Head of Strategic Commissioning and Policy

*Experience the best of both worlds with our flexible hybrid working arrangements. Enjoy the freedom to work from home while still benefiting from in-person collaboration at our offices across Essex, typically around 2 to 3 days per week dependent on business need. 

This is an exciting opportunity to join an experienced, passionate and enthusiastic team who are driven by improving the experience of people in Essex. The role is a key member of the Strategic Commissioning & Integration senior leadership team.

Our Strategic Commissioning & Integration teams are at the forefront of transformation across Essex, leading strategic planning and commissioning work that aims to improve outcomes and support people to live full and fulfilling lives.

In this strategic role you will lead a specialist area, working closely across commissioning, integration and operational teams and partners, including a series of all age programmes and workstreams. You will be part of shaping a forward-thinking vision for the commissioning of services, exploring innovative approaches that achieve better outcomes and common goals for citizens of Essex.

We are looking for an inspiring communicator who can engage with citizens and communities in immersive and impactful ways. You will work in close collaboration with people in Essex, alongside our partners and stakeholders, helping to design and deliver a model that maximises value.

You will be accountable for…

• Leading our programme of work on personalisation and self directed support to deliver the outcomes set out by people with lived experience and the people working with them.
• Leading the social care work on accommodation to promote people’s independence with a focus on the vital importance of a place called home.
• Leading work to improve outcomes and experience for unpaid carers
• Leading Adult Social Cares work on early help and prevention to promote people’s independence and wellbeing
• Transformation of transport for adults to support people to be able to work where they want to and take an active role in their communities.
• Ensuring your lead areas of work transition smoothly to their new organisations as part of Local Government Reform in Essex
• Generating fresh thinking and analysis and new ways of influencing our impact on people; developing innovative systems and processes.
• Providing whole systems leadership building wide internal and external networks with colleagues, partners, communities
• Leading multi-disciplinary teams demonstrating both line and matrix management approaches; whilst working collaboratively with colleagues both internally and externally to identify and develop opportunities.
• Designing new methodologies and digital approaches, drawing on the right data, expertise, methods and approaches which enhance service delivery and improve outcomes for people in Essex.

The Experience You Will Bring:

• Educated to RQF level 6 (Bachelor’s degree) or equivalent by experience.
• A passion and commitment to working with people in Essex to design, deliver and monitor high quality care and support
• Good understanding and experience of change leadership and management
• A good understanding of national and local priorities and policy
• Experience and understanding of leadership in complex systems
• Ability to lead and develop great teams including influencing people you don’t line manage
• Experience of building strong working relationships with health, housing and care professionals
• Ability to design, drawing on the right analysis and data, to understand need and improve outcomes for people in Essex
• Proven influencing skills with an ability to lead and deliver change to increase quality of service
• Proven ability of developing solutions to deliver quality of services with financial constraints and competing priorities

This role involves travelling throughout Essex. A driving licence and car - or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means - is essential.

What’s in it for you?

• Generous Time Off: Starting with 27 days of holiday, which increases with your length of service, plus 8 bank holidays and up to 4 paid volunteer days each year to give back to your community.
• Secure Your Future: Benefit from enrolment in the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), ensuring your financial security for the future.
• Health and Wellbeing: We know that your wellbeing is essential. We are committed to providing an inclusive and supportive working environment for all employees. You will have access to our wellbeing portal, employee networks and more.
• Professional Growth: We cover the payment of professional fees for approved professions, supporting your career development.
• Work-Life Balance: Enjoy the flexibility of hybrid working arrangements, allowing you to balance work with your personal life.

To read more please visit our Pay & Reward page on our careers site.

Why Join Us?

In June 2025, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated our Adult Social Care services as “Good” with a score of 73%

“The local authority had a good structure and processes in place to enable people to be supported successfully, and support people to remain independent and live healthy lives. The workforce was passionate about supporting people to achieve these outcomes and the local authority had good knowledge of their area, the people living there and the demographics.”

You can read the full report on the CQC website here.

Our teams are busy but warm, friendly and supportive. We take your career just as seriously as you do, and we have a continuing professional development offer that’s second to none.

We welcome diversity because it makes us grow and we’re determined to become a fully inclusive and an anti-racist organisation.

Ready to help shape the future of services in Essex?
Apply now!

What else do you need to know?

In February 2025, Greater Essex was accepted onto the Government’s devolution priority programme, which will see local authorities in Essex work towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority by May 2026. You can read more about devolution and local government reorganisation (LGR) on our careers site.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process. We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

Once you’ve secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs.

At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles, including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.

As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service.  The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate.  This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained.  For further information on the DBS update service please go to https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you would like to be kept up to date on other relevant opportunities, blogs, news, events and industry related news at Essex County Council, please join The Essex Talent Community

If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email Abbie.Mollison@essex.gov.uk.

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