Strategic Commissioning Lead Adult Social Care - Mental Health and Learning Disability

Dorset Council Adult Social Care Commissioning Team is looking for a new lead to help drive forward our services for people with Mental Health needs and a Learning Disability, including Autism and Birth to Settled Adulthood.

We are ambitious for the people we serve and work collaboratively with our colleagues in operational teams, the provider market and health and are embedding an outcome focussed approach to commissioning. We focus on least restrictive options, best use of technology with a strong drive to promote positive risk taking and enablement within all our commissioned services.

We have strong relationships with our provider market, our local care association and social work teams. Our collaborative approach to commissioning has seen delivery of a range of new services in the last few years with greater opportunities to work jointly with health.

You will be an experienced commissioner and be able to demonstrate your understanding of the commissioning cycle, market shaping and will have strong management skills. We have a team of 4 commissioning managers and 4 commissioning officers as well as dedicated project and programme support.

We have invested in our teams and continue to do so through dedicated mentoring and support, our drive to be more commercially minded and operate effectively has been supported by targeted training. Further development opportunities will be open to the successful candidate.

The team you will be responsible for are hardworking, creative and dedicated and you can expect their full support in developing services fit for the future.

The team work remotely as well as some office time, the successful candidate will be expected to be in Dorset for key meetings but at least once a month. The Council has a generous range of benefits including relocation expenses.

Formal interviews will be face to face in Dorchester as well as an informal session with the team.

This post requires significant travel. You must have a vehicle (or transport we deem suitable) available for use as needed. 

 See our adult safeguarding policy.

A generous relocation package is payable, of which up to £8,000 (of HMRC eligible elements) are free of tax. We can offer you help to move whether you are looking to buy or rent, depending on your circumstances.  

Our package includes: 

• an initial advance of up to £2,500 payable when you start 

• help towards fees associated with buying/selling (up to £6,500) 

• an option to receive help towards your rent or mortgage in the first two years 

For an informal discussion please do reach out to Karen Stephens: Head of Service, [email protected]

01305 224832.

At Dorset Council, we are working together to create a fairer, more prosperous, and more sustainable Dorset for everyone, now and in the future.

We: 

• provide essential services that support over 380,000 residents 
• work in partnership to make a real difference 
• value every role and the impact it has on our communities 
• support our employees to grow, develop, and thrive 

You will: 

• be part of a team that works together for a better Dorset 
• have access to a range of benefits and support 
• have access to range of training opportunities which will help with your personal development and career progression 

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation where different skills, perspectives, and backgrounds strengthen both our council and the communities we serve. 

We welcome applications from everyone and are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. If you declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role, we will offer you an interview. We also want our recruitment process to be accessible. If you need any reasonable adjustments, just let us know on your application. 

This role is UK-based, and we will need to confirm your Right to Work as part of the appointment process. We use generic job descriptions and person specifications, so the job title in any attachments may differ from the advert. If needed, we will provide additional details in a context statement. 

If you’re passionate about making a difference, we’d love you to join us. 

Find out more about how to apply.