Delivery Lead - Children's

Dorset Council UK; Dorchester; On-site; GBP 85,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

Dorset Council is seeking an experienced transformation leader to drive the next chapter of change across the Children’s Services. You will shape service redesign, digital innovation and continuous improvement in collaboration with senior leaders, practitioners and partners to improve outcomes for children and families.

As a member of the Children’s Services Leadership Team and the Transformation Management Office, you will turn ambition into action, manage complex programmes, and ensure

Qualifications

• Experience leading large-scale transformation and service improvement programmes.
• Strong knowledge of Children's Services, safeguarding responsibilities and relevant statutory frameworks.
• Ability to work strategically while maintaining a focus on delivery and outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Lead a diverse portfolio of transformation, reform and continuous improvement activity across Children's Services.
• Drive delivery of strategic priorities with measurable benefits and sustainable improvements.
• Work across organisational boundaries to align services with the needs of children, young people and families.
• Lead complex change programmes, managing interdependencies, risks, governance and benefits realisation.
• Support Children's Services to leverage digital innovation, data and technology.
• Provide strategic leadership, challenge and support to senior stakeholders across the council and partners.
• Lead, support and develop a team of change professionals, managing capacity and demand across a varied transformation portfolio.
• Take a product, test and learn approach to change.
• Coordinate with the Transformation Management Office to align priorities with the council's ambitions.

Skills

Transformation leadership

Programme management

Stakeholder engagement

Change management

Digital transformation

Job description

Lead the next chapter of transformation in an Outstanding Children's Service

At Dorset Council, our Children's Services are rated Outstanding by Ofsted and we're ambitious about what comes next.

We're looking for an experienced and inspirational leader to drive transformation and continuous improvement with us across Children's Services, helping us improve outcomes for children, young people and families while creating sustainable, efficient services for the future.

This is a rare opportunity to play a pivotal role in shaping some of the most important services we deliver. Working across early help, education, SEND and social care, you will work with leaders to deliver service redesign, reform, digital innovation and continuous improvement programmes that make a real difference to the lives of Dorset's children and families.

As a key member of both the Children's Services Leadership Team and the Transformation Management Office, you'll work alongside senior leaders, practitioners, partners and communities to turn ambition into action and ensure change delivers meaningful results.

You'll be joining a forward-looking Transformation Management Office that works across the council to redesign services, improve customer experience and deliver Dorset Council's long-term vision. The Children’s Services Leadership Team are driven and ambitious working to ensure the services delivered are high quality and child centred. The service is a fast-paced environment and an exciting place to work where change is a constant in the work we do, supporting Babies, Children and Young People to reach their full potential. You'll have the freedom to innovate, build strong partnerships and influence change at both a strategic and operational level.

What You Will Do

• Lead a diverse portfolio of transformation, reform and continuous and service improvement activity across Children's Services.
• Drive delivery of strategic priorities, ensuring programmes achieve measurable benefits and sustainable improvements.
• Work across organisational boundaries, bringing services together around changes that respond to the needs of children, young people and families.
• Lead complex change programmes, managing interdependencies, risks, governance and benefits realisation.
• Support Children's Services to make the most of digital innovation, data and technology.
• Provide strategic leadership, challenge and support to senior stakeholders across the council and partner organisations
• Lead, support and develop a team of change professionals, managing capacity and demand across a varied transformation portfolio.
• Take a product, test and learn approach to change
• Work closely with the wider Transformation Management Office leadership team to ensure Children's Services priorities align with the council's broader transformation ambitions.

About You

You'll be an experienced transformation, programme or service improvement leader with a strong understanding of Children's Services and the challenges facing local government.

You'll Bring

• Significant experience leading large-scale transformation and service improvement programmes.
• Strong knowledge of Children's Services, safeguarding responsibilities and relevant statutory frameworks.
• The ability to work strategically while maintaining a focus on delivery and outcomes.
• Experience of building relationships and influencing senior leaders, partners and stakeholders.
• A collaborative and inclusive leadership style, with a passion for improving services and outcomes.
• Experience of programme management, benefits realisation and organisational change.