Description

We are committed to the development of our workforce. This position is only available to applicants who already work for Surrey County Council. We thank you for your interest in our roles and would encourage you to review our vacancies which are open to all.

The starting salary for this role is £70,975 per annum, working 36 hours per week. This is a secondment opportunity until 31 March 2027.

We are excited to be offering a secondment opportunity into a Senior Commissioning Manager role, which will have a lead responsibility for driving forward the discovery and design work needed on AHWP LGR workstreams with a particular focus on the contracts and commissioning workstream and how it interfaces with other departmental and corporate cross cutting workstreams.

You will work in one of our offices but with agreement may also choose to work at home for part of their working week, offering a good balance for your personal and professional life.

Our Offer to You

• 26 days' holiday, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 31 days after 5 years' service
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Up to 5 days of carer's leave and 2 paid volunteering days per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
• An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources
• Wellbeing and lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, and shopping
• A chance to make a real difference to the lives of our residents

About the Role

As a Senior Commissioning Manager, you will sit within the AWHP Commissioning Team and will work closely with the Director of Integrated Commissioning and Heads of Commissioning with a focus on the discovering and design work needed around preparation for Local Government Reform.

You will need a well-developed understanding of strategic commissioning principles, commissioning and contract technicalities as they relate to the full range of funding arrangements the department has with external organisations from high value countywide contracts, grant agreements, Memorandums of understand and Service Level Agreements as well as the wider strategies that guide and inform the direction of these arrangements.

You will also need a broad range of relationship management, programme and project management skills, along with good political acumen. These capabilities are essential to create a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of existing arrangements, and to develop options and recommendations that support a 'Safe and Legal' handover process for the formation of new Unitary authorities.

About the Team

The AWHP Commissioning Team is a large and diverse team with a broad range of responsibilities across a large and complex strategic commissioning, transformation and improvement programme comprising of several Heads of Commissioning with portfolio leads across disabilities and direct payments, mental health and carers, older people and technology enabled care as well as brokerage and contract management.

Our work programmes are evidence based, innovative, and follow best practice. We are committed to ensuring individuals' insight and ambition shapes our plans through co-production as well as engagement. We are a dynamic team, committed to continuous improvement through working in partnership across the sector, with colleagues across the council, the NHS and the community/voluntary sector and these roles which will be focused on the work AWHP and commissioning in particular need to do around Local Government reform will need to be able to work in an agile, flexible and responsive way to bring together a wide range of complex and interrelated information across the department and the council as a whole to inform the next steps in the process towards a safe and legal handover to the new unitary authorities once they are established.

Shortlisting Criteria

In order to be considered for shortlisting, your application will clearly evidence the following skills and align with our behaviours :

• Undergraduate degree or equivalent, ideally with a relevant social work or other associated healthcare qualification, or a relevant commissioning qualification.
• Strong written and oral communication and interpersonal skills with high level negotiation and influencing skills, plus the ability to build effective relationships with colleagues and a range of external partners.
• Detailed knowledge of social care processes and responsibilities and ability to work flexibly and at pace to bring together a broad range of complex and interrelated information to inform recommendations and next steps as they relate to Local Government Reform.
• Substantial professional commissioning, contracting and management experience supporting high quality delivery of services, working in the context of public service delivery in the statutory or voluntary sector.

Before submitting your application, we recommend you read the job description & Our Life at Surrey handbook to get an insight into working at Surrey.

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 20/01/2026 with interviews planned to follow.

We look forward to receiving your application, please click on the apply online button below to submit.

Contact us

Please contact us for any questions relating to the role. This could be to discuss flexible working requests, transferable skills or any barriers to employment.

For an informal discussion please contact Jon Lillistone via email.

Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)

Surrey County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation, moving from a two-tier system to two new unitary councils in April 2027. If you are employed by Surrey on 1st April 2027, your role will transfer with current terms and conditions to one of the new organisations, supporting local devolution and greater powers for our communities.

Join our dynamic team and shape the future of local government. Make a lasting impact with innovative solutions and improved services for our community. Help us build a brighter future for our residents! Please see more information here: Information for applicants on Local Government Reorganisation - Surrey County Council .

Our Commitment

We are a disability confident employer which means if you have shared a disability on your application form and have evidenced you meet the minimum criteria, we guarantee you an interview.

Your skills and experience truly matter to us. From application to your first day, we're committed to supporting you with any adjustments you need, we value inclusion and warmly welcome you to join and help build a workplace where everyone belongs.

Files to download

• Senior Commissioning Manager - Job Description (PDF)

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