Head of Commissioning – Children’s Residential Services

Regular travel across the UK

£70,000 - £75,000 + Bonus

Full Time / Permanent

Compass Associates are working exclusively with a leading provider of specialist children’s residential services to appoint a Head of Commissioning. This newly created position will play a pivotal role in shaping how referrals are managed and converted across the organisation’s national portfolio of homes.

The Role

This is a senior appointment requiring a confident, strategic leader with deep operational knowledge of children’s residential care and a strong understanding of how placements and referrals drive both quality and commercial success.

The successful candidate will be responsible for reviewing, managing and triaging all incoming referrals, ensuring decisions are informed, compliant and child-focused. They will work closely with Registered Managers, Local Authorities and commissioning partners to maintain strong relationships, increase placement conversion and ensure the best possible outcomes for children and young people.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end management of referrals, from initial triage to placement decision
• Oversee and improve referral conversion processes to maximise occupancy and service efficiency
• Build and maintain strong partnerships with Local Authorities, social work teams and commissioning bodies
• Ensure all activity complies with children’s homes regulations and relevant legislation
• Analyse referral data and trends, reporting regularly to the senior leadership team
• Support service development through insights, training and continuous improvement initiatives

Candidate Requirements

• Recognised qualification in social work, social care or a related field
• Proven experience within children’s services, ideally with a background in placements, referrals or commissioning
• Strong understanding of regulatory frameworks for children’s homes
• Excellent communication, analytical and decision-making skills
• Ability to influence and collaborate effectively across multiple stakeholders
• Experience managing complex referrals and achieving positive outcomes

This role would suit:

A senior social care professional or social work-qualified leader with significant experience managing referrals or placements, who is motivated by improving outcomes for children while supporting organisational growth.

Recommendations:

Compass Associates Ltd are working in partnership on this position. If you are not interested but know someone who is, we offer £200 in vouchers for successful recommendations.