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Buckinghamshire County Council Director of Joint Commissioning – Children and Adults Candidate Information Pack July 2016 1

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Page 1: CONTEXT AND ACCOUNTABILITIES - Davidson Web viewThis is a word document that you need to complete and return to us. Please ensure you return the above documents by the end of the closing

Buckinghamshire County Council

Director of Joint Commissioning – Children and Adults

Candidate Information Pack

July 2016

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Contents

Page

Welcome Letter and Introductory video 3

About Buckinghamshire County Council 6

Role Profile 7

Person Profile 14

Terms and Conditions 20

How to Apply 22

Timetable 24

Further Information 24

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Welcome Letter and Introductory Video

Welcome

Thank you for your interest in the role of Director of Joint Commissioning (Children and Adults).

This is a really exciting and challenging time to be joining Buckinghamshire County Council. Like all other parts of the public sector, we have faced our fair share of financial and operational challenges. Notwithstanding these, we are still looking ahead with optimism and pride in the way we deliver our services to the people of Buckinghamshire. If successful, you will also lead the County Council through all the changes needed to meet the challenges of the coming years, including delivering significant budget reductions as well as creating a joint commissioning function spanning the whole life course and bring to fruition plans to create a joint function with the NHS locally. The County Council has recently approved its Strategic Plan with three key priorities:

Safeguarding our Vulnerable Creating Opportunities and Building Self Reliance Keeping Buckinghamshire Thriving and Attractive

In 2015, we were informed by Ofsted that our Safeguarding Services for Children were inadequate. Since then, the approved budget for children’s services has been increased by £12m from 2014/15 to 2015/16 to reflect known demand pressures and the outcome of the Ofsted Inspection. We remain committed, across the whole Council, to continuous improvement in children’s services and part of your role will be, as part of the senior leadership team of Children’s services, to ensure that we stay on track and deliver improved outcomes for vulnerable children. In Adult Services we have challenging Medium Term Financial Plan savings targets as well as needing to develop a robust plan for delivering health and social care integration by 2017, with a view to full implementation by 2020.   People’s images of Buckinghamshire are often of a leafy, rural, affluent County with high standards of living. However, Buckinghamshire is much more diverse than its image suggests.  Home to over 500,000 people, it is prime commuter belt territory, which results in significant amounts of outward commuting. The south of the County hosts the

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Chiltern Hills, an area of outstanding natural beauty, which attracts many visitors. The north of the County is more rural but faces some of the highest levels of growth in England over the coming years. It is true that Buckinghamshire does have some of the highest levels of educational attainment, best health standards and highest housing quality in England. However, this often hides significant equality gaps and a number of divisions are named in the most deprived in England. There are significant pockets of poverty across the County and growing gaps in both attainment and health inequalities. 

The need for partnership working has never been greater and this role provides tremendous scope for the new Director of Joint Commissioning to build on existing relationships. The Council is keen to collaborate across the public sector and with other partners to deliver the best and most efficient public services. Successful partnerships are already in place with a number of other organisations, with a strong track record of delivery.

Looking forward, the financial challenges councils face will drive us to achieve more together and develop innovative approaches to shared commissioning, delivery and improved outcomes. We are adopting the same approach with our strategic partners and are making good progress in forging more integrated services and developing a strong health and well-being strategy.

For this role, we are looking for an ambitious and dynamic Director to help us meet the challenges of moving through this complex, fast-changing and exciting landscape; a candidate with exceptional energy, drive and resilience. You will inspire members, employees and partner organisations to deliver the Council’s strategic outcomes, whilst being an advocate for our vision, values and priorities during a time of unprecedented change for local government.

If you think the challenge of this role appeals to you, please review the rest of this briefing pack and feel free to contact our retained consultants at Davidson and Partners, Hamish Davidson on 07932 698807 or Jack Williams on 07885 670504.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Yours Sincerely, Trevor BoydManaging Director – Communities, Health and Adult Social Care

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David Johnston – Managing Director, Children’s, Social Care & Learning

Click here for a video clip from Trevor Boyd and Lou Patten, Chief Officer of the Buckinghamshire Clinical Commissioning Groups, giving more information about the role.

