BENEFITS Our employees are at the very heart of the services we provide to the community, to help us achieve our ambitions, we want the best possible team. In return, we will make sure you are rewarded with a great range of staff benefits to support you in and out of work. Contracts Manager (Senior Brokerage Lead) (Grade 12) Fixed Term Contract Hours: 37 hours per week across 5 days Are you passionate about making a difference for people who rely on adult social care services? Do you have the skills to build strong partnerships, drive quality, and ensure the very best from commissioned services? If so, we’d love to hear from you. About the Role We are looking for motivated, driven individual to lead the operational implementation of the Council’s Fair Price for Care (FPfC) and Rate Banding framework across priority care markets. The post holder will act as the specialist interface between commissioning strategy and operational brokerage activity, ensuring consistent, disciplined and evidence based application of pricing frameworks, complexity bandings and placement decisions. The postholder will provide expert oversight of complex and high value placements, lead provider negotiations where rates are contested and embed new commissioning practices into day to day brokerage processes. What You’ll Be Doing As a Senior Brokerage lead, you will: - Lead the operational rollout of rate banding and Fair Price for Care across identified care markets.
- Ensure all new placements and package reviews are aligned to agreed bandings and pricing parameters.
- Develop and embed clear decision-making tools, guidance and escalation pathways.
- Monitor adherence to pricing ceilings and approved exceptions processes.
Provide specialist review and decision support for: o High-cost placements
o Provider rate challenges
o Complex needs cases requiring interpretation of banding - Lead structured negotiation with providers where rates exceed approved thresholds.
- Ensure transparent and auditable rationale for pricing decisions.
Analyse trends in: o Provider pricing behaviours
o Exception volumes
o Cost variances
o Rate Banding discrepancies - Provide regular intelligence reports to Strategic Commissioning and relevant governance forums.
- Identify where commissioning frameworks require refinement or adjustment. Provide coaching and technical support to brokerage staff
- Increase confidence in applying banding and Fair Price for Care principles.
- Maintain oversight of exceptions and deviations from pricing frameworks.
- Ensure decisions align with statutory duties, Care Act requirements and council financial controls.
- Support audit readiness and respond to internal or external scrutiny.
- Contribute to savings monitoring
About You We’re looking for someone who can confidently operate in a complex environment and build positive working relationships across multiple agencies. To succeed in this role, you will need: Experience in adult social care brokerage, commissioning or complex case management Experience working at a management level in social care or a related field. Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Strong understanding of care market pricing and provider cost drivers Experience of negotiation with independent sector providers Experience of operating within financial control frameworks Ability to interpret complex care needs and translate into costed packages Strong Analytical, problem solving, negotiation, influencing and organisational skills Ability to balance cost control with quality and statutory responsibilities High levels of professional judgement Confidence operating at senior levels internally and externally Experience working across commissioning and operational interfaces Confident use of IT systems to manage data and reporting. Experience of partnership working, consultation and achieving measurable outcomes. You will also demonstrate our core behaviours: Positive, Honest, Respectful, Flexible, Communicative and Supportive. What We Offer The chance to influence high-profile services across the Adults and Health system. A supportive, collaborative and values-led working culture. Opportunities for professional development. Flexible working and a strong focus on wellbeing. Other Requirements A full driving licence or the ability to travel independently across Kirklees. Willingness to work flexibly as required. If you would like an informal discussion about this role, please contact Lauren James-Kinder on 01484 221000
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