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Director: Children’s Social Care Reform
Department for Education
London
On-site
GBP 100,000 - 130,000
Full time
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Job summary
Join the Department for Education as the Director of Children’s Social Care Reform and spearhead transformative initiatives in children's care systems in England. This pivotal role involves strategic leadership, budget management, and collaborative policy development to ensure children thrive across various communities. With a workforce of approximately 400, you will drive the department's vision to enhance support for children and foster essential partnerships with local authorities and stakeholders.
Benefits
Qualifications
- Knowledge of the children’s social care system.
- Experience leading high performing teams.
- Capability to deliver complex public policies.
Responsibilities
- Lead a team of around 400 staff across England.
- Manage budgets of over £200m and ensure value for money.
- Develop and implement significant reforms in children's social care.
Skills
Education
Job description
Join to apply for the Director: Children’s Social Care Reform role at Department for Education
Join to apply for the Director: Children’s Social Care Reform role at Department for Education
London - SW1P 3BT, Coventry - CV1 2WT, Manchester - M1 2WD, Sheffield - S1 2FJ, Darlington - DL1 5QE, Nottingham - NG2 1AW, Bristol - BS2 0EL
Please note – Bristol and Nottingham currently have site controls in place. Therefore, this location option is only available to existing DfE employees already assigned to this office location
Job Summary
As the Director: Children’s social care reform, you will report into the Director General of Families Group. It is a stretching and rewarding Director role driving Children’s Social Care Reform. This is a genuine opportunity to shape the future of children’s social care, ensuring children from every walk of life have the opportunity to thrive. The Children’s Social Care directorate covers a broad portfolio focused on driving the department’s vision to break down the barriers to opportunity and ensure children are safe and supported by local authorities and other multi-agency partners – this role will work in partnership with Shazia Hussain, the co-Director in Children’s Social Care. Shazia leads the Help, Protection and Social Work Directorate.
You will lead the Strategy and Care System directorate; you will be responsible for setting the strategy, securing funding and overseeing delivery of a wide ranging delivery portfolio. You will also be responsible for policy and delivery across alternatives to care, children in care including asylum seeking children, care leavers, and capital investment in residential care. This all involves developing policy and delivery of a complex strategic transformation of the children’s social care system in England. You will be expected to build relationships and collaborate effectively with a wide network of national and local leaders and lead delivery programmes in specific areas and locations e.g. in relation to kinship, foster care, the placement market and capital investment.
Strong strategic thinking, proactive problem-solving and creative policy thinking will be paramount, as well as an ability to build trust, work collaboratively in partnership and with a wide range of stakeholders and engage credibly with the sector.
Leaders in DfE are also expected to role model our principles and values which complement the wider Civil Service Leadership Statement.
Job Description
As the Director of Children's Social Care Reform, you will be responsible for leading a team of c200 people to deliver complex strategic transformation of the children’s social care system in England.
Deputy Director Senior Responsible Officer (SROs) Will Be Accountable For Their Specific Programmes, But You Will Lead The Overall Portfolio And Hold Them To Account For Delivery As Well As Having Accountability For Overall System Impact And Strategic Reform Narrative. You Will Chair The Portfolio Board And Will Be a Skilled Policy Professional And Expert In Policy Delivery. Specific Responsibilities Include:
- Together with the Director for Help Protection and Workforce - responsibility for the strategy and funding for children’s social care in England, including Implementing the announcements in the Spending Review on 11th June and ensuring a strong contribution to the government’s Opportunity Mission through the Keeping Children Safe pillar.
- Responsibility for policy and delivery on alternatives to care including kinship, adoption and the family justice system.
- Responsibility for the care system and the experience and outcomes for children in it and care leavers. This includes strategy and delivery in relation to the problematic market for children’s social care placements, delivering fostering reforms to significantly increase the availability of foster care placements, and delivering capital investment in children’s homes. It also includes working in close partnership with DHSC, NHSE and MoJ to develop a new approach to meeting the needs of children with the most complex needs.
- Responsibility for care leaver policy, driving improvements in the support care leavers receive from across the public sector and wider.
- Implementing in all the areas above the significant policy changes being taken forward in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.
- Implementing in partnership with MHCLG a new formula for children’s social care, and significant consolidation of existing and any new funding into the Local Government Funding Settlement.
- Working in partnership with a fellow Director to jointly lead a workforce of around 400 staff (c200 in five divisions in your direct team) across eleven sites across England – engaging and inspiring teams to fulfil their potential, and championing diversity and inclusion and wellbeing.
- Responsible for effective management of an annual admin budget of over £10m and annual programme budget of over £200m, capital budget of nearly £100m, delivering efficiencies, good value for money and maximising outcomes and benefit from all spend.
- Building and maintaining strategic, beneficial relationships with other key parts of the department, Other Government Departments (OGDs) and stakeholders – particularly those leading and working in children’s social care.
As the Director of Children's Social Care Reform, you will be responsible for leading a team of c200 people to deliver complex strategic transformation of the children’s social care system in England.
Role Responsibilities:
- Working in partnership with a fellow Director to jointly lead a workforce of around 400 staff (c200 in five divisions in your direct team) across eleven sites across England – engaging and inspiring teams to fulfil their potential, and championing diversity and inclusion and wellbeing.
- Responsible for effective management of an annual admin budget of over £10m and annual programme budget of over £200m, capital budget of nearly £100m, delivering efficiencies, good value for money and maximising outcomes and benefit from all spend.
- Building and maintaining strategic, beneficial relationships with other key parts of the department, Other Government Departments (OGDs) and stakeholders – particularly those leading and working in children’s social care.
