Interim Head of Service - Children's -EK

Interim Head of Service - Children in Our Care, Care Leavers & Disabled Children and Young People's Services

Location: Walsall, West Midlands
Working Arrangement: Local authority leadership role
Driving Licence: Required

The Opportunity

Walsall Council is seeking an experienced and dynamic Interim Head of Service - Children in Our Care, Care Leavers & Disabled Children and Young People's Services to provide strategic leadership, operational stability and continuity while permanent recruitment is underway.

Reporting directly to the Director of Children's Services, you will lead key statutory services, ensuring children and young people receive high-quality, effective and timely support. You will play a pivotal role in strengthening outcomes for children in care, care leavers and children with disabilities, while supporting the council's wider transformation and service improvement priorities.

This is an excellent opportunity for a credible, values-driven senior leader who can quickly establish effective relationships, maintain strong operational oversight and drive improvements across complex children's social care services.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership across Children in Care, Leaving Care, Corporate Parenting and Disabled Children's Services.
• Maintain effective oversight of safeguarding, care planning, permanence and placement stability.
• Drive improvements in outcomes for children in care, care leavers and children with disabilities.
• Support the implementation of the council's Families First, reunification and service transformation agendas.
• Strengthen placement sufficiency, commissioning arrangements and effective use of resources.
• Work collaboratively with health partners, education providers, SEND services and other key stakeholders.
• Monitor service performance, quality assurance, statutory compliance and practice standards.
• Provide strong leadership to managers and multidisciplinary teams, promoting accountability, consistency and high-quality social work practice.
• Support budget management, resource allocation and responses to complex funding pressures.
• Provide assurance and strategic advice to the Director of Children's Services and other senior stakeholders.

Essential Experience and Skills

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Significant senior leadership experience within local authority children's social care.
• A strong track record in Children in Care, care leaver services, safeguarding and permanence.
• Experience leading complex services and delivering measurable service improvements.
• Strong knowledge of statutory duties, relevant legislation and safeguarding frameworks.
• Experience managing placement sufficiency, commissioning challenges and financial pressures.
• A sound understanding of SEND and services for children with disabilities.
• Excellent partnership-working skills, particularly with health, education and other statutory agencies.
• The ability to lead change, manage competing priorities and make effective decisions in a demanding environment.
• Strong communication, performance management and workforce leadership skills.
• The ability to establish credibility quickly and provide stability during a period of transition.

Why Apply?

This is an opportunity to make an immediate impact within a high-profile local authority children's services department. You will help maintain service stability, strengthen practice and support the next phase of improvement and transformation.

The assignment offers an initial four-month contract, with the potential for extension, and the opportunity to contribute at a senior strategic level.