this job. You must therefore, disclose whether you have any previous convictions where prompted to do so within the application process.

Attachments

• Brokerage Officer - SEND Job Description and Specification.pdf