Job Description

Assistant Director – Social Care and Complex Commissioning & Sufficiency (Children’s Services) | 10628 | Permanent Contract | 37 hours per week | £77,732 to £86,720 per annum | Grade O | Norwich (This will be hybrid, with the expectation to work onsite 2-3 days a week with regular travel across Norfolk).

We are seeking an experienced and values-led leader to join Norfolk County Council as Assistant Director- Strategic Commissioning within Children’s Services.

This is a pivotal role responsible for leading the commissioning of services for children and young people in care, including children with disabilities, and delivering our Sufficiency Strategy to ensure the right provision is in place to meet need both now and in the future.

About the role

You will:

• Lead strategic commissioning across Children’s Social Care
• Drive improvements in placement sufficiency, quality and value for money
• Oversee provider performance and safeguarding across the market
• Represent Norfolk within the Commission East Regional Care Collaborative
• Work in partnership across health, education and social care to deliver integrated solutions
• Contribute to senior leadership across Children’s Services and deputise for the Director when required

About you

You will have:

• Significant senior experience in children’s social care commissioning
• Strong understanding of sufficiency, market management and service transformation
• Experience working across complex partnerships and systems
• Excellent leadership, communication and influencing skills

Why join us?

You’ll be part of a recently rated ‘Outstanding’ Children’s Service, with the opportunity to shape strategic commissioning locally and regionally, improving outcomes for children and families across Norfolk.

Before you apply, we recommend reading the full and Person Specification to help you demonstrate you meet the criteria in your cover letter.

For an informal discussion, please contact Carla.Donavan@norfolk.gov.uk (Executive Assistant to Service Director)

These are some benefits you can enjoy by working for Norfolk County Council:

• Competitive salary
• Generous holiday entitlement
• Health and Wellbeing services including fast-track physiotherapy and a free counselling service
• Flexible working opportunities including flexi-time, part time, remote and hybrid working – dependant on your job role and business need.
• Financial benefits such as:
  • ‘Norfolk Rewards’ our employee discounts programme which helps you save money on almost anything, from everyday groceries and clothes, to holidays, new technology, gym membership, trips to the cinema and days out.
  • A Blue Light card for Fire Service and Social Care Workers
  • Relocation expenses (where applicable)
  • An advance of your expenses if you travel for work
  • Local Government Pension Scheme with generous employer contribution, life assurance, death in service payments and dependants’ pensions.

  • Tax efficient ways of getting extra pension and new bikes

  • Access to our tax efficient car lease scheme for greener travel enabling you to lease a brand new, ultra-low emission vehicle (subject to eligibility)

  • A payment if you refer someone you know to a hard to fill job

You can also find information on our Terms and Conditions here.

Already a Norfolk County Council employee? See and apply for internal and external vacancies in myOracle using your @norfolk.gov.uk or @nccal.ac.uk email.

We would like to make you aware that priority consideration for this post may be given to current employees who are at risk due to restructure within the organisation or are in a redeployment position.

Redeployment closing date: 23:55 Monday 6 July 2026

All other applicants closing date: 23:55 Monday 13 July 2026

Interviews will be held on Thursday 16 and Friday 17 July 2026

We have miles of beautiful coastline and our unique Broads, thriving market towns and a city with a proud cultural heritage. Our economy is growing and driven by innovation in a number of sectors, including energy and food. We also have ambitious plans for new housing and a building programme for schools across Norfolk. Our county a great place to live, work and visit, and is an excellent environment for businesses to start, grow and innovate.