Adults Team Manager - Early Help & Wellbeing

Essex County Council; Harlow; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A local authority in the UK is seeking a Team Manager for the Early Help & Wellbeing team. The role focuses on leading a social care team to ensure high-quality service delivery, improve wellbeing outcomes, and foster strong partnerships. The ideal candidate will have a degree in Social Work or Occupational Therapy and experience in a leadership role within adult social care. This position offers a supportive work environment and opportunities for professional development.

Benefits

Ongoing opportunities for continuing professional development

Flexible working options

Employee wellbeing and counselling

Lease Car scheme

Life assurance of three times annual salary

Local Government Pension Scheme

Volunteering leave

27 days annual leave (plus bank holidays), rising with service

Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)

Payment of Social Work England registration fees

Qualifications

• Proven ability to focus on results and develop innovative solutions.
• Experience working in a leadership role within Adult Social Care.
• Understanding of budgetary responsibilities affecting service delivery.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and support to a team of professionals.
• Deliver expert advice for complex cases in line with standards.
• Implement integrated working with partners and communities.

Skills

Leadership skills

Innovative solutions development

Relationship building

Education

Degree in Social Work or Occupational Therapy

Job description

The Role

Mental health social care is transforming into a new operational delivery model improving our early intervention and prevention offer to Essex residents with a focus on people currently not receiving services or falling through existing gaps. The offer is to ensure care act compliance across the system offering information advice and guidance and providing support to improve wellbeing outcomes. Within this service there will be a mixture of the team carrying out direct work alongside adults and completing care act assessments relevant to wellbeing outcomes and the completion of care act reviews.

This post is to deliver the management of the West Essex Early Help and Wellbeing team and will support the formation of this team. We are looking for someone to support leading these changes but with the ability to work across the county whilst the implementation is taking place.

The Team Manager within our Early Help & Wellbeing team leads a social care team, holding them accountable for performance and delivering improvements. Working with the Service Manager, contributing to the development of strategy and ensuring a service which adapts responsively to change, in particular in how adults are supported out of hospital and supported within the community admission avoidance.

With proven ability to focus on results, develop innovative solutions and build strong working relationships with partners, this leader will possess a deep understanding of working in an extremely challenging financial environment.

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Providing leadership and support across a team of professionals to deliver a high-quality service with positive outcomes which enables people to live healthily and independently.
• Enabling the development of individuals with the team
• Delivering expertise and professional knowledge to provide advice and guidance for complex cases in line with legislative and organisational standards.
• Providing an escalation point for complaints and other feedback from service users in accordance with policy, in a way that fosters positive relationships.
• Implementing effective approaches to integrated working with partners, communities, and the voluntary sector to achieve successful outcomes for service users.

The Team

The Early Help & Wellbeing Team is a welcoming, compassionate and innovative team to work in, offering preventative and early help to connect people who are experiencing difficulties with their mental wellbeing and/or neurodivergent conditions to opportunities in their own communities and provide support that enables them to achieve personal ambitions, goals and aspirations.

Mental health social care is transforming into a new operational delivery model improving our early intervention and prevention offer to Essex residents with a focus on people currently not receiving services or falling through existing gaps. The offer is to ensure care act compliance across the system offering information advice and guidance and providing support to improve wellbeing outcomes. Within this service there will be a mixture of the team carrying out direct work alongside people and completing care act assessments relevant to wellbeing outcomes and the completion of care act reviews.

About You

You'll bring strong and progressive leadership and behavioural skills, giving you the ability to develop a highly motivated, high-performing professional team to deliver the best solutions for those using our services. We are seeking an innovative, proactive leader who engages a strengths-based approach to leadership in a multi-disciplinary arena that can at times be challenging but rewarding as you see the team grow in confidence.

Educated to degree level in Social Work or Occupational Therapy with current professional registration. You will bring strong leadership and behavioural skills, giving you the ability to develop a highly motivated, high-performing professional team to deliver the best solutions for those using our services. We\'re also looking for your experience of working in a social care setting, along with the ability to deal with challenging social situations and develop strong relationships with partner agencies and the local community to provide a supportive framework for vulnerable adults.

You'll also bring:

• Evidence of continuing professional development and capability of practice in accordance with current professional standards.
• An understanding of budgetary responsibilities and how they impact upon a service.
• An in-depth understanding of the financial implications of commissioned care packages.
• Experience working in a leadership role within Adult Social Care
• Experience of leading change in a complex environment, and ensuring the organisation delivers best practice within financial constraints.
• The ability to make clear decisions, to highlight and limit potential risks associated with intervention.
• Evidence of working within a fast-paced complex team
• The ability to make evidenced based decisions within the context of competing resources and high-risk environments.

This role involves travelling around Essex. A driving licence and car - or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means - is essential.

Why Join Us?

In June 2025, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated our Adult Social Care services as "Good" with a score of 73%

"The local authority had a good structure and processes in place to enable people to be supported successfully, and support people to remain independent and live healthy lives. The workforce was passionate about supporting people to achieve these outcomes and the local authority had good knowledge of their area, the people living there and the demographics."

You can read the full report on the CQC website here.

Our teams are busy but warm, friendly and supportive. Our fabulous team managers will help you manage your workload and develop your practice.

We take your career just as seriously as you do, and we have a continuing professional development offer that\'s second to none.

We welcome diversity because it makes us grow and we\'re determined to become a fully inclusive and an anti-racist organisation.

What We Offer

We\'ll support you to be your best and will offer:

• Ongoing opportunities for continuing professional development
• Flexible working options
• Employee wellbeing and counselling
• Lease Car scheme
• Life assurance of three times annual salary
• Local Government Pension Scheme. View Key Facts and FAQ\'s about the LGPS.
• Volunteering leave
• 27 days annual leave (plus bank holidays), rising with service
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) - access to free and confidential information, support, and guidance from a team of highly qualified professionals.
• Employee Networks - communities to support you, connect you and help influence change at ECC
• Payment of your Social Work England registration fees!

Apply and Contact

Apply now. For more information contact [e-mail]

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

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