Principal Service Lead

Full time Civic Recruitment Limited United Kingdom

Posted On 06/03/2026

Job Information

Interim & Executive Management

City Dudley

Province West Midlands

Postal Code DY1

Job Description 8 Month Contract with A local Authority

About the Role

Dudley Children's Services are seeking an ambitious and dynamic senior leader to help shape the future of children's social care across the borough.

As Principal Service Lead for Family Help and Integrated Family Safeguarding, you will play a pivotal role in leading the integration of Family Help, Family Safeguarding and Adolescent Safeguarding services, supporting the development of a strong, relationship-based and locality-driven model for children, young people and families.

This is a unique opportunity to lead large, committed teams through an exciting period of transformation. You will strengthen and embed the Family Safeguarding model, drive improvement through joined-up pathways, and provide confident senior leadership oversight of practice across the service, including participation in the out-of-hours senior leadership rota.

Key Responsibilities

Lead the integration of Family Help, Family Safeguarding and Adolescent Safeguarding services to deliver a cohesive and effective safeguarding system.

Drive the transition to a locality-based model, ensuring accessible, place-based support for children and families.

Champion strengths-based, trauma-informed and relationship-based practice across teams.

Provide strategic oversight of performance, quality assurance and continuous improvement, ensuring readiness for inspection.

Lead and support large multi-disciplinary teams, promoting a culture of learning, accountability and high-quality practice.

Develop and maintain strong partnerships with Early Help, Police, Health, Education and community services to deliver integrated support.

Provide senior decision-making and safeguarding oversight, including participation in the out-of-hours leadership rota.

Requirements

Substantial senior leadership experience within Children's Social Care, ideally at Head of Service / Service Manager / Principal level within a local authority.

Demonstrable experience leading safeguarding services, including Child Protection, Child in Need, Early Help or Family Safeguarding models.

Experience of leading service transformation or integration, particularly across Early Help, Family Help or safeguarding services.

Strong track record of improving performance, quality of practice and outcomes for children and families.

Experience managing large multi-disciplinary teams and complex service structures.

Experience of working effectively within multi-agency safeguarding partnerships (Police, Health, Education and community services).

Experience preparing services for Ofsted inspection and regulatory scrutiny.

Strong understanding of statutory safeguarding responsibilities and legislation, including the Children Act and safeguarding frameworks.

Expertise in risk management, complex decision-making and threshold application.

Ability to lead and embed strengths-based, trauma-informed and relationship-based practice models.

Excellent strategic leadership and organisational change skills.

Strong performance management and quality assurance capability.

Highly developed communication, influencing and partnership-building skills.

Qualified Social Worker with Social Work England registration.

Recognised social work qualification (Degree / DipSW / CQSW or equivalent).

Evidence of continuous professional development relevant to leadership and safeguarding.