Commissioning & Sufficiency Manager

Deadline for applications: Sunday 27th September 2026 at 10pm

Job Role: Commissioning & Sufficiency Manager, East Midlands Regional Care Cooperative (RCC)

Salary & Benefits: £50,000–£60,000 a year, 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays, generous pension scheme, hybrid working arrangements. Secondment arrangements may differ.

Start date: November 2026

Contract type: Fixed-term contract or secondment opportunity until 31st March 2028, with continuation subject to funding and approval. Any secondment arrangement will be subject to agreement with the successful candidate's current employer.

Basis: Full time (37.5 hours)

Employment location: The role will be based in Leicester, with hybrid working and regular travel across the East Midlands.

Job category: Children's social care and commissioning, sufficiency, market shaping and improvement, programme management.

Host organisation: RCC roles will be hosted by SDSA Leicester on behalf of the East Midlands local authorities.

Help shape the future of children’s care, regional sufficiency and collaborative commissioning across the East Midlands. The East Midlands is creating one of the country’s new Regional Care Co-operatives (RCCs) – a major public sector reform programme covering all ten upper-tier local authorities, bringing together regional commissioning, sufficiency planning, fostering development, market engagement, data and improvement activity through a powerful new collaborative model.

Role Overview

The RCC Commissioning and Sufficiency Manager will support the operational development and delivery of the East Midlands RCC’s commissioning, sufficiency and provider-engagement work.

The role will help turn the regional ambitions into practical delivery activity by coordinating workstreams, analysing markets, supporting pilots and maintaining momentum across partners. Working across commissioning, sufficiency and provider engagement, the postholder will support the operational development of regional workstreams and help ensure that collaborative ideas become real improvements in practice.

Key Responsibilities

  • Commissioning delivery and workstreams: Support RCC commissioning and sufficiency workstreams, pilots and delivery plans, and help turn regional priorities into practical tools, processes and improvements.
  • Market analysis and provider engagement: Undertake market analysis, provider mapping and research, and support provider engagement, workshops and consultation across fostering, residential and specialist markets.
  • Operational commissioning and procurement: Coordinate operational commissioning tasks including specifications, options appraisals and procurement support, and help monitor outcomes, performance and value for money.
  • Partnerships and continuous improvement: Build positive working relationships across the ten East Midlands local authorities, providers and partners, and support co-production so children, young people, families, carers and practitioners inform the work.

How to Apply

For more details about the role download the application pack. Please apply by submitting the following three documents to jobs@sdsa.net:

  • CV – including an explanation of any gaps in employment.
  • Supporting statement – a maximum of two sides of A4 demonstrating how your knowledge, skills and experience meet the requirements set out in the application pack.
  • Application form – a short form which captures your contact details, references and equal opportunities information. The form is available to download above.

Closing date: Sunday 27th September 2026 at 10pm

Successful applicants contacted: By Friday 2nd October 2026

Interviews held: Week commencing 5th October 2026, at the SDSA Office in Leicester City Centre

All applications will be acknowledged via email within 48 hours of receipt. If you have not received confirmation within this time, please call 0116 299 5942.