Trevor Boyd, Managing Director – Communities, Health and Adult Social Care

David Johnston, Managing Director – Children’s, Social Care & Learning

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About Buckinghamshire County Council

Buckinghamshire is a very attractive and diverse county, which lies within easy reach of central London and the South East, bordering Oxford in the West and the outskirts of London in the East.  The County is proud to have some really outstanding areas of natural beauty, including the Chilterns, the Vale of Aylesbury and stretches of the River Thames, as well as the growing towns of Aylesbury and Wycombe. What helps to define Buckinghamshire and what makes it special are venues such as The Olympic Rowing Venue at Dorney, Pinewood Studios, the Prime Minister’s Chequers retreat and Stoke Mandeville Stadium, the birth place of the Paralympics. These nationally important locations as well as twice the national average of Voluntary and Community Sector organisations and a combination of rural and urban challenges, brings with it complexity and the need for policies and infrastructure which can react, flex and proactively drive a wide-ranging agenda for our many different community needs. 

Buckinghamshire County Council is an historically high performing, well led organisation with a good track record of achievement – albeit this reputation has taken a hit with our children’s social care services recently being in ‘special measures’. Nonetheless, and despite the latter context, we are well placed to tackle the varied and sometimes challenging set of priorities that we face. We have constructive links with our District Councils, other Public Agencies and the Private sector. These relationships and their on-going successful management are, and will continue to be, critical to developing and delivering services that are relevant and tailored to the diverse local communities’ needs within Buckinghamshire.

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Please see the end of this pack for links to additional information

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THE ROLE

PURPOSE

Specifically:

Provide leadership and direction to deliver the Buckinghamshire Health & Social Care System vision for one commissioning team and integrated commissioning budgets across the NHS and the Council by 2018

More generally Provide vision, leadership and direction to deliver the Council’s

outcomes and objectives for the adult and children social care and education agenda, ensuring that it is integral to the achievement of the Council’s social, environmental and economic objectives

Engage in strategic and delivery partnerships to achieve the best outcomes for residents and promote and communicate the Council’s services and values. You will work collaboratively across the Council to ensure the cultural change required as a result of the Council’s Future Shape Programme is achieved

Provide strong leadership as a member of the Council’s wider senior leadership team to drive effective performance management of the adult and children social care and education agenda ensuring that the Council lives within its financial capacity, and that risks are appropriate and effectively managed, and that services commissioned by the Council are effective and that statutory duties are met

Advise Members in respect of all planning, and policy issues related to adult, children social care, early years and education and ensure that there are effective arrangements in place for member briefings on operational matters

Contribute to the corporate management of the Council by living the values and working collaboratively with colleagues across the whole Council, taking strategic responsibility for implementing Council decisions and initiatives

CONTEXT AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

Ensure that outstanding customer service is being delivered across the Council’s services, and that staff are focused on achieving the right outcomes, first time, for customers in their specific roles

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o In particular, championing and ensuring that there is a strong voice for vulnerable, disabled and older people and children across all aspects of the Council’s business

Provide strong, visible leadership in order to motivate, manage and develop staff both within the Joint Commissioning Function, and where appropriate, Business Units to deliver a culture of high quality performance and continuous improvement

Maximise all opportunities for integration of the commissioning functions between the Council and the local NHS CCGs, as part of the wider transition to a single team

Proactively build and manage networks and partnerships for the long term, sharing information, building trust and constructively tackling conflict to find win/win solutions

Regularly support the Council key decision making process, attending committees and supporting members to enable them to make informed decisions and to ensure that adult, children social care and education services and programmes are delivering the required results according to the agreed strategy, outcomes and service level agreements

Manage delegated adult, children and education commissioning budgets within agreed financial parameters, and ensure that services operate in compliance with relevant legislation, statutory duties, Council policies and CCG governance to manage risk appropriately

o In particular, creating a culture of risk management and learning, rather than risk aversion, enabling others to confidently take considered and mitigated risks without blame if things go wrong

Monitor and analyse all issues relevant to adult, children social care and education agendas, keeping up to speed with social and economic trends, the market and contextual issues that impact on delivery

Maintain strategic oversight and assurance of the market, building a resilient, vibrant and confident marketplace

Develop and agree commissioning plans for provider implementation to ensure that current and future local needs are met

Provide guidance and direction, acting as both a policy lead and a credible senior leader in interactions with a range of internal and external stakeholders including in a client role. In particular to:

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o Identify and explore new models of commissioning and care models, drawing on best practice nationally and internationally, in order to support the development of a sustainable health and social care economy in Buckinghamshire

o Draw new and creative insights from complex data to re-define what we do and how we do it, ensuring that we are at the forefront of thinking in adult and children social care and education, and that Buckinghamshire’s views, insights, and best practice inform the thinking of key players and the relevant policy debates

