Senior Placements Officer – Social Care (Non-Qualified) – 3 Month Contract

Summary

Responsibilities

• Placement Duty & Coordination:
  
  
  
  • Lead daily operations within the Placement Service.
    
  
  
  • Act as the main contact for placement-related inquiries and escalations.
    
  
  
  • Support staff in placement discussions and matching decisions.
    
  
  
  • Provide operational guidance and manage workflow priorities.
    
  
  

• Referral Screening & Quality Assurance:
  
  
  
  • Conduct gatekeeping and quality assurance of referrals.
    
  
  
  • Ensure referrals meet service standards and identify risk factors.
    
  
  

• Placement Finding & Brokerage:
  
  
  
  • Assist in sourcing foster, residential, and supported accommodation placements.
    
  
  
  • Evaluate placement suitability and support sufficiency planning.
    
  
  

• Work Allocation:
  
  
  
  • Monitor and allocate workloads within the placements team.
    
  
  
  • Ensure efficient distribution of work to maintain service responsiveness.
    
  
  

• Children's Commissioning Support:
  
  
  
  • Support commissioning and brokerage activities.
    
  
  
  • Contribute to placement planning and market management.
    
  
  

• Partnership Working:
  
  
  
  • Collaborate with social workers, team managers, commissioners, and providers.
    
  
  
  • Foster positive relationships to achieve the best outcomes for children.
    
  
  

• Problem Solving & Escalations:
  
  
  
  • Provide solutions for complex placement challenges.
    
  
  
  • Escalate risks and maintain a child-centered approach.
    
  
  

• Performance & Quality:
  
  
  
  • Support service targets and quality assurance initiatives.
    
  
  
  • Ensure accurate recording of placement activities.
    
  
  

• Essential:
  
  
  
  • Experience in Children's Placements, Brokerage, Commissioning, or Home Finding.
    
  
  
  • Strong understanding of placement matching and commissioning principles.
    
  
  
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
    
  
  
  • Excellent decision-making and problem-solving skills.
    
  
  

• Desirable:
  
  
  
  • Previous duty management experience in a Children's Placements Team.
    
  
  
  • Knowledge of Children's Commissioning and Placement Services.
    
  
  
  • Previous Local Authority experience.
    
  
  

Additional Information

• Immediate availability is preferred.
  


• Candidates with current clearances and quick start availability are favored.
  


• This role does not include line management responsibilities.