Job Description

Placement Brokerage Officer (Children's Brokerage & Specialist Placements) - 6 months fixed term contract - Maternity Cover

PO2: 43,542 pa rising in annual increments to 46,437 pa incl LW

Hybrid Working / 3 days a week in office (minimal traveling may be required)

About Lambeth Children Services

Lambeth is a borough of huge diversity, strength, and possibility. Lambeth is home to approximately 63,000 children aged 0-18, representing nearly 20% of our borough's population. Our Lambeth partnerships have the highest ambitions for our children and want them to grow up to be happy, safe and thriving in supportive communities. We have a rich network of good and outstanding schools, a passionate voluntary community sector and an exciting youth and play offer. Children growing up in Lambeth are surrounded by beautiful green spaces and a borough with a rich history, arts, and music scene.



Despite this, our children also face challenges and adversity. There are several health and wellbeing indicators that are higher in Lambeth than other boroughs, including children in need due to parent disability, first time entrants to youth justice system, and children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. We have significant demand for mental health and emotional wellbeing provision and have critical challenges regarding placement sufficiency for our Children Looked After. Lambeth is the fifth most densely populated borough in the UK with sharp contrasts between wealth and poverty. It is estimated that 27% of our children and young people are living in poverty, rising to 43% when housing costs are factored in; we know Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated challenges for many families in Lambeth and created a new set of problems for others.


It's an incredibly exciting time to come and work in Lambeth. There's plenty to get your teeth into - be it leading the implementation of our strategy for youth services, overseeing the transformation of our emotional health and wellbeing provision, or presiding over the development of a new team delivering efficient brokerage for our teams.



We're passionate about integration of services and teams across education, health and social care to ensure our population can access services that are joined-up and seamless. All of these roles play very important roles in partnership development with internal and external stakeholders.

A message from The Assistant Director

You'll be joining high-performing, passionate and diverse teams of individuals who are dedicated to reducing inequality and improving outcomes for our residents. You must have exceptional customer service, client relations and problem-solving skills. An in-depth understanding of local authority's payment systems and platforms would be an advantage. We anticipate that you've had experience in complaint handling.



The successful applicant shall build effective working relationships with key suppliers and the wider market, working with accounts payable to to shape and develop innovation in processing and payment of suppliers' invoices promptly and efficiently.

About You

We are looking for a dynamic and committed Placement Brokerage Officer to play a crucial role in securing stable and appropriate placements for children looked after (aged 0-18), supported accommodation for young people aged 16+, and settled housing solutions for care leavers -- often within challenging timeframes.



In this role, you will work closely with colleagues across Children's Services, Housing, and external providers to deliver high-quality, well-matched placements and accommodation. You'll be instrumental in ensuring that all resources are used effectively, in line with Lambeth's priorities and financial regulations, and that expenditure is accurately monitored and remains within budget.



We're seeking someone with a genuine passion for improving outcomes for children and young people. You'll bring energy, innovation, and a creative approach to shaping and improving our placement commissioning processes. Leading and supporting a team, you will help drive service improvements and ensure our work remains child-centred and outcome-focused.



Key requirements:



A strong commitment to achieving positive outcomes for children and care leavers


Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal


Proven ability to build effective working relationships with internal teams and external partners


Good understanding of financial systems and controls


Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint)


Flexibility to occasionally work outside of standard office hours to meet service needs


Please note:



Due to the time-sensitive nature of this role, only applicants living within a one-hour commute of our office will be considered.



We require a flexible and dedicated professional who can adapt to the evolving demands of the service.



Join us and be part of a team that is making a real difference in the lives of children and young people in Lambeth!



If you have any queries in relation to this job vacancy, please contact the Service Manager : Adina Demle , Ademle@lambeth.gov.uk

Why Lambeth

Fantastic, modern working environment in the award-winning Lambeth Town Hall and Civic Centre buildings Competitive Salaries Up to 35 days annual leave, dependent upon continuous service 5 Minutes from London Underground and excellent transport links into the centre of London Hybrid/Flexible working Cycle to Work Scheme (including City Bike Hire scheme) Attractive Local Government Pension Scheme

We are a Stonewall diversity champion; a Living Wage Employer and we guarantee to interview all disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria of the role. Please click here for a full list of our accreditations.



Successful candidates will be asked to apply for an Enhanced Certificate from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). Further information about the DBS can be found at www.homeoffice.gov.uk/agencies-public-bodies/dbs



You will also be required to undertake a Cifas check. Further information about Cifas can be found here Cifas

Please note we operate an anonymised application process. When uploading your Supporting Statement, please used the 'Cover Letter' link and remove your personal details. Please also upload a current copy of your CV.

Interested , click on the apply button and complete an on-line application and upload your Supporting Statement, evidencing how you meet the shortlist criteria marked with an 'A', along with uploading your CV.



JD and Person Specification

You must upload a Supporting Statement and CV for your application to be considered.

We actively support applications from Lambeth Care Leavers



Please note this vacancy may close earlier than stated if we receive an overwhelming response

Closing Date: 25th May at midnight

Interviews Date: W/C 26th May

Lambeth aims for quality services and equal opportunities for all and is committed to safer recruitment