Manage our partnerships with a range of external stakeholders in order to ensure that we continue to harness local opportunities to commission public services of the highest quality within Buckinghamshire through developing a shared understanding of the needs and goals and collective commitment to them, with a view to helping us create joined up solutions, which improve outcomes for Buckinghamshire communities

Establish and lead clear commissioning plans in related areas, which ensure that services are delivered in line with resource constraints, whilst meeting compliance and service quality requirements

Lead and undertake any new commissions, working alongside the relevant Commercial Lead

o In particular, provide technical expertise to the contract management process to help assess quality and achievement of outcomes

KEY PRIORITIES/OBJECTIVES

Immediate

Swiftly consolidate and embed the new structure:a. Get to know the relevant staff, and their views re the

immediate challenges that need to be addressedb. Establish/consolidate a new culture/identity in what are a

large group of staff who have only recently come togetherc. Agree/co-ordinate key priorities

The Council’s Medium Term Plan (MTP) requires on-going savings to be made, which requires a vigorous and robust focus on:

a. driving out and reducing costsb. reducing expensive placements for both adults and childrenc. procuring and contracting quality services at lower prices

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Likewise, begin a process of engagement with the NHS teams in the CCGs, working with them to agree and coordinate the priorities of each organisation, and develop relevant action plans

Medium Term

Review and confirm an action plan for the service area, based on agreed key priorities

A developed draft of our Sustainability and Transformation plan (STP) is due to be submitted this July, with an agreed schedule for integrating health and social care plans requiring to be signed off by the Health & Wellbeing Board by April 2017

Longer Term

The key driver is that full integration of health and social care (whatever that eventually looks like) must be achieved by 2020, so there needs to be a constant drive towards integration between CCGs and the County Council

On education (both medium and longer term)a. Policy scanning re likely intentions of Governmentb. Adapting to a changing context re education and what

exactly we might still be commissioning, including for schools On children’s and adults social care (both medium and longer term)

a. Participating in a growing agenda for regional working and regional partnerships

b. Co-ordinating efforts within sub-regions re responding to specific needs (eg. growth of adoption agencies)

A major agenda item over the next 5-10 years is the ‘Growth Agenda’a. The population in Bucks will grow substantially – that much is

certainb. What is less certain is the precise economic demographic

nature of that population growth and their need (or not) for social care services

c. So, a need for constant ‘horizon scanning’ and taking part in conversations to better articulate future need and demands on services will be crucial

Re older peoplea. Bucks faces the same issues re growth in this demographic,

especially those aged 80-90 plus, whose numbers are set to double

b. Numbers of people in Bucks with chronic and long term health conditions are rising hugely

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c. So, there is a need to address issues re an increasing elderly demographic and all that is associated with such: eg, supported housing, where we are already developing joint priorities with health

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

Main reporting lines

With the gradual integration of health and social care, the reporting lines will evolve and be somewhat fluid.

However, for the time being, your main reporting line will be to Trevor Boyd, Managing Director – Communities, Health & Social Care, with a dotted line to David Johnston, Managing Director – Children’s, Social Care & Learning.

Another key relationship will be with the Accountable Officer of the federated CCGs, and as the integration with health proceeds, an additional dotted reporting line will be established.

Other key relationships

Key Cabinet memberso The role will have a strong visibility with the Leadero Also a large number of Cabinet members, including

Health & Wellbeing Children’s Services, Education and Skills Community Engagement & Public Health & Safety

o Clinical Chairs of the two CCGso Members of Health & Wellbeing Board (chaired by the Leader)o Members of Safeguarding Committee (for both adults and

children)o Regional groups where we are engaged in commissioning (we

work with 10 different local authorities re child placements)o ADAS regional Commissioning Group, SE Region (which you

would be expected to attend)

FINANCIALS

Children’so Placements: £15mo Other contracts: £67m

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o Better Care Fund (BCF): £30m (approx.) - £9m is social care element

Adultso Gross budget of £180m; net budget of £126mo Some £20m of health spend currently

PERFORMANCE IN THE ROLE WILL BE JUDGED BY:

Hard criteria

An integrated plan for health and social care must be delivered and signed off by all partners by April 2017

o Whilst other individuals share accountability for this deliverable, this task will be ‘owned’ by this role, more than any other

