Senior Commissioning Manager (Education and SEND) – Children’s Integrated Commissioning

In Hackney, we are Ambitious, Pioneering, Open, Proactive, Inclusive, and Proud. Our goal is simple: Working Together for Every Child in Hackney.

We are looking for an ambitious Senior Commissioning Manager to lead our Education & SEND portfolio.

It’s an exciting time and pivotal moment to join us as we have launched our new Hackney Education Strategy 2025-2028 and our SEND & Inclusion Strategy 2026-2029. At the same time we are implementing our Local Area SEND Inspection Action Plan and mobilising a significant SEND Transformation Programme all through the lens of the forthcoming coming SEND reforms.

About the Role

As a Senior Commissioning Manager, you will work with the Head of Children’s Integrated Commissioning as a key leader within our integrated service, responsible for the development and delivery of Education & SEND commissioning, transformation, and service improvement, ensuring we achieve better outcomes and value for money from our available resources.

Key responsibilities for this role include:

Strategic Leadership: Lead the Education & SEND commissioning unit, overseeing strategic commissioning activity for independent non-maintained schools, alternative provision and SEND transport.

Integrated Commissioning: Work across the commissioning cycle — from needs assessment to service design, procurement and performance management — to deliver “joined-up” services.

Market Management: Build strong, honest relationships with providers, encouraging high-quality local provision and managing a “Relational Contracting Approach”.

Service Transformation: Drive key priorities, such as implementing our SEND Transformation programme and delivering Hackney Education Alternative Learning Service and associated commissioning plans.

Collaborative Practice: Working across the service leadership to deliver our cross cutting commissioning priorities including embedding our STAR (Systemic, Trauma-informed, and Anti-Racist) practice model and children’s co-production framework into all stages of our commissioning cycle

You will:

-Drive Integration: Break down silos by bringing staff from across the directorate and wider system together to release our shared ambitions.

-Deliver Best Value: Oversee the strategic commissioning of complex care, education, and support packages, ensuring supply meets demand while maintaining robust financial discipline.

-Champion innovation: Rethink how we commission services, moving beyond traditional models to foster genuine co-production, partnership, and innovation.

-Connect the system: Work with senior leaders across health, education, social care, and the voluntary sector, uniting them behind a shared purpose and a single, ambitious plan.

–Inspire a culture of change: Act as a catalyst and a coach, building momentum and empowering our teams to embrace new ways of working.

Who are we looking for?

You might be an organisational powerhouse, a data whizz, a natural relationship builder, a strategic thinker, or a creative problem-solver. Whatever your background, you are driven by a relentless desire to make things better for children. You are curious, brave, and you believe in the power of collaboration.

You will bring:

–Expert Knowledge: A deep understanding of the SEND and Education commissioning landscape, including relevant legislation and national reforms.

-Commissioning Expertise: Significant experience in evidence-based commissioning, service design, procurement, and contract management, with strong analytical skills to develop innovative service solutions.

-Proven Experience: A track record of managing large-scale commissioning activities for people related services in complex, urban environments.

-Exceptional Leadership: Proven ability to provide vision and direction, motivating and empowering teams to achieve ambitious goals.

-Financial & Commercial Acumen: A clear understanding of public sector budget management and the ability to manage a significant, multi-million-pound portfolio to deliver value for money and financial savings.

-Strategic Mindset: The ability to translate high-level strategies into practical, realisable plans that improve service delivery.

-Commitment to Our Values: A deep and demonstrable commitment to anti-racist practice. You will be able to think creatively and apply a systemic, trauma-informed approach to your leadership, processes, and policies.

-Resilience & Communication: The ability to thrive in a complex, fast-paced environment, with highly developed communication skills to influence senior stakeholders, partners, and providers.

Why Hackney? 

-Our Systemic, Trauma-Informed and Anti-Racist (STAR) practice model informs everything we do.

-Following on from our Anti Racist Summit in October 2023 we remain committed to dismantling systemic racism, discrimination, injustice and making anti-racism a foundation of our practice. 

-We provide wide-ranging and excellent training and development opportunities; we will help you to develop excellent practice, leading to career advancement at your own pace. 

-We are an innovative borough where we collaborate to support change for the children and families we work for and for each other.

Ready to come and join us?

If you’re ready to come and join us to work for every child in Hackney, we want to hear from you.

For an informal chat about our vision, please contact Naomi Winter, Service Coordinator at naomi.winter@hackney.gov.uk  

Further reading:

Children’s Integrated Commissioning Strategy 2025/26-2026/27

Hackney Education Strategy 2025-2028 

Hackney’s SEND & Inclusion Strategy 2026-2029

As a Council, our most outstanding asset is our staff, who are highly dedicated to serving our residents and committed to our goals as an organisation. 

If you want to work in a place where you can represent our values so we achieve the best for our residents, please click on the apply button below.

We operate a fair and open anonymous selection process. Therefore, we do not accept supporting statements or CV’s.

To proceed with your application, you will need to create an account and submit your application.

As part of the application process, you will need to complete a number of competency based questions. These questions allow you to demonstrate your suitability for the role and provide examples of your skills, knowledge and experience outlined in the job description. 

We understand the benefits of using AI in the workplace. However, if you are thinking of using this tool to submit your application, we ask you to think about what value it will add. AI tools tend to lack the personal touch and authenticity we value in candidates. We encourage you to showcase your unique knowledge and skills using your own voice.

This application process replaces a supporting statement.

Closing date for applications: 10 May 2026 (22:59)

Interview dates: w/c 25th May 2026

We are also working towards our vision, which is to be a place for everyone; where residents and staff can be proud; a place that celebrates diversity and where everyone can feel valued, included and involved. In order to achieve this, we look for people who are: Proud; Ambitious; Pioneering; Open; Proactive; Inclusive.

Hackney Council works to eradicate discrimination on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation. We also recognise that people can be disadvantaged by their social and economic circumstances, so we will also work to eliminate discrimination and disadvantage caused by social class. We also welcome those interested in flexible working. We particularly welcome applications from disabled people, as this group is currently under represented in our workforce.

The Council has a dedicated employment support service (Hackney Works), which offers Hackney residents guidance in relation to applying for jobs. If you are thinking about applying for a job, please contact the Hackney Works team to find out what support is available: hackneyworks@hackney.gov.uk 

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