Service Manager - Child Protection Services

Service Manager - Child Protection Services
£47.53 per hour PAYE £62.45 per hour Umbrella
37 hours per week
26-week assignment
Hybrid working 3 days on site, 2 days remote

We are recruiting for an experienced Service Manager to join a Child Protection Service on an interim basis for an initial 26-week assignment. This is a senior leadership role with responsibility for driving service quality, performance and positive outcomes for children, young people and families. You will provide strategic and operational leadership across key service areas including referral and assessment, children's social work and permanency services, including fostering. Working within a fast-paced environment, you will support and develop managers and frontline teams, ensuring services are safe, compliant and focused on delivering the best possible outcomes.

Key responsibilities

• Lead and manage operational children's services teams
• Oversee referral and assessment, children's social work and permanency services
• Drive performance against statutory and organisational targets
• Ensure compliance with safeguarding legislation, policies and procedures
• Lead service improvement activity and embed best practice
• Provide support, challenge and direction to managers and team leaders
• Monitor quality assurance activity and implement improvements where required
• Manage budgets and oversee contract activity within your service area
• Build effective relationships with internal and external partners
• Respond to emerging service demands and operational pressures

About you

You will be a credible and experienced leader with a strong background in statutory children's services.You'll be confident operating at a senior level, influencing across teams and agencies, and driving improvements in service delivery.

Essential experience

• Significant leadership experience within children's social care
• Strong knowledge of child protection and safeguarding frameworks
• Experience managing operational social work services
• Proven track record of delivering service improvements
• Performance management and quality assurance experience
• Budget management experience
• Experience working effectively within multi-agency environments
• Ability to lead teams through change and maintain high standards of practice

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced children's services leader to make an immediate impact within a busy and ambitious service, helping to improve outcomes for vulnerable children, young people and families.