Early Help Team Manager

West Sussex County Council; Horsham; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

West Sussex County Council is seeking an experienced Manager to lead and oversee a team delivering direct interventions to children, young people and families. You will drive multi-agency collaboration, ensure high-quality practice and performance, and contribute to the Early Help leadership team.

A strong focus on safeguarding and quality assurance is essential. Applicants should demonstrate a proven track record in managing complex caseloads, influencing across services, and delivering

Qualifications

• Experience leading teams delivering targeted interventions to children, young people and families.
• Proven track record in managing complex caseloads and multi-agency working.
• Ability to implement quality assurance processes and service improvement.

Responsibilities

• Lead, supervise and provide strategic oversight to a team delivering targeted interventions to children, young people and families.
• Coordinate across service areas to ensure high-quality practice and performance across teams.
• Support Early Help Hubs and contribute to leadership in service development.
• Ensure policies and practice are adhered to through QA processes and cross-directorate collaboration.
• Promote safeguarding and welfare across children, young people and vulnerable adults.

Skills

Problem solving

People management

Communication

Emotional intelligence

Organisational skills

Strategic planning

Multi-agency working

Negotiation

Education

Postgraduate qualification in management or related field

Tools

Driving licence

Job description

As an experienced Manager, you will lead, supervise and provide strategic oversight to a team delivering direct targeted interventions and support to children, young people and families. You will be expected to demonstrate a proven track record in managing teams, including oversight of complex caseloads, multi-agency working, and delivering measurable outcomes for families. Flexibility is essential, as you may be required to lead across service areas in response to business needs, ensuring consistent, high-quality practice and performance across all teams, this includes supporting the Early Help Hubs. You will play a key role in the Early Help leadership team in bringing your knowledge and expertise into the development of services. You will be responsible for ensuring policies and practice are adhered to through a number of quality assurance processes. You will work alongside peers across the directorate to work collaboratively to ensure the needs of children are met. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check, 5 years referencing and a health check. Equity, inclusion and accessibility is very important to West Sussex County Council. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, as this helps us build a diverse and talented workforce, that reflects the communities we serve. We ensure our approach to recruitment is flexible and supportive to enable all applicants to be at their best and to ensure they have the best possible chance of success. If you require any reasonable adjustments to support your application please contact.

• Ability to anticipate problems, plan solutions and make sound pragmatic problem-solving decisions which will have a wider service impact, particularly in relation to providing a varied service, resource issues, partnership building (internally or externally) and the day-to-day management and direction of the team.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to influence the actions of others and communicate information which may be complex and contentious. Including the ability to negotiate solutions across wide areas of the business, manage conflict and successfully convince others of the need to take a specific course of action with a child first approach.
• Effective people and performance management skills and the ability to provide direction and motivate and inspire the team to deliver quality professional practice.
• Able to manage self, is self-aware and understands impact of work on self and others and responds constructively to situations. Understanding the need for emotional intelligence/resilience. Ability to respond calmly and appropriately to situations where others are in a stressful or anxious situation. Thorough understanding of the range of needs presented by children and families.
• Ability to organise/prioritise work, co-ordinate a variety of tasks in a clear and logical way and meet agreed deadlines and outcomes without supervision.
• Analytically minded with the ability to judge, analyse and interpret varied and highly complex situations to produce strategies over the long term e.g. interpret and solve issues by coordinating with multiple agencies across the county, such as schools, CAMHS, Adult Services, Social Care, Police, etc., Post graduate professional qualification relevant either to management or to a professional service specialism (e.g. Social Work, Health, Early Education and Childcare, Community Development, Family Support); or equivalent level of significant experience demonstrating comprehensive application of the above levels of knowledge in a relevant setting.
• Relevant chartered status of a professional body or equivalent high-level experience of involved practices.
• Advanced theoretical knowledge of systems, procedures and policies in specialist areas e.g. child protection, data protection, relevant law, national guidance, risk management, health and safety, safeguarding, evidence-based practice of what works within family support.
• Valid and full driving licence and access to a vehicle/ability to travel around the county independently.
• West Sussex County Council is a diverse organisation that provides services to more than 850,000 residents' every day. Through our Early Help Service, we will work with children, families, and young people to help ensure that every person is supported to achieve his or her potential. The foundations for mental health, emotional control, doing well in education and parenting ability are all set in place in the early years; the home surroundings, family life and parenting are all important factors in determining positive outcomes for children as they grow and develop.
• As an employer we recognise that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. We aim to create a supportive and dynamic working environment where employees can achieve their full potential, achieve a healthy work-life balance and are rewarded for the work they do.

In addition to working within a great team and a brilliant opportunity you will receive: For a full list of the benefits offered to you as a West Sussex County Council employee you can find them on our