Location
Laurence House, Catford SE6, South East London. The office is a 3-5 minute walk from two local train stations, with a 15-minute train journey from London Bridge. Numerous bus routes also serve the area. Hybrid working is in place, requiring regular work both in the office and from home.

Hours
Full Time

Salary
£57,495 - £59,574 per annum (SCP PO6). All appointments will be offered at the minimum spinal column point for the grade, except where matching current salary (up to the maximum) is evidenced.

About the Role
Lewisham Council is seeking a Commissioning Lead – Children’s Placements to lead the strategic and operational commissioning of homes for children and young people in care. This pivotal role ensures children access safe, high-quality, and stable placements that meet their needs while delivering best value and supporting Lewisham’s sufficiency ambitions.

You will oversee commissioning across foster care, residential care, and supported accommodation, managing the full commissioning cycle from needs analysis and service design through procurement, contract management, and review. Working closely with operational teams and external providers, you will shape the market, improve quality, and secure the right homes at the right time.

Key responsibilities include leading commissioning aligned to statutory duties and local priorities, overseeing home-finding with robust quality assurance and accurate data reporting, building strong provider and partner relationships to drive improvement and innovation, monitoring quality and performance including contract reviews and regulatory compliance (including Ofsted), negotiating placement costs to achieve value for money, and line managing the placements team to provide leadership in a high-demand environment.

Lewisham Children’s Social Care is committed to creating the right conditions for good social work practice to thrive, using the Signs of Safety model and fostering a culture of respect, support, and professional development. The service has been recognised by Ofsted for significant improvements, strong leadership, and positive outcomes for children and families.

Lewisham offers a supportive working environment with manageable caseloads, comprehensive learning and development opportunities, regular supervision and coaching, access to leadership development initiatives, and a clearly defined career progression pathway.

Experience
- Significant experience in commissioning and/or brokerage, ideally within children’s placements.
- Strong understanding of safeguarding legislation and relevant regulatory frameworks, including the Children Act 1989 and placement-related regulations.
- Proven ability to manage provider relationships, contracts, and budgets.
- Experience leading teams and delivering results under pressure.

About you
- Excellent negotiation, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills.
- Leadership style that motivates teams and fosters a positive, high-performance culture.
- Commitment to inclusive, collaborative working, valuing strengths of others.
- Professionally curious with a balanced, reflective approach to problem-solving.
- Transparent, appreciative in enquiry, and committed to continuous learning and improvement.
- Ability to take responsibility and contribute positively by focusing on solutions.

Qualifications
Not explicitly stated, but relevant professional qualifications and experience in commissioning or social care leadership are implied.