Job Description

• Suffolk County Council
• Address: Endeavour House, Ipswich IP1 2BX -Hybrid
• Salary: £34,434 per annum (pro rata for part time)
• Hours: 37 hours per week
• Contract:Permanent

At Suffolk County Council, collaboration is at the heart of what we do. As a Senior Home Finding Officer in the Strategic Commissioning and Home Finding Team you’ll work with colleagues across children’s services, partner agencies, and external providers to build trust, share ideas, and deliver services that make a positive lasting impact for children in care.

Reimagine the possibilities.

Your role and responsibilities

You will:

• support the Home Finding team functions including oversight of the home finding referral caseload and day to day operations of the home finding team including contacting providers directly to identify potential homes for children in care.
• carry out due diligence checks on externally purchased providers and home finding searches
• attend multi-agency meetings in relation to individual children’s placements
• have regular liaison with Contract Managers, Commissioning and In-house services
• audit and track the Home Finding processes
• negotiate costs with providers
• deputise for the Home Finding Manager and cover the other Senior Home Finding Officers when required.

You will need:

• a knowledge and experience of commissioning homes for children and quality assurance of different types of placements. However, applications will also be welcomed if you can demonstrate transferable skills and previous experience in a relatable role.
• to prioritise your own workload dynamically and work effectively in a face paced environment.
• the ability to communicate via e-mail and telephone with external providers and wider children’s services colleagues in a tactful manner, show empathy and resolve conflict effectively.
• to have precise, objective, and accurate recording and reporting skills
• to demonstrate your ability to communicate openly and honestly in the spirit of collaboration and demonstrate skills and attitudes that promote effective teamwork.

You can view a full list of requirements in the Job and Person Profile (JPP), which you can find in the ‘How to apply’ section towards the bottom of this advert.

If you believe you can succeed in this role, apply. Even if you don't meet all requirements, still apply. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application.

The team

The Home Finding Team’s main function is to source suitable homes for Children in Care. The team sits within the wider Children and Young People’s Services Strategic Commissioning Team and acts as the central point of contact for sourcing and securing social care placements in Suffolk. The team works collaboratively across children’s social care services and in partnership with SEND and health colleagues to provide high-quality, cost-effective homes that meet the individual needs of children in a timely way.

The Home Finding Team operates in a fast-paced environment and has a strong ethos of collaboration, flexibility, and solution-focused working. The team has a supportive and friendly culture and is committed to achieving the best possible outcomes for children in care. As a Senior Home Finding Officer, you will play a key role in maintaining and strengthening this positive team culture.

Due to the need for collaboration and effective communication, team members are expected to work from Endeavour House on Tuesdays and Thursdays, as well as during periods of high service demand. Hybrid working is supported on other days, in line with service needs.

Occasionally, where placement searches remain unresolved at the end of the working day, there may be a need to work flexibly for a limited period. Any additional hours worked can be taken back as time off in lieu.

Outside of normal operating hours, the Emergency Duty Service provides 24/7 cover for urgent placement needs.

Empowering Everyone

We’re big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We’re always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in our Workforce Equality Report

For more information

Please contact Nicola Lewis (Home Finding Team Manager) or Rachel Rowe (Commissioning Lead for Corporate Parenting) for a casual conversation. You can reach them by calling 01473 26020701473 263730 or emailing Nicola.lewis@suffolk.gov.uk rachel.rowe@suffolk.gov.uk

Take a look at what makes our Ideal Worker, shaped by the voices of young people: find out more

How to apply

Step 1 - Read the Job and Person Profile (JPP) (Word).

Step 2 - Click ‘Apply Now’ to start your online application.

Step 3 - Upload asupporting statement indicating how you meet each of the criteria in the ‘Person Profile’ section of theJPP.

• You should use the Supporting Statement template (Word)
• Please use Arial font size 11 and keep your statement to a maximum of two sides of A4.

Please note: Without a supporting statement, your interest will not be progressed. Any supporting documents must be in either PDF or MS Word format.

For guidance on completing your application, please see our How to Apply page

Planning to use Artificial Intelligence (AI)? Please ensure your application still reflects your own skills, experience and ideas. If used inappropriately, your application may not be processed. Please read our guidance for using AI to understand what’s acceptable.

Do you need any reasonable adjustments to help you to apply? If you are disabled and/or have additional support needs, you can request reasonable adjustments. You can do this by contacting our Recruitment Team at recruitment@suffolk.gov.uk or 03456 014412 You can find examples of possible adjustments on our Reasonable Adjustment pages

Closing date:  11.30pm, 28 June 2026

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts. #Hybrid

As a modern and effective council, we offer a wide variety of careers to suit people with a range of skills, abilities and ambitions. We offer working options that flex to reflect the way people work today and take the time to understand and support your individual needs. We’re driven to make a positive difference to the world around us and encourage everyone with drive and focus to join us and build an influential and impactful career. Reimagine the possibilities.

In return, you’ll enjoy:

• up to 29 days annual leave entitlement (pro rata), plus UK bank holidays and two paid volunteering days
• membership of a competitive Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• travel, lifestyle, health and wellbeing benefits
• performance-related annual pay progression, in addition to an annual cost-of-living pay increase
• training and encouragement to expand your knowledge
• a variety of career development opportunities across our organisation
• diverse and active staff networks
• flexible working options, with the right to request flexible working from your first day

If you want to know more about our benefits, values and equality commitments please visit our Suffolk County Council careers website (careers.Suffolk.gov.uk)