Within the County Council, there are some very tough MTP targets that must be delivered

Within children’s services, there will also be an emphasis on developing and delivering a particular culture and philosophy:

o We want to see a much closer connection between operational services and commissioning, which historically has been too separate

Contribute to the delivery of an improvement plan for children’s services, given the DfE intervention

Soft criteria

You must develop and deliver a new culture and operating model within the joint structure

o We need to continue to develop a new identity, a new culture and new ways of operating and doing things, rather than all the old ways just being bolted together; this is a vital deliverable

You need to develop and put in place a clear ‘road map’ and ensure that all are committed to and travelling in the same direction, and actively engaged in integration; inevitably, there are some major challenges here

o As in other parts of the country, relationships with the NHS have not traditionally been as good as they now need to be, but there is a definite coalition around the need to integrate services where appropriate and relationships are becoming much more positive

o This means a major emphasis and focus on harnessing your very highly developed interpersonal skills, given that the role will involve working with a variety of very different personalities

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o We will be looking to you to find common ground, agree common objectives, and develop truly effective and sustainable working relationships with partners

We will be looking for you to be flexible, take responsibility, and show a natural ease and comfort in being able to adjust to a constantly changing and evolving operating context. We will also be looking for you to be able to build strong teams and delegate to them effectively, in a manner that empowers them whilst maintaining full accountability

There will be the opportunity (and necessity) to become involved and participate actively with regional work that will support both Bucks and other authorities and partners

o We will be looking for evidence that you embrace this element of the role in a positive manner, with personal enthusiasm and as a developmental opportunity, rather than a distraction

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THE PERSON

It is important that in your supporting statement, you seek to address and provide evidence, as far as you can, for each of the criteria identified in Part One of the person specification below. The preliminary interview will further probe these criteria as well as exploring Parts Two and Three.

Part One

Essential experience/track record A demonstrable, successful and proven track record of:

Applying a good knowledge of commissioning principles, processes and procedures

o This requires that whether or not you have/have had commissioning in your current/past job titles, and whether you knew it at the time or not, you have applied these principles in order to deliver a programme of savings and quality services

Leadership and managerial experience at a senior level, promoting, leading and managing change

o This includes embedding change through driving and maintaining effective performance management

Management of complex cross sector, multi-stakeholder relationships and partnerships

o This includes working with different and difficult/challenging relationships

o You will need to prove to us that you have persuaded and negotiated for successful outcomes with partners who may not have been easy bedfellows

o That will require an ability/confidence/maturity to establish your credibility very quickly, and to manifestly convince that you are strong and resilient, with highly developed interpersonal skills

Working with elected or board members and governing body members on complex issues, providing clear advice on policy options

o This need not mean that you have to have worked within a local authority or the NHS, but you must have worked within a challenging (whether ‘political’ or ‘Political’) and complex organisation

Operating strategically on corporate projects and policy development

Partnership working, influencing and leading corporate and multi-agency projects and initiatives effectively

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o This requires that you be absolutely ‘rock solid’ on system leadership – leading a system of partners or other organisations

o And it absolutely requires that you demonstrate a capacity to influence successfully ‘without’ formal authority

Community/customer engagement

Desirable – experience that would be superb/great to have, although not strictly essentialA demonstrable and proven track record of:

Success as a senior commissioner, with a track record of achieving the ‘holy grail’ of having delivered services that are both more efficient and cheaper/more cost effective,

o This might have involved working across more than one set of organisations such as health, police, two-tier local government

o Even better if you have personally been instrumental in successfully integrating health and social care, at scale, in a specific area – and can demonstrate convincingly that it is working

Substantial experience of working within the field of Adult or Children’s Social Care or Education, in either a local authority or educational context

Applying a deep knowledge and understanding of the statutory, regulatory, policy, strategic and service delivery framework in which local government operates

Part Two - ‘Soft’ attributes

A demonstrable and proven track record of:

Being a role model for the teams that you have led or worked with, in terms of ‘living the values’ in all aspects of your working life

Consummate diplomacy Resolutely focused on driving towards and sticking to what is best for

citizens/customers Politically astute, informed and aware

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o Actually, you have both an ability and personal inclination to constantly and effectively ‘horizon-scan’, and not only sense upcoming political, policy or organisational changes, but respond and react in timely fashion to them as well

o You naturally ‘sense’ what might be coming around the corner in 18/24 months; you always know which way ‘the wind is blowing’

o And you have an innate ability to re-prioritise/re-calibrate in the light of policy/legislative/regulatory changes

‘Political’ and ‘political’ wisdom, beyond your years Intellectual curiosity

Part Three

Separately, we posed a range of questions to Trevor Boyd, to whom the role reports:

Chemistry and ‘fit’

What are you, personally, like to work with?

