Assistant Head of Service - Corporate Parenting

Barnet Council; London; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Barnet Council is seeking an Assistant Head of Service for our Corporate Parenting Service to enhance service delivery for children in care. With a focus on leadership and strategic planning, the ideal candidate will drive positive outcomes through collaboration and effective practice. We offer a supportive environment, excellent training, and a commitment to work-life balance.

Benefits

31 days annual leave, plus public and bank holidays

Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme

Work-life balance options including hybrid working

Lifestyle discounts from major retailers

Excellent training and development opportunities

Qualifications

• Proven record of effective leadership at a senior level.
• Ability to engage positively with children, young people, their families, and their carers.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills to develop positive relationships.

Responsibilities

• Drive outcomes for children, young people, and their carers through strategic planning.
• Enhance service delivery to children and young people.
• Collaborate with partners to create effective multi-agency working.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic Planning

Data Analysis

Interpersonal Skills

Job description

Job Description

About Barnet Council

Barnet is a borough with much to be proud of. Our excellent schools, vibrant town centers, vast green spaces and diverse communities all help make it a great place to live and work. As a council we want to build on these strengths as we move into the future. We are growing and developing as an organisation to meet the challenges facing our borough and we are committed to working with partner organisations and residents to make Barnet even better. As an organisation, our staff are committed to Our Values: Learning to Improve, Caring, Inclusive, Collaborative – which drive everything we do.

About The Role

Barnet Family Services is looking to appoint a new Assistant Head of Service for our Corporate Parenting Service. Ofsted said that services for children in care are outstanding but our ambition is to be even better as a driving force for every child who experiences time in our care and support as they leave care. We want you to be part of this ambition if you bring creative energy, a drive to do better for every child and strong knowledge of what works for our children today.

Our corporate plan 2023 – 2026 puts Caring for People, our Places and the Planet at the heart of everything we do. It recognises we can only achieve this vision by delivering our foundation of becoming an engaged and effective council. Central to this is to become a listening council; one that encourages community participation and builds trusted, collaborative relationships with residents and stakeholders. Barnet is the second largest borough by population in London, home to over 389,000 people, 26,000 businesses, and 1,000 charities. We are proud of our diverse communities and of being a place where people feel welcomed and celebrated. Our plan can be viewed here (add link).

Barnet’s ambition is to fight equalities, reduce poverty, and this a place where people can live well and be part of a community. We work hard to be a Family Friendly borough where children and young people have the best start in life with the best education, the right support and safeguarding when they need it, and the right tools to live their lives successfully into adulthood. This especially applies to our children in care and care leavers, for whom we are ‘corporate parents’.

In Family Services we believe that with excellent, creative and ambitious practice leadership, professional social work can thrive, creating environments where children and young people are safe and provided with opportunities to be happy and reach their potential. If you are a passionate and committed practice leader who ensures that the child and young person remains central to all planning and decisions, are able to demonstrate the ability to drive strong partnership working and have the ability to achieve great outcomes for children, young people and their carers through creative and smart permanence planning, you should apply for this job!

Please click here to download the Job description for this role.

About You

• Proven record of effective leadership at a senior level
• Ability to strategically plan for the development of services to enhance delivery to children and young people
• Ability to engage positively with children, young people, their families and their carers
• Exceptional interpersonal skills to develop positive relationships with children, young people and their carers and families, colleagues and partner agencies to achieve effective and excellent multi-agency working
• Strong data analysis skills to be able to identify issues and address them within strong strategic planning across your service and the whole of Family Services
  
  
  

What We Offer

• 31 days annual leave, plus public and bank holidays
• Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme , which provides a valuable guaranteed income in your retirement together with security for your dependents
• Work-life balance options may include hybrid working, flexitime, job share, home working, part-time
• A vast range of lifestyle discounts from major retailers, supermarkets, energy suppliers and more
• Broad range of payroll benefits including cycle to work, eye care vouchers, travel and gym membership
• Excellent training and development opportunities
• Employee well- being training programs including confidential employee assistance
  
  
  

How To Apply

Read the job description and person specification before clicking ‘Apply’ to commence the online application form. If you would like any further information about the role before applying, please contact [e-mail]

Barnet Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Barnet operates stringent safer recruitment procedures.

To deliver Barnet Council’s commitment to equality of opportunity in the provision of services, all staff are expected to promote equality in the workplace and in the services the Council delivers. As such we value diversity and welcome applications from all backgrounds. For further information, please read our equality statement.

Barnet Council embraces all forms of flexible working (including part-time, compressed hours, and remote working) and is committed to offering employees a healthy work-life balance. Candidates are encouraged to talk about relevant requirements and preferences at interview. We can’t promise to give you exactly what you want, but we do promise not to judge you for asking.

Barnet Council is a Disability Confident Committed Employer. We welcome and encourage job applications of all abilities. If you require any reasonable adjustments in the application or interview, please contact the lead contact on this advert. We will make reasonable adjustments to make sure our disabled applicants and those with health conditions are supported throughout our recruitment process. We support the access to work scheme, further details are available at www.gov.uk/access-to-work/apply

All posts with the council are subject to a probationary period of six months, during which time you will be required to demonstrate to the council satisfaction your suitability for the position in which you will be employed.

Due to the high number of applications that are received for some posts we may close vacancies before the stated closing date if sufficient number of applications are received. Therefore, please apply as soon as possible.

Please ensure you regularly check the email account (including JUNK MAIL folders) that you use to submit your application, as any further communication regarding your application will be sent electronically. Should you not hear from us within four working weeks of the closing date for this post, then regretfully in this instance, you have not been shortlisted.