Assistant Director Family Help and Children's Social Work

Leicester City Council; Leicester; On-site; GBP 84,000 - 93,000; Full time

Job summary

Leicester City Council is seeking an exceptional leader to join the senior leadership team as Assistant Director - Family Help and Children's Social Work. You will provide strategic and operational leadership across a broad portfolio, delivering high-quality support for children and families in Leicester.

Reporting to the Director, you will drive service improvement, oversee performance and quality assurance, and ensure financial sustainability while collaborating with health, education, police

Qualifications

• Qualified social worker with registration (Social Work England).
• Experience leading children’s services (Family Help, Children's Social Work or Early Help).
• Proven ability to deliver large-scale transformation and service improvement.

Responsibilities

• Providing visible leadership across Family Help, Children's Social Work and preventative services.
• Driving continuous improvement, transformation and innovation across the service.
• Leading performance, workforce development, safeguarding, quality assurance and service effectiveness.
• Managing significant budgets and resources to deliver value for money and sustainable services.
• Supporting corporate parenting and safeguarding responsibilities.
• Building strong strategic partnerships locally, regionally and nationally.
• Leading and developing senior managers and Heads of Service to achieve excellent outcomes.

Skills

Leadership

Strategy & transformation

Performance management

Financial management

Partnership & negotiation

Safeguarding focus

Education

Social Work qualification

Social Work England registration

Job description

Reference

REQ8546

Description

Full Time / 37 Hours Per Week / Fixed Term for 24 Months Lead transformational services. Shape children's futures. Make a lasting difference for Leicester. Leicester is an ambitious, diverse and vibrant city. We're looking for an exceptional leader to join our senior leadership team as our new Assistant Director - Family Help and Children's Social Work. This is a rare opportunity to lead a broad and influential portfolio spanning Family Help, Children's Social Work, Early Help, Corporate Parenting, Care Leavers, Youth Justice, Family Hubs, Adolescent Services, Therapeutic Services and Disabled Children's Services. You'll play a pivotal role in shaping services that improve outcomes for thousands of children, young people and families across the city.

Leicester is an ambitious, diverse and vibrant city. We're looking for an exceptional leader to join our senior leadership team as our new Assistant Director - Family Help and Children's Social Work. This is a rare opportunity to lead a broad and influential portfolio spanning Family Help, Children's Social Work, Early Help, Corporate Parenting, Care Leavers, Youth Justice, Family Hubs, Adolescent Services, Therapeutic Services and Disabled Children's Services. You'll play a pivotal role in shaping services that improve outcomes for thousands of children, young people and families across the city.

About the role

Reporting to the Director of Children's Social Care, Early Help and Prevention, you'll provide strategic and operational leadership across a complex portfolio of services, ensuring children and families receive high-quality, effective and responsive support. You'll lead service improvement, drive innovation, oversee performance and quality assurance, and ensure services remain financially sustainable and fully compliant with statutory responsibilities. You'll work closely with elected members, corporate leaders and partner agencies across health, education, police and the voluntary sector to shape strategy, influence change and deliver outstanding services for Leicester's children and families.

What you'll be responsible for

• Providing visible leadership across Family Help, Children's Social Work and preventative services.
• Driving continuous improvement, transformation and innovation across the service.
• Leading performance, workforce development, safeguarding, quality assurance and service effectiveness.
• Managing significant budgets and resources to deliver value for money and sustainable services.
• Supporting the Council's corporate parenting and safeguarding responsibilities.
• Building strong strategic partnerships locally, regionally and nationally.
• Leading and developing senior managers and Heads of Service to achieve excellent outcomes for children and families.

About you

We're looking for a proven leader with substantial experience operating at Head of Service, Assistant Director or equivalent senior leadership level within children's services.

You'll bring

• A recognised Social Work qualification and Social Work England registration.
• A strong track record of leading children's social care, family help or early help services.
• Experience of delivering large-scale transformation, service improvement and cultural change.
• Strong financial, workforce and performance management skills.
• Exceptional partnership, negotiation and influencing abilities.
• A clear commitment to relationship-based practice, safeguarding and improving outcomes for children, young people and families.

Why Leicester?

This is an exciting time to join Leicester City Council. We are committed to delivering high-quality services that put children, young people and families at the centre of everything we do. You'll join a forward-thinking leadership team that values collaboration, innovation and continuous improvement, and you'll have the opportunity to shape the future direction of services across one of the country's most diverse cities.

Join us

If you're an experienced and ambitious children's services leader who is passionate about improving lives and delivering meaningful change, we'd love to hear from you.

Help us build stronger families, safer communities and brighter futures for Leicester's children and young people.

Region

Central

Location

City Hall

Salary

*GBP*83,826 - *GBP*93,223 Per Year

Contractual hours

37

Basis

Full time