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Senior Brokerage Officer

Location: Southwark
Contract: Initial 3-month assignment
Hours: 36 hours per week
Rate: £33 per hour (via umbrella company)
Hybrid: Minimum 2 days in the office, up to 5 when on duty

Southwark Council is seeking a Senior Broker to join our Access to Resources Team (ART) in Children's Services. This is a senior-level role — not an entry point — and we are specifically looking for candidates with significant experience in brokerage, particularly within children’s placements.

About the Role: This fast-paced, high-responsibility role is crucial to ensuring that Southwark’s children and young people are placed in high-quality, proportionate placements that meet their assessed needs and support their development.

You will:

Respond rapidly to referrals from social work teams
Source, negotiate, and finalise placements in Supported Accommodation, Residential Care, and Fostering Agencies
Work within a dynamic market to secure value-for-money placements that are safe, stable, and support outcomes
Proactively monitor placement sufficiency and alert senior managers to emerging risks or gaps
Maintain regular contact with providers and undertake Quality Assurance visits
Liaise with the Fostering Service, Social Workers, and Managers to ensure a coordinated, child-focused approachKey Responsibilities:
Deliver responsive brokerage, with daily 9AM team meetings to monitor children awaiting placements
Negotiate placement costs and support packages to ensure financial effectiveness
Manage contracting, IPA agreements, and Mosaic financial systems
Provide briefings to management on placement activity, pressures, and risks
Support improvements in the quality of referrals from social work teams
Keep comprehensive case records and maintain accurate placement and financial data
Promote use of internal fostering and family placements to reduce reliance on external options
Keep updated with legislation, Ofsted guidance, and best practiceWho We’re Looking For:
Significant experience as a broker in children's services is essential
Strong knowledge of the children’s social care market, particularly in placements
Skilled negotiator with a proactive, solutions-focused mindset
Capable of working independently while knowing when to escalate or seek advice
Confident managing competing priorities in a fast-paced environment
Familiar with Mosaic or similar case management and finance systemsIf you are an experienced, driven professional ready to help shape and deliver outstanding placements for children in Southwark, we want to hear from you.
Apply now to make a lasting impact where it matters most