Commissioning Officer

Location: Barrow, Kendal or Penrith

Contract Type: Permanent

Have you ever considered working in Commissioning? An exciting opportunity has arisen in the Commissioning Team for a highly motivated individual to join our team to work as a Commissioning Officer.

Our broad objective is to commission services which meet the identified needs of residents, deliver improved outcomes, achieve value for money and support the Council Plan. Commissioning Officers are responsible for taking the lead on aspects of commissioning within the areas of Adult Services, Children’s Services and Public Health.

This role focuses on commissioning services to provide high quality homes for cared for children and education placements for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). You will work closely with colleagues in Children’s Services and alongside a range of stakeholders and independent providers to commission services that meet the needs of individual children.

You will work with Commissioning’s External Placements Team, which searches for and secures placements in homes for cared for children with fostering, residential and supported accommodation providers and education placements for children with SEND.

The work is busy and fast paced but is really rewarding.

What you will be doing…

The successful candidate will:

• Commission services and contracts to secure high-quality provision
• Operationally review services and processes for continuous improvement
• Implement contracts and manage contractual change
• Manage and develop relationships with providers
• Be involved with market development, quality and contractual compliance
• Work closely with the Commissioning Manager

Who we are looking for…

You will be highly organised, a confident communicator and able to work effectively under pressure. You don’t require a background in social care or commissioning, although knowledge of these areas would be helpful. The successful candidate will:

• Have knowledge and experience of leading and managing projects
• Be highly IT literate
• Able to analyse and interpret data
• Have excellent problem-solving skills
• Be a good networker and negotiator

What can we offer you!

Working at Westmorland and Furness Council you will receive a variety of benefits, including a competitive pension scheme, enhanced annual leave allowance and other various perks and discounts schemes. For more information about life at Westmorland and Furness Council and what we can offer you, please visit our Careers site. Our benefits | Careers (westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk)

Would you like to find out more?

If you have any queries about this role or would like an informal chat about this opportunity, then please contact Sarah Page on 07785 293 596.

Application and Interview information

Closing date: 04/01/2026

Interviews: W/C 12/01/2026