• East Midlands | Hybrid Working (Minimum 3 Days Onsite) – East Midlands
• 12-Month Interim Contract
• Daily Rate: Negotiable (Inside IR35)

An East Midlands local authority is seeking an experienced Interim Director of Improvement to lead a high-profile programme across Children Services. Reporting to the Corporate Director for Children’s and Education Services, you will drive sustainable improvement across the CES system ahead of anticipated inspection activity, leading a team to strengthen performance and embed best practice.

The Role

You will lead the council’s improvement programme, managing a team of sector experts while working alongside operational services to strengthen performance and embed best practice. This role is not focused on direct service delivery management. Instead, you will provide wraparound improvement support across the full Children’s system, including:

• Safeguarding
• Family Help / Early Help
• Education
• SEND

You will play a key role in supporting services to achieve sustained improvement and better outcomes for children and families, while encouraging approaches that promote greater family self-sufficiency.

The successful candidate will deploy support flexibly across priority areas and help deliver a structured Children’s Services improvement plan.

About You

We are looking for an experienced improvement leader with strong operational and strategic capability within Children’s Services and/or Education environments. You will demonstrate:

• A track record of leading improvement within complex local authority settings
• Credible leadership with recognised best practice experience
• The resilience and adaptability to operate effectively in a challenging environment
• A collaborative and pragmatic leadership style
• The ability to balance clear direction with supportive, “kind in delivery” leadership
• Strong stakeholder engagement and relationship-building skills
• A Social Work qualification is desirable but not essential; credibility and proven impact are key.

If you would like to be considered for this role, please apply today and we will be in touch.