Generally, I’m very clear about what I want from people, but I’m also always open to suggestions

I really value people who come up with their own ideas and solutions, and endeavour to give them the space to do so

I give people their space – I don’t micromanage, but I do like to keep an eye on what people are up to

I tend to be clear and accountable, and expect the same from others I’m supportive and enabling I have a sense of humour, and regularly give it release; in roles like

these you need to, to help manage stress levels I work well with my colleagues, David Johnston (Managing Director –

Children’s, Social Care & Learning) and Lou Patten (Aylesbury Vale CCG); certainly at our level, we see each other as part of a team, and that’s how I prefer to work

What works less well with you?

People that need constant support and guidance People that are unable to think for themselves and are unable to

approach challenges without constant support

What might this person be doing right now?

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Broadly, we think there are some genuine and alternative routes from which the person we are looking for might come

Being completely honest, our absolute ideal?

You are a senior commissioner, ideally and if at all possible, with experience of working across children’s and adults services, and if its not asking for too much (which it may well be) with a successful track record of health and social care integration. You’ve earned and got the T-shirt

Again, being honest, we are really not sure if our ‘ideal’ as described, exists, and if you do, there are probably only a handful of you out there. And even if you do exist, there is the issue of why you might be prepared to make a move, and make a move to Bucks in particular (re which, see below)

Given our doubts as to whether our ideal actually exists, we have had to think laterally – hence the very heavy focus on soft skills, aptitudes and style

So, alternatively and very genuinely…

You could be working in a combined accountable care organisation – that would be excellent too – provided you can convince us that you really do know what combined accountable care means and what is involved

Or, you could be a service director, probably in a local authority or just possibly in the NHS (the challenge here is for you to prove to us that you understand the whole ‘elected member interface’ and the additional challenges around direct democratic accountability – but we are very open to being persuaded)

Or, you may be someone who has a long history of working within the private sector within a provider organisation, with all the skills and aptitudes that we need

And then finally, and for us, this is a pretty exciting route, there is the person whom we know and believe MUST be out there – we just don’t know who or where you are

o For whom this would be your first time working for a local authority

o Maybe you don’t have ‘commissioning’ in your job title, but you know exactly what we are talking about, and you have kept reading this role profile time and again because you have recognised yourself in all the words and terms we have used to describe the necessary skill sets, style and aptitudes

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o You would need to be special indeed for us to be persuaded, but we are genuinely open to that; this is a ‘brave new world’ for local government and health – it requires different kinds of people and different mindsets to help get us there

And where might this role lead?

Possibly to a Managing Director role within this authority or a similar senior role elsewhere

Possibly to a Chief Clinical Officer role in a CCG Possibly to a CX role elsewhere, whether public, private or not for profit Possibly to a big role within a major consultancy where the skills,

knowledge and networks you have developed are seen as high value and highly marketable

If this person has all the ‘hard experience’ noted above, then they are one of only a handful of people in the UK. And if not that hard experience, but they have all the ‘soft skills and aptitudes’, then that person is at the very least, quite exceptional.

Whatever the route, if they are that good, why would they want to come here to Buckinghamshire and to this role?

Any one or a combination of:

Personal The ability to gain an improved lifestyle/quality of life for yourself and

your family, and access excellent schools for your children You have an ‘empathy’ and fondness (perhaps from growing up here,

perhaps gained more recently or perhaps from visiting/holidaying) for Buckinghamshire as a place

You grew up here, you left at 18, you’ve had a great career – and now this is a chance to seize a hugely challenging and rewarding role that could take you back to your roots and closer to family connections

We are centrally located, and close to London if that is important to you, with good transport links

Professional You are one those ‘few per cent’ of commissioners who ‘get’ the kind of

role and person that we have outlined above – indeed you ‘are’ that person

At heart, you are more than a commissioner; rather, you are a ‘whole system’ person, and you have broader ambitions

You would relish the freedom, scope, challenge and ambition that this role presents – both professionally and personally

You totally ‘get’ where we and social care/health are headed, and you are utterly convinced that this is the best and optimum solution for the communities and citizens whom we serve

