Quality Assurance Officer

At Cheshire East we’re making significant, tangible investments in our foundations. This includes strengthening our commissioning function, expanding workforce development and creating clearer, more ambitious pathways. To realise these ambitions, we’re seeking ambitious and flexible individuals who want to help us shape the future.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Quality Assurance Officer based at Delamere House, Crewe.

This is an exciting opportunity to undertake quality assurance activity across a broad range of commissioned provision, helping to ensure services are safe, effective, compliant and delivering positive outcomes for children and young people.

Working alongside commissioning, placements and operational colleagues, you will carry out audits, provider visits, compliance checks and monitoring activity across children's social care, SEND and alternative provision services. Your work will help identify good practice, highlight risks and support continuous improvement across the provider market.

As a Quality Assurance Officer, you will play a key role in monitoring the quality and effectiveness of commissioned provision across Cheshire East.

• Undertake planned and responsive quality assurance activity across commissioned services.
• Conduct provider visits, audits, desktop reviews and compliance checks.
• Assess quality, safeguarding arrangements, contractual compliance and outcomes for children and young people.
• Identify areas of risk, concern and good practice, escalating issues where required.
• Produce clear reports and evidence-based findings to support decision-making and provider improvement.
• Support inspection readiness and continuous improvement activity.
• Work collaboratively with providers and internal stakeholders to improve service quality and standards.

The role will primarily focus on:

• Residential Children's Homes
• Independent Fostering Agencies
• Supported Accommodation (16+)
• Independent and Non-Maintained SEND Provision
• Alternative Provision

• Experience of quality assurance, compliance, monitoring or safeguarding activity within children's services or a related sector.
• A strong understanding of safeguarding principles, quality standards and provider oversight.
• The ability to analyse information, identify trends, risks and areas for improvement.
• Working knowledge of information governance, confidentiality and relevant procedures.
• Strong analytical and organisational skills with excellent attention to detail.
• Confidence to professionally challenge where standards are not being met.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• Enhanced annual leave - Start with an impressive 34 days of annual leave (including bank holidays) from day one, and watch it grow to 39 days after just five years of service
• Purchase of annual leave – Want more time off? You can purchase up to 10 extra days of annual leave each year, giving you the flexibility to balance work and life just the way you want (Pro-rata for part-time staff)
• Flexible working pattern - Enjoy a 37-hour standard full-time work week with the added perks of flexi-time and hybrid/remote working arrangements where possible. Your work-life balance just got a whole lot better
• Salary sacrifice green car scheme - Drive green and save green! Lease a brand-new electric or hybrid car through our salary sacrifice scheme.
  There’s no credit checks, no deposits
  , just significant savings and exclusive offers on a three-year lease
• White goods salary sacrifice scheme - Upgrade your home with ease. Purchase home and electronic items through our salary sacrifice scheme, spreading the cost of big-ticket purchases like appliances, computers, and tech…