Person specification
Essential Criteria:
- Knowledge and experience of the children’s social care system and sector.
- Proven track record of leading high performing teams to deliver at pace a mix of strategic thinking, policy development and delivery in a complex and high-profile area of public policy.
- Experience of leading the successful delivery of Government major programmes or a large portfolio in an equivalent large organisation, with experience in managing risks and prioritisation across multiple work areas.
- You will be an excellent collaborator, able to build trusted relationships quickly with Ministers and senior leaders across Government, Local Government, the third sector and experts by experience (service users).
Applicants currently holding a permanent post in the Civil Service should note that, if successful, their salary on appointment would be determined by the Department’s transfer / promotion policies.
As a member of the DfE, you will be entitled to join the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme, which many experts agree is one of the most generous in the UK.
You will have 25 days leave, increasing by 1 day every year to a maximum of 30 days after five years’ service. In addition, all staff receive the King’s Birthday privilege holiday and 8 days’ bank and public holidays.
We offer flexible working arrangements, such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
Most DfE employees will be working a hybrid pattern, spending at least 60% of their time in an office or work setting. Changes to these working arrangements are available in exceptional circumstances, but must be agreed with the line manager and in line with the requirements of the role.
Travel to your primary office location will not be paid for by DfE, but costs for travel to an office which is not your main location will be covered.
As an organisation, which exists to support education and lifelong learning, we offer our staff excellent professional development opportunities.
Selection process details
Application
To apply for this role, you need to complete an online application via the Civil Service Jobs portal. Applications will be accepted until 23:55 on Monday 30th June.
You Will Be Asked To Provide:
- A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years
- A Statement of Suitability (no longer than 2 sides or 1,000 words) detailing why this appointment interests you and how you can evidence your suitability for the role with specific examples, with particular reference to the essential criteria in the Person Specification section above and in the ‘who we are looking for’ section of the candidate pack.
Applicants will be assessed against the listed essential criteria. If applicant numbers are excessive, preliminary sifting will be done using the first two criterion only.
It is important that, through your CV and Statement of Suitability, you provide evidence and examples of proven experience for each of the selection criteria detailed.
If you are unable to apply online please contact scs.recruitment@education.gov.uk in the first instance. Please visit our career site for further information on the Civil Service application process.
Selection Process
Shortlisted Candidates Will:
- Take part in a Staff Engagement Panel (which typically takes up to 1 hour to complete), to be held 14th July.
- Following the above assessment, candidates will attend a formal panel interview on 22 July. You will be asked to prepare a short presentation as part of this (further information will be shared with shortlisted candidates). We will also ask further questions to assess your experience.
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks. You will need to hold the right immigration status and nationality requirements for this role - please email scs.recruitment@education.gov.uk if you have any questions.
Please note that at interview stage we may ask if you have any conflicts of interest to declare.
For an accessible version of the candidate pack, please contact scs.recruitment@education.gov.uk
Other Information
We understand that you might use AI and other resources for your application; however, please ensure all information you provide is factually accurate, truthful, and original and doesn’t include ideas or work that isn’t your own. This is so that your application is authentically and credibly your own.
We reserve the right to raise the minimum pass mark in the event of a high volume or strong field of candidates.
Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK from the location options provided and not from overseas.
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check maybe carried out.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstance some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Department of Education of your intention by emailing Pre-Employment.Checks.DFE@education.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
Department for Education do not cover the cost of travel to your interview/assessment unless otherwise stated.
A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.
Candidates will be posted in merit order based upon location preference. Where more than one location is advertised you will be asked to state your preferred location.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
Terms and conditions of candidates transferring from ALBs and NDPBs
Bodies that are not accredited by the Civil Service Commission and are not able to advertise at Across Government on Civil Service jobs will be treated as external new starters and will come into DfE on modernised terms and conditions with a salary at the band minimum.
Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission but do not have civil service status will be offered modernised terms and will not have continuous service recognised for leave or sickness benefits. Salaries should be offered at band minimum, but there is some flexibility where this would cause a detriment to the individual.
Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission and do have Civil Service status will be treated as OGD transfers. Staff appointed on lateral transfer will move on to pre-modernised DfE terms (unless they were on modernised terms in their previous organisation). Staff appointed on promotion will move on to modernised DfE terms. Staff will transfer over on their existing salary (on lateral transfer) and any pay above the DfE pay band maximum will be paid as a mark time allowance. Staff moving on promotion will have their salaries calculated using the principles set out in the attached OGD transfer supplementary information.
Reasonable adjustment
If a Person With Disabilities Is Put At a Substantial Disadvantage Compared To a Non-disabled Person, We Have a Duty To Make Reasonable Changes To Our Processes. If You Need a Change To Be Made So That You Can Make Your Application, You Should:
Contact Department of Education via centralrecruitment.operations@education.gov.uk soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
Childcare Vouchers
Any move to Department for Education (DfE) will mean you will no longer be able to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
This role has a minimum assignment duration of 3 years. An assignment duration is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through building your depth of expertise.
As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact :
- Name : SCS Recruitment Team
- Email : SCS.Recruitment@education.gov.uk
- Email : SCS.Recruitment@education.gov.uk
The Department for Education’s recruitment processes are underpinned by the Civil Service Commissioners Recruitment Principles, which outlines that selection for appointment is made on merit based on fair and open competition. You have the right to complain if you feel a department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles. In the first instance, you should raise the matter directly with the department concerned via CentralRecruitment.Operations@education.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages
- Seniority levelDirector
- Employment typeFull-time
- Job functionHealth Care Provider
- IndustriesGovernment Administration
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