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It is the description of the style and aptitudes that has ‘captured’ you, and whilst not of the sector or not one of the ‘few per cent’, you still recognise yourself

More generally Nobody has been ‘lined up’ for the role – we’d hardly be putting this

amount of effort into these recruitment materials and the role description if there were; this appointment is a genuinely open field

This is a brand new opportunity within a successful, high profile council We’ve traditionally been classed as ‘Outstanding’ and there is a lot of

political commitment to regaining that status We have a stable political administration – so there is not the continual

upheaval and change in direction that you might find in many other authorities

Buckinghamshire has a lot of strong political commitment to improving services supporting vulnerable people, including the Leader chairing the Health and Wellbeing Board, which reflects both a symbolic and actual commitment to this priority

This is a high profile role, both within and outside of the Council, and offers the chance to shape a major part of our services, show initiative and drive new ways of working

There is a big ‘growth’ agenda here, which means much to cut your teeth on and get involved in

You would be joining when we have only just begun the journey; there is an interim in post currently, and we are not that far in, and its not ‘all sorted’, so there is still the chance to influence and shape the direction of travel

You’ve noted that we’ve just appointed a new and ambitious (for both herself and us) Chief Executive, with a very successful adult, children’s and health professional background. She joins at the end of the summer, and she ‘get’s’ and is totally signed up to what this post has been designed to deliver

You can make a name for yourself here and leave a legacy, or enhance an existing strong reputation and further build/consolidate your networks, which all officers here are actively encouraged to do; this role will look great on your CV

Realising that ‘intelligent commissioning’ is core to the survival, sustainability and future of public services, as an aspiring future CX (which you will almost certainly be), this role positions you beautifully on the path to realising that goal

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

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Summary information about the key pay and terms and conditions and associated matters

Duration of employment

This appointment is based on a permanent contract.

Place of work

You may be required to work at or from any of the Council’s premises in Buckinghamshire or your home address. Your principal place of work will be County Hall, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire.

Hours of work

The intention is to offer a full-time role, which will involve a working week of a minimum of 37 hours. You will be expected to undertake additional hours of work necessary to discharge the accountabilities associated with the role subject to the requirements of the Working Time Regulations. You will also be required to undertake certain civic duties and responsibilities.

Remuneration

Competitive

Business travel

The normal duties of this post will involve travel on a frequent basis. For those journeys, where an alternative form of transport is unavailable or impracticable, you will be required to provide a vehicle to undertake business mileage, for which you will be reimbursed at local rates.

Leave, sick pay and other terms and conditions

The County Council has opted out of national terms and conditions. Local Bucks Pay terms and conditions will apply to this post.

Your annual leave entitlement is 32 working days plus 8 public holidays per annum.

The scheme of sickness entitlement is defined in the Bucks Pay Employment Conditions and the amount of paid sickness leave is dependent on continuous service up to a maximum of six months full pay and six months half pay after five years’ service.

Annual and Lifetime Allowances regarding pension savings

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The Local Government Pension Scheme applies to this role.http://www.mylgpspension.co.uk/member-information/member-information/active-member/increasing-your-benefits.aspx

The Government has placed a restriction on the amount of pension you may earn each year before you suffer an additional income tax liability. This limit is known as the Annual Allowance and applies to any pension arrangement you or your employers contribute to. There is also a limit on the total amount of pension savings you are able to build up before you again suffer additional taxation charges. This limit is known as the Lifetime Allowance.  The government has significantly reduced these thresholds in recent years bringing more moderate earners into the scope of these thresholds. 

Before taking up this role, it is your responsibility to check whether your pensions savings will exceed the annual or lifetime allowances and therefore whether you will suffer any adverse taxation charges.  Any such charges will be your responsibility and therefore we strongly suggest you contact an independent financial adviser or accountant.

OTHER RESTRICTIONS:

This is a politically restricted post The position is subject to an enhanced DBS check You must be a fit and proper person in respect to the Companies Act

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HOW TO APPLY

This guidance contains important information to help with your application.

General Conditions

We recognise and welcome our responsibility to remove any barriers in our Recruitment and Selection process for disabled people. We have tried to do this, but if you have a disability and identify any barriers in the job description please tell us of these in your application. We are committed to making reasonable adjustments to the job wherever possible and it would help us to know your needs in order to do this.

To apply for this role, we would like you to provide the following:

A motivation statement (ideally no more than 2 sides of A4), which explains why you are applying for this role and the contribution, style, skills and experience you will bring to it.

