Deputy Team Manager - Leaving Care Team

Are you passionate about making a difference in the lives of young people leaving care? Do you have the experience, resilience, and leadership skills to help shape and deliver high-quality support services to care leavers as they move into adulthood?

We’re looking for a Deputy Team Manager to join our dynamic Leaving Care Team, supporting young people aged 16–25 on their journey to independence. This is your opportunity to be part of a dedicated, multi-disciplinary team making a lasting impact.

As Deputy Team Manager, you’ll work closely with the Team Manager to lead and inspire a committed team within our Corporate Parenting Service. You'll help shape service delivery, manage resources and budgets, and support frontline professionals to deliver tailored interventions that meet the complex and evolving needs of care-experienced young people.

• Supporting the operational management of the Leaving Care Team.
• Leading on complex casework, including safeguarding and statutory responsibilities.
• Coaching, mentoring, and supervising staff to maintain high standards of practice.
• Contributing to training and staff development.
• Representing the service at internal and external meetings.

You’ll ensure children and young people’s voices are heard, their individual needs are understood, and their welfare safeguarded – all while striving for the best possible outcomes in education, health, employment, and emotional well-being.

We’re seeking a confident, empathetic leader with:

• Substantial experience in a children’s social care environment, especially with safeguarding, child protection, and statutory casework.
• A strong track record of complex decision making and supporting practitioners through high-risk cases.
• Excellent knowledge of relevant legislation, frameworks, and performance standards related to Children’s Services.
• Experience in coaching, mentoring and developing staff, helping teams to thrive and deliver exceptional care.
• Ability to write complex reports and communicate effectively across a range of audiences.
• A recognised professional Social Work qualification (DipSW, CQSW or equivalent) and current Social Work England registration.

If you’re committed to empowering care leavers and supporting your team to provide outstanding services, we’d love to hear from you.

Our ambitious Luton 2040 Vision – that no-one in Luton will have to live in poverty – is at the heart of everything we do. We recognise that our people are remarkable, talented, committed and passionate about serving our residents.

The people of Luton depend heavily on this council – and that means our workforce! Are you ready to realise the remarkable and help us deliver our vision?

We welcome applications from all sections of the community and are committed to developing a workforce that reflects the diversity of our borough.

Because of the nature of this job, it will be necessary for the appropriate level of criminal record disclosure to be undertaken. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare all unspent cautions and convictions; and also any adult cautions (simple or conditional), and spent convictions that are not protected as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2020). A person’s criminal record will not in itself prevent a person from being appointed to this post. Applicants will not be refused posts because of offences which are not relevant to, and do not place them at or make them a risk in, the role for which they are applying. However in the event of the employment being taken up, any failure to disclose such offence, as detailed above, will result in dismissal or disciplinary action by the Authority.

We offer a range of excellent staff benefits which include:

• From 25 to 32 days’ annual leave: linked to length of service and grade.
• Buying annual leave scheme: buy up to 20 days additional annual leave.
• Career Pathways: step up in your career or move into a specialist area.
• Pension scheme: with generous employer contributions of up to 20.2 per cent (at July 2023) and 3x salary death in service grant.
• Generous relocation package: up to £8,000 (subject to eligibility).
• Employee Assistance Programme: a free, 24/7 confidential counselling and wellbeing support service available to all employees, their partner or spouse and dependent children over 16 still living at home.
• Work/life balance: flexible working options including working from home where possible. We welcome requests for flexible working arrangements including part-time hours and alternative working patterns.
• Training and support: unlimited access to development courses, mentoring and support and clear career pathways.
• Staff offers: includes discounts on your MOT, gym and fitness, restaurants and salons.
• Arriva Travel Club: great value savings on local bus travel.
• Friday Funday Socials - One Friday every 2 months where we encourage our staff to get together to socialise after work.