Home Finding Quality Assurance & Commissioning Officer

We are seeking a dedicated and experienced Home Finding Quality Assurance & Commissioning Officer to join our Home Finding & Commissioning Team within Children We Care For Services.

This is a vital role focused on ensuring that children and young people who cannot live with their families are placed in safe, high-quality homes that meet their individual needs, promote stability, and reflect their identity.

Key Responsibilities

As a Home Finding QA & Commissioning Officer, you will:

• Conduct quality assurance visits (announced and unannounced) to residential homes, fostering agencies, and supported accommodation providers across the UK
• Carry out due diligence checks on providers, assessing safeguarding practices, staffing, compliance, and Ofsted outcomes
• Monitor Ofsted notifications, escalating risks and advising senior leaders on action
• Lead provider risk profiling, identifying and tracking concerns and performance issues
• Develop and oversee provider improvement plans to raise standards
• Work collaboratively with safeguarding partners, including the LADO
• Provide enhanced oversight on high-risk or complex placements
• Contribute to commissioning processes, including provider evaluation and market development
• Support contract monitoring and ensure compliance with agreed standards
• Produce clear, evidence-based reports and maintain audit-ready records
• Respond effectively to concerns, complaints, or safeguarding issues
• Advise colleagues on provider suitability and placement matching
• Participate in multi-agency meetings and risk panels
• Support urgent responses where immediate safeguarding concerns arise

The ideal candidate

We are looking for a motivated and analytical professional who can balance quality assurance, safeguarding, and commissioning priorities.

You will have:

• A Level 4–5 qualification (or equivalent experience) in a relevant field such as Children & Young People’s Services, Health & Social Care, Social Care Practice, Education/Youth Work, Psychology, Commissioning.
• Experience in one or more of the following, Quality assurance, Contract monitoring / commissioning, Children’s residential, fostering, or supported accommodation services
• Strong knowledge of Ofsted frameworks, National Minimum Standards & Safeguarding and regulatory requirements.
• Proven ability to analyse quality data and identify risk, produce clear reports and improvement plans & Challenge providers constructively and professionally
• Excellent communication and report-writing skills and organisational skills, with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to manage competing priorities independently, handle sensitive safeguarding issues with confidence & work collaboratively across agencies
• A full driving licence and willingness to travel nationally

Please ensure that you download and read the full job profile attached for the details and expectations of this role, paying particular attention the section 'Who is the person' as you will need to refer to this when completing your Personal statement.

Working Arrangements - You will be required to work a minimum of two days per week in the office as per Hybrid Working Policy

Contact Details for an Informal Discussion- If you have any questions, or would like an informal discussion about the role, please contact Danielle Pryer - danielle.rebbitt@portsmouthcc.gov.uk

About Portsmouth City Council

Portsmouth City Council is a unique organisation, committed to making a difference, and is guided by core values that set who we are as people, what we stand for, and how we act.

We are committed to our values of respect, integrity, collaboration, inclusivity and being people-focussed. These values set out how we can contribute to the success of the council and our own success as individuals. Learn more about our values and behaviours.

Application process

We anonymise applications during application & shortlisting to ensure only relevant information is considered.

As part of your application, we ask that you complete a personal statement, this statement is crucial and is where you must demonstrate how you meet the requirements of the job against each of the points described in the'Who is the Person'points on the Job Profile using examples from your experience or transferable skills. This might be through qualifications or descriptive examples from your work / personal experience.

We are a disability confident employer and Armed Forces Covenant gold standard. More information can be found at Equality, diversity and inclusion - Careers portal

We are committed to offering an interview to all those candidates that qualify under our corporate commitments and meet the minimum criteria, however, for roles that receive a large number of applications, we will select the candidates that best meet the minimum criteria.

You will need to demonstrate that you have the Right to Work in the UK. No post will be offered without it.

Please note: We are not able to offer sponsorship for this position.

Should you require any support in completing the application form please contact recruit@portsmouthcc.gov.uk or call the recruitment team on 023 92 616 800.

Safeguarding

Portsmouth City Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and young people, and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Every post is subject to PCC and Portsmouth Safeguarding Children Partnership safer recruitment procedures.

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) at Standard/Enhanced level will be required prior to any offer of employment and this post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Please read the relevant DBS privacy notice before submitting any information.

You will need to explain any gaps in your career history within the last 5 years - this is essential for all safeguarding roles.