A supporting statement, providing evidence/examples of how you match the seven key requirements of the role as outlined in Part One ‘essential’ section of the ‘role profile’, and where possible, the three key requirements of the role as outlined in the ‘desirable but not essential section of the ‘role profile’.

A comprehensive, up to date and current CV ensuring all gaps in employment and education history are fully explained.

Contact details of three referees so that we are able to take up your references if you are shortlisted for final panel interview (referees will not be contacted without your permission).

A completed Equal Opportunities monitoring form (see below). We are keen to ensure that our jobs are accessible to all members of the community and use this data to monitor our progress in doing this.

The equal opportunities and monitoring form can be found at the end of this pack. This is a word document that you need to complete and return to us.

Please ensure you return the above documents by the end of the closing date, 5th September 2016, to [email protected]

Following long listing, you will be contacted directly with an update on the status of your application.

On the following pages, there is a timetable for this appointment.

Please ensure that you let us know in your covering letter if there are any specific dates that present you with a problem.

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If you have any specific queries about the role, or wish to have an informal and confidential discussion, then please call or email our advisors at Davidson & Partners:

Hamish Davidson: [email protected]: 07932 698 807

Jack Williams: [email protected]: 07885 670 504

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Timetable

Closing Date: 05 September

Longlisting: 09 September

Preliminary Interviews: 16 – 22 September

Shortlisting: 29 September

Informal Meetings: w/c 03 October

Final Panel: 11 October (Indicative date subject to confirmation)

Please monitor our website; further dates will be added as soon as they are confirmed by the client

Further Information

Statement on the new Chief Executive, Rachael Shimmin Profiles of the Cabinet Profiles of Council Members List of Council Committees Buckinghamshire County Council Strategic Plan – 2015-17 Ofsted’s 2014 Inspection Report into Buckinghamshire County

Council’s Children’s Services and the Buckinghamshire Safeguarding Children Board

Click here for a Dropbox folder where you can download further information documents

If you have any issues accessing the files in the Dropbox folder, please email [email protected] and we will send you the files as attachments.

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Diversity Monitoring Form

Role:  Director of Joint Commissioning, Buckinghamshire County Council

Reference Number:  BCC 1048

Where/how did you first learn about the role?

We are committed to employing a workforce that reflects the community we serve. Please help us to monitor our progress by completing the details below. Your information will be treated confidentially.

Gender

What is your gender?

Male Female Prefer not to say

Pregnancy and Maternity

A woman is protected under section 18 of the Equality Act 2010 and cannot be treated unfavourably because of her pregnancy

If you are a woman, are you pregnant, on maternity leave or returning from maternity leave?

Yes No Prefer not to sayDisability

The Equality Act 2010 says that a disabled person is someone with a physical or mental impairment, which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his/her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

Examples include cancer, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, heart conditions, hearing or sight impairments, or a significant mobility difficulty and mental health conditions or learning difficulties.

In relation to the definition above, do you consider yourself to be disabled?

Yes No Prefer not to say

Age range18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+ Prefer not to say

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Religion or beliefPlease tick the box from the list below which best describes your religion or belief:

Christian Hindu JewishMuslim Sikh BuddhistNo Religion Prefer not to say

Any other religion, please specify:      

Gender ReassignmentThe Equality Act 2010 defines a transsexual person as someone who “is proposing to undergo, is undergoing or has undergone a process (or part of a process) for the purpose of reassigning the person's sex by changing physiological or other attributes of sex”.   

In relation to the definition above, do you consider yourself to be transsexual?

Yes No Prefer not to say

Ethnic OriginPlease tick the box from the list below which best describes the ethnic group to which you belong:

White Black Asian

British British BritishEnglish African IndianScottish Caribbean PakistaniWelsh

Any other Black background, please specify:      

BangladeshiIrish

Any other Asian background, please specify:      

Northern IrishGypsy or Irish Traveller

Any other White background, please specify:      

Mixed Other ethnic group

White and Black African

Chinese

White and Black Arab

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Caribbean

Prefer not to say

White and Asian

Any other ethnic group, please specify:      

Any other Mixed background, please specify:      

Sexual orientation

Please tick the box from the list below which best describes your sexual orientation:

Gay man Gay Woman/Lesbian

Heterosexual/Straight

Bisexual Prefer not to say Other

Thank you for taking the time to complete this form.

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