Family Time Team Manager

Suffolk County Council; Lowestoft; Hybrid; GBP 49,000; Full time

Job summary

A local authority in England is looking for a Family Time Team Manager. You will lead a team to ensure that children in care have safe and meaningful time with their families. The ideal candidate will possess a postgraduate qualification and proven leadership experience in children's services. This position offers flexible working options and a competitive salary package.

Benefits

Up to 29 days annual leave

Local Government Pension Scheme

Travel and lifestyle benefits

Performance-related pay progression

Qualifications

• Relevant professional qualification at postgraduate level or equivalent experience.
• Proven leadership experience in children's services or a related field.
• Strong communication and organisational skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead a dedicated team of Family Time Practitioners and Coordinators.
• Oversee the planning and delivery of family time sessions across Suffolk.
• Ensure high-quality, trauma-informed practice.

Skills

Leadership experience

Communication skills

Organisational skills

Passion for child welfare

Education

Postgraduate qualification or equivalent experience

Job description

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Job Description

• Suffolk County Council
• Address: Family Time Centre, Riverside, Lowestoft NR33 0EQ - Onsite
• Salary: £48,163 per annum (pro rata if part time)
• Hours: 37 hours per week - Flexible working options available
• Contract: Secondment/Fixed term - 12 months

This is an exciting opportunity to lead a new team as part of the Family Time pilot. You'll be instrumental in shaping how Family Time is delivered across Suffolk, embedding best practices from the outset.

At Suffolk County Council, every role is a chance to create positive change. We're not just a local authority; we're a team of dedicated individuals working together to improve lives across our diverse communities. As our new Family Time Team Manager, you'll have the unique opportunity to see the direct impact of your work on the people and places that make Suffolk special. Your contributions will help build a brighter future for all. If you're passionate about making a real, tangible difference, it's time to reimagine your career with us. Join Suffolk County Council and turn your passion for positive change into action.

Your role and responsibilities

As the Family Time Manager, you'll lead a dedicated team of Family Time Practitioners and Coordinators, ensuring children in care and their families experience safe, nurturing, and meaningful time together.

On a typical day, you will:

• Oversee the planning and delivery of family time sessions across Suffolk.
• Support and supervise your team to ensure high-quality, trauma-informed practice.
• Collaborate with social workers, foster carers, and external agencies to ensure consistency and safety.
• Use data and feedback to evaluate and improve service delivery.
• Lead on risk assessments, incident reporting, and ensure accurate record-keeping.

You'll be at the heart of shaping a service that puts children's welfare first, and your leadership will help families build and maintain positive relationships.

You will need

• A relevant professional qualification at postgraduate level or equivalent experience.
• Proven leadership experience in children's services or a related field.
• A passion for improving outcomes for children and families.
• Strong communication and organisational skills.
• A commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.

Our ideal candidate is someone who thrives in a collaborative environment, embraces innovation, and is committed to continuous improvement. If you don't meet every requirement but feel you could make a difference, we'd still love to hear from you.

The team

You'll be joining the Corporate Parenting Service, a passionate and supportive team dedicated to improving the lives of children in care. We work closely with families, carers, and professionals to ensure every child has the opportunity to thrive.

Our team values collaboration, compassion, and creativity. We offer hybrid working, with office days typically on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and we're proud of our inclusive and flexible culture.

Empowering Everyone

We're big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We're always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in our Workforce Equality Report.

For more information

Please contact Glynn Smith for a casual conversation. You can reach them by calling 01284 758646.

If you want to apply for a secondment, read the secondment policy first. Make sure you get permission from your current manager before submitting your application.

How to apply

Step 1 - Read the Job and Person Profile (word)

Step 2 - Click 'Apply Now' to start your online application.

Step 3 - Upload asupporting statementanswering the following questions below (no more than 400 words per question). You should use the Supporting Statement template.

1. Describe a time you led a team through a period of change. What strategies did you use to maintain morale and ensure continued high performance?
2. Describe a situation where you had to implement a new policy or practice. How did you ensure it was embedded effectively across your team?
3. How do you approach risk assessments and incident reporting in your current or previous role?
4. Describe your approach to quality assurance and case recording. How do you ensure consistency and accuracy?

We value authentic applications that showcase your genuine skills and experiences. Applications suspected of being generated by AI may be rejected. We ask you to present your own work and ideas throughout the application process.

Please note: Without a supporting statement, your interest will not be progressed. If you require any reasonable adjustments to the application process before the next selection stage, please contact our Recruitment Team by emailing [e-mail] calling 03456 014412. If you are invited to the next stage of selection, you will have another opportunity to request adjustments for the next stages of the process.

Closing date: 11.30pm, 11 August 2025

Interview date: 19 August 2025, Riverside, Lowestoft

This authority 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. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts. #Onsite

About Us

As a modern and effective council, we offer a wide variety of careers to suit people with a range of skills, abilities and ambitions. We offer working options that flex to reflect the way people work today and take the time to understand and support your individual needs. We're driven to make a positive difference to the world around us and encourage everyone with drive and focus to join us and build an influential and impactful career. Reimagine the possibilities.

In return, you'll enjoy:

• up to 29 days annual leave entitlement (pro rata), plus UK bank holidays and two paid volunteering days
• membership of a competitive Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• travel, lifestyle, health and wellbeing benefits
• performance-related annual pay progression, in addition to an annual cost-of-living pay increase
• training and encouragement to expand your knowledge
• a variety of career development opportunities across our organisation
• diverse and active staff networks
• flexible working options, with the right to request flexible working from your first day

Plus lots more!

If you want to know more about our benefits, values and equality commitments please visit our Suffolk County Council careers website (careers.Suffolk.gov.uk).