We are recruiting for an interim Service Manager to lead and manage Children in Care services, providing strategic and operational leadership to deliver high-quality outcomes, promote permanence and stability, and ensure children’s voices remain at the heart of practice.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and management oversight of Children in Care teams.
• Lead and support Team Managers to deliver high-quality services and achieve excellent outcomes for children and young people.
• Drive improvements in practice, performance and service delivery, ensuring children receive timely and effective support.
• Promote permanence and stability through robust care planning and partnership working.
• Promote reunification and safe returns home to family where appropriate.
• Champion the voice of children and young people and ensure their views shape service delivery and decision making.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues across social care, education, health, commissioning and partner agencies.
• Lead on quality assurance, service development and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensure statutory responsibilities are met and that services operate within budget and resource frameworks.

Essential Requirements:

• Is passionate about achieving the very best outcomes for children in care and care experienced young people.
• Demonstrates a strong commitment to corporate parenting and understands what excellent corporate parenting looks like in practice.
• Has significant experience of leading and managing Children's Social Care services.
• Can motivate, inspire and support a passionate and hardworking workforce.
• Has a proven track record of driving service improvement and delivering positive outcomes.
• Is confident in managing performance, quality assurance and complex operational challenges.
• Builds strong relationships and partnerships to improve the experiences and life chances of children and young people.
• Holds a recognised Social Work qualification and is registered with Social Work England.