Head of Service, Family Help and Partnerships

Posted 1 day 9 hours ago by Portsmouth-City-Council

Permanent
Full Time
Other
Hampshire, Portsmouth, United Kingdom, PO1 1
Job Description

The following content displays a map of the jobs location - Civic Offices

Head of Service, Family Help and Partnerships

Job Reference pcc/TP/659/1476

Contract Type:

Permanent

Salary: Band 15, £76,335 to £85,316 per annum

Working Hours:

37

Location:

Civic Offices

Closing Date:

14/06/2026

Job Category:

Social Care Children

Region / Division:

UK Region

Directorate:

Job Introduction

We are seeking a Head of Service Family Help and Partnerships to provide strategic and operational leadership for the Family Help Service and hold additional portfolios for our Integrated Front Door (MASH), Partnerships and Family Support.

Family Help is our way of working that brings together targeted early help and Child in Need support into a single, seamless offer. It replaces the traditional divide between early help and statutory services, making it easier for families to access support without stigma or duplication.

Key principles include:

  • A whole family approach
  • A single assessment and plan
  • A dedicated Family Help Lead Practitioner
  • Family led planning and co production
  • Timely support from the most appropriate professional
The Role

As Head of Service, you will ensure the delivery of high quality, relational early help and statutory social work services for children, young people, and families. You will lead system transformation, continuous practice improvement, partnership integration, and delivery of the local authority's key priorities.

A significant element of the role includes leadership of the Partnerships and Family Support Service, acting as a strategic point of contact for key partners, including Solent NHS Trust, and overseeing services aligned with the Best Start in Life Strategy. This includes oversight of family hubs and parenting pathways, ensuring consistent, effective, and inclusive delivery.

As a member of the Senior Management Team, you will lead through Service Leaders and play a pivotal role in shaping a culture of safe decision making, co production, early intervention, and workforce development.

Key Responsibilities
  • Provide strategic leadership across Family Help, MASH, Partnerships and Family Support, ensuring that we consistently provide outstanding services to the children and families of Portsmouth.
  • Lead system integration and service transformation aligned with national reform agendas.
  • Ensure high quality, proportionate, and timely interventions that meet need, reduce risk and build family resilience.
  • Provide strategic oversight of the MASH, ensuring effective multi agency working, consistent and considered decision making, and effective risk management.
  • Drive continuous quality assurance and practice improvement using audit, learning reviews, lived experience, and inspection findings.
  • Lead and support senior managers and multi disciplinary teams, building workforce capability, stability, and confidence.
  • Manage performance, budgets, and commissioning arrangements.
  • Represent the local authority at strategic boards and support and enable strong multi agency partnerships.
About You

You will be a credible, compassionate, and relational senior leader, confident in leading through complexity, ambiguity, and change. You will bring integrity, resilience, and a strong commitment to inclusion, co production, and rights based practice.

You will have:

  • A recognised social work qualification and current professional registration.
  • Significant senior leadership experience within children's services.
  • Extensive knowledge of key legislation and frameworks, including:
    • Children Act 1989/2004
    • Working Together to Safeguard Children
    • SEND Code of Practice
    • Family Help and national children's social care reforms
  • Experience leading large, complex, multi disciplinary services and portfolios.
  • Strong strategic planning, transformation, and financial management skills.
  • Experience working effectively with senior partners across complex systems.
  • A proven track record of inspection readiness and improvement (e.g. Ofsted, CQC, JTAI).

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued, respected and able to thrive. We believe that a diverse workforce leads to better outcomes for the children, young people and families we serve and welcome applications from all sections of the community as we are committed to building a workforce that reflects the diversity of the community we serve.

Working arrangements

The expectation is that role is office based a minimum of 3 days per week.

We are a disability confident employer and Armed Forces Covenant gold standard.

Why Join Portsmouth City Council?
  • Be part of a service that puts families at the centre of everything we do
  • Work within a supportive, learning focused culture
  • Access excellent professional development and leadership support
  • Make a real and lasting difference to children and families in the city
Safeguarding

Portsmouth City Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and young people, and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Every post is subject to PCC and Portsmouth Safeguarding Children Partnership safer recruitment procedures.

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) at Standard/Enhanced level will be required prior to any offer of employment and this post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Please read the relevant DBS privacy notice before submitting any information.

You will need to demonstrate that you have the Right to Work in the UK. No post will be offered without it.