Strategic Commissioning Manager

Overview

Are you passionate about shaping services that make a real difference to people's lives? Do you thrive on bringing partners together, driving innovation, and delivering better outcomes for communities?

We're looking for a Strategic Commissioning Manager to play a key role in designing, developing and improving services that support residents across Buckinghamshire. This is an exciting opportunity to influence strategic priorities, lead transformational commissioning activity, and work closely with a wide range of partners to ensure services are effective, high quality and deliver real value for money.

About us

Buckinghamshire Council is a relatively new organisation that combines the strengths and expertise of the previous five councils in the county to create positive change for local people, communities, and businesses. We are firmly focused on the future and have made a clear commitment to serve residents better and to provide stronger representation for Buckinghamshire, both locally and nationally. 

About the role

As a Strategic Commissioning Manager, you'll lead on all aspects of the commissioning cycle across a diverse and rewarding portfolio. Working closely with colleagues across the Council, health partners, providers and community organisations, you'll help ensure services are designed around the needs of local people and deliver meaningful outcomes for residents.

This is a varied and influential role where no two days are the same. You'll use data, insight and evidence to understand current and future needs, translate strategic and operational priorities into effective commissioned services, and help drive continuous improvement across health and social care provision. You'll have the opportunity to lead innovative projects, influence service development, and contribute to long-term transformation programmes that have a lasting impact on communities.

You'll also play an important leadership role, supporting and developing commissioning colleagues while fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation and excellence.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading strategic commissioning activity across designated service areas.
• Building strong relationships with partners, providers and stakeholders to improve outcomes.
• Using insight, evidence and market intelligence to inform commissioning decisions.
• Monitoring performance and driving service improvement, innovation and value for money.

For a full list of responsibilities and accountabilities, please refer to the Job Description

Any-Desk:

As an ‘any-desk’ worker, you’ll need a desk, screen a keyboard to get your job done. You’ll need to be connected to our network to access digital folders and resources, but this can either be from home or an office location when required. You will be required to work from the office 2 days per week.

About you

We're looking for a strategic thinker and natural collaborator who is passionate about improving outcomes for residents. You'll be confident working in complex environments, balancing competing priorities whilst maintaining a focus on delivering high-quality services and positive change.

You'll bring significant commissioning experience, ideally gained within health, social care or a related setting, alongside a strong understanding of commissioning principles, service improvement and partnership working. You'll be comfortable influencing senior stakeholders, leading complex discussions and using data and evidence to support decision-making. Just as importantly, you'll be someone who enjoys building relationships, working collaboratively across organisational boundaries, and inspiring others to achieve shared goals.

To be successful, you'll have excellent communication, negotiation and leadership skills, strong commercial awareness, and the ability to manage multiple priorities effectively. A degree-level qualification (or equivalent experience) and a commitment to continuous professional development are essential. Experience of developing strategies, managing performance, influencing provider markets and leading transformational change would be highly advantageous.

For full details of the essential and desirable criteria, please refer to the Job Description

We understand that candidates may use AI tools to assist with their applications. While we welcome innovation, we expect all submissions to reflect your own experience, skills, and achievements accurately. Please ensure your application is truthful and demonstrates your personal capabilities, as this will be assessed during the selection process.

Other information

For more information about this role, please contact Jessica Hunter at [email protected] address for an informal discussion.

Closing date: 1st November 2026

Interview Date: Week beginning 2^nd November 2026 TBC

We reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so please be advised to submit your application as early as possible.

Buckinghamshire Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare:

• All unspent convictions and conditional cautions
• All spent convictions and adult cautions that are not protected (i.e. that are not filtered out) as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2020 and 2023).

For further information on filtering please refer to Nacro guidance and the guidance published by the Ministry of Justice (see, in particular, the section titled ‘Exceptions Order’).

Our values

We have a set of values, which our employees have chosen, that represent what we are – Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative and Trustworthy.

By joining Buckinghamshire Council, you can expect:

• a fair and inclusive culture
• the chance to really make a difference to those around you
• health and well-being initiatives including an Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and mindfulness workshops
• a unified voice through our Employee Representative Group
• ongoing support, and the opportunity to develop and progress in your career with us
• opportunities to take part in fun activities such as fundraising and social events

At Buckinghamshire Council, we know that our biggest strength comes from the people that work for us, and that’s why we’re working hard to ensure we continue to be an accessible and inclusive organisation.

From dedicated staff networks overseen by our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group, to proudly standing as a Disability Confident employer, it’s important to us that all our colleagues feel engaged, listened to, and valued. Our offer of flexible working empowers a productive and happy workforce and allows employees to combine work with other responsibilities and commitments.

We believe our workforce should reflect the diverse communities we service in Buckinghamshire, and are looking for like-minded individuals to join us in promoting equality, fairness, and inclusion for everyone.

About the Service Area

The Strategic Commissioning and Procurement Service brings together strategic commissioning, Quality and Placements, alongside procurement colleagues. By combining our skills, experience and lessons learned, we ensure the most effective approach to supporting all stages of the commissioning cycle, complementing other Council teams to maximise both outcomes and value for money for our residents.

 Within this broader service, the Children’s Social Care Commissioning Team is responsible for ensuring that Buckinghamshire has safe, high-quality, and sustainable services for children and young people through both operational and strategic commissioning. The team commissions and oversees a range of external placements, including residential children’s homes, fostering, supported accommodation, domiciliary care, secure welfare placements, parent and child assessment units, and SEND residential schools. Operational responsibilities include quality assurance and risk-based assessments, fee negotiations and governance, cost benchmarking using CareCubed, contract and provider performance management, and due diligence for new providers. Strategically, the team leads framework and regional commissioning activity to shape, strengthen, and diversify the provider market, increase local sufficiency, and ensure services meet the current and future needs of children and young people.

We recognise and reward you

Hard work and success deserves recognition. That’s why we pride ourselves on the benefits we give our people. We actively encourage a good work-life balance and promote flexible and agile working arrangements. We provide discounts on various Cafés, restaurants, shops and auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme. In addition to the opportunity to gain membership to Costco, we have discounted gym memberships, travel discounts with Arriva and much more.

https://jobs.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/working-buckinghamshire-council/