Job Introduction
Bradford Children and Families Trust was established in April 2023 to enhance the quality and delivery of Children’s Services across our district. Our purpose is clear, to ensure that our promise to improve the lives of children and young people in Bradford becomes a reality. It’s a tough ask. It requires dedication, determination, and resilience – but under a new Chief Executive, Senior Leadership team and an unswerving drive to deliver the best outcomes, we are confident that we’ll achieve our ambition – and you, yours.
About The Role
- We are recruiting to a Team Manager position within the Placement Coordination Service.
- This part of the team is responsible for accurate and timely payments to placements providers, compliance with financial regulations, ensuring accurate recording and predictions of placement spend, and the issuing of individual contracts to placements providers.
- Championing accuracy, compliance and high standards is incredibly important.
- The Trust is in the beginning stages of a Placements Payments Improvement Project, so as well as overseeing the team, the Team Manager will play a pivotal role in the improvements of systems and processes for placements recording and payments.
Key Responsibilities
- To lead and manage a multi-disciplinary team with responsibility for compliant payments for placements and issuing of individual contracts to placements providers.
- To motivate, train and develop the team to maintain an effective workforce, capable of meeting its objectives. Undertake all elements of staff management including recruitment, progression, capability and absence in line with Trust policies and procedures.
- To ensure that there are effective systems in place that give confidence around accuracy of spend and forecast, minimal error margins and compliance around the spending of public money.
- To ensure compliance with legislation, national standards, best practice, and all Trust policies in pursuit of excellence in service delivery.
- To be the main point of contact for the Service with the Trust’s Finance Team for any queries relating to placement payments.
- To work closely with relevant senior managers responsible for placements budgets to support financial rigour in payments from core systems and compliance with statutory financial obligations.
- To be the main point of contact for the Placements Payments Improvement Project, advising and leading on a number of key workstreams relating to the development of more effective payments systems across the Trust.
- To actively challenge poor standards and champion transparency and fair processes.
- To implement effective service change, leading the team through a period of change as the Trust moves to improve its systems and processes for payments.
- To ensure close collaborative working relationships are developed with colleagues across the Trust, Council, partners and providers.
- Ensure that all statutory requirements with regard to the Trust’s policies and procedures are adhered to and delivered, including working with other services to ensure contract compliance relating to placements.
- To contribute to policy and system development to ensure the Placement Coordination Service is developed in line with the Trust’s priorities. To implement any changes needed across the team.
- To resolve complex payments queries. This may involve working across a number of stakeholders including the Trust’s Finance Team, Education, Commissioning and Contracts & Quality to find resolutions.
- To represent Bradford’s Placement Coordination Service in a local, regional and national arena when required.
- To provide effective Team Manager cover across the other Team Managers in the Service. This includes the placement-finding function of the Service.
About You
Please see Job Description for fuller information, however briefly you will need to have:
- Experience of leading and managing a fast-paced and busy team.
- A Level 6 qualification in a relevant discipline (Finance, Accounting, IT, Procurement) or demonstrable experience relevant to this post.
- An in-depth knowledge of relevant policies, research, provision and legislation covering financial services, Children’s commissioning and payment systems.
- An understanding of Public Contract Regulations and Financial Regulations.
- Experience of contributing to projects looking at large-scale changes to systems and processes.
- A full range of IT skills including Microsoft Office applications and a comprehensive understanding of payment systems.
- Experience of undertaking financial work of a complex or specialist nature.
- A keen eye for detail.
Benefits:
- Generous Employer Contributions in a Local Government Pension Scheme
- Competitive salary and pay progression structure.
- Real living wage as the minimum rate of pay
- Supportive carer and parental policies
- Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave
- Access to Occupational Health and confidential counselling services
- Supportive staff networks
- Access to Blue Light Card Discounts
- Professional development/support
- Career Progression
- Enhanced annual leave entitlement
- Social Worker Registration Fees paid
- Flexible Working/Hybrid options subject to service need
Next Steps
The closing date for this role is 7th May 2025. For any queries, please contact Emma Belaid on emma.belaid2@bradfordcft.org.uk
Bradford Children and Families Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all employees to share this commitment.
If shortlisted, you will be required to disclose relevant information regarding criminal history prior to interview.
A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check including a check against the Children’s barred list, will be carried out on preferred candidates.
