Group Manager - Ref: SS05026

Walsall Council; Walsall; Hybrid; GBP 73,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Walsall Council is seeking an experienced Group Manager to provide strategic and operational leadership across the Pathway to Independence services. You will lead therapy-led improvements, ensuring occupational therapy and social work practice contribute to prevention, enablement and independence.

You will develop a clear service vision, drive performance and cultivate a learning culture through Team Managers, with governance, data usage and budget management at the forefront.

Qualifications

• Qualified Occupational Therapist registered with the HCPC.
• Qualified Social Worker registered with Social Work England.
• Experience leading adult social care services.
• Experience in transforming therapy‑led services and service redesign.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership across the Pathway to Independence portfolio.
• Lead the development and transformation of therapy-led services; ensure OT and SW practices contribute to prevention, enablement and independence.
• Develop a clear service vision and deliverable improvement plans with measurable outcomes.
• Lead Team Managers and foster a positive, learning-focused culture.
• Strengthen quality assurance, governance and performance management.
• Use evidence, data and feedback to drive improvements and redesign services.
• Manage demand, capacity, resources and delegated budgets.
• Ensure services meet statutory requirements and align with CQC expectations.
• Build partnerships across health, housing, and other agencies.
• Represent Adult Social Care in corporate and multi‑agency forums.
• Deputise for the Head of Service as required.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic planning

People management

Performance management

Data-driven decision making

Stakeholder engagement

Education

HCPC registration (Occupational Therapist)

Social Work England registration

Job description

Group Manager

Adult Social Care

Grade: G14 Salary: £72,929-£80,464

Location: Walsall Borough, with customer-focused hybrid working

Reports to: Head of Service, Adult Social Care

Contract: Permanent full time

Closing date: 18th October 2026. Interviews w/c 26th October

Lead change. Strengthen independence. Improve lives.

Walsall Council is seeking an experienced and ambitious Group Manager to provide strategic and operational leadership across our Pathway to Independence services.

This is a significant leadership opportunity for a qualified and professionally registered Occupational Therapist or Social Worker with a strong track record of leading, developing and transforming therapy-led adult social care services.

You will provide clear leadership to services that support adults to maximise their independence, choice and control. Working as part of the Adult Social Care leadership team, you will lead service improvement, strengthen professional practice and ensure resources are focused on delivering effective and sustainable outcomes for Walsall residents.

About the role

• Provide strategic and operational leadership across the Pathway to Independence portfolio.
• Lead the development and transformation of therapy‑led services, ensuring that occupational therapy and social work practice contribute effectively to prevention, enablement and independence.
• Develop a clear service vision and translate it into deliverable improvement plans, performance expectations and measurable outcomes.
• Lead and support Team Managers, creating a positive, accountable and learning‑focused culture.
• Strengthen quality assurance, professional practice, governance and performance management.
• Use evidence, data, research and feedback to improve outcomes and redesign services.
• Manage demand, capacity, resources and delegated budgets effectively.
• Ensure services meet statutory requirements and contribute to the Council’s assurance response to the Care Quality Commission.
• Build effective partnerships across health, housing, children’s services, commissioning and other agencies.
• Represent Adult Social Care in corporate, regional and multi‑agency forums.
• Deputise for the Head of Service when required.

About you

You must be:

• A qualified Occupational Therapist registered with the Health and Care Professions Councilor a qualified Social Worker registered with Social Work England,.
• An experienced senior leader with substantial experience of managing adult social care services.
• Able to demonstrate successful leadership and transformation of a therapy‑led service, including service redesign, cultural change and practice improvement.
• Experienced in leading multidisciplinary teams and supporting managers through significant organisational and operational change.
• Committed to strengths‑based, person‑centred and evidence‑informed practice.
• Able to demonstrate a strong understanding of relevant adult social care legislation, statutory responsibilities and regulatory expectations.
• Experienced in quality assurance, performance management and the use of data to identify priorities and drive improvement.
• Able to manage resources and budgets effectively while maintaining service quality and delivering value for money.
• Confident in building partnerships and influencing across complex organisational and professional boundaries.
• Politically aware and able to operate effectively within a local authority environment.
• An inclusive, visible and credible leader who can motivate others, provide constructive challenge and build shared ownership of change.

Why join Walsall Council?

At Walsall Council, people are at the heart of everything we do. We are committed to working collaboratively, embracing change, delivering value for money and creating services that the people of Walsall can be proud of.

This role offers the opportunity to shape a key part of Adult Social Care and lead services that help people build on their strengths, regain skills and live as independently as possible.

Additional information

• Requires an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check.
• Is designated as a politically restricted sensitive post.
• Includes membership of the Senior Managers' out-of-hours rota.
• May require some work outside normal office hours.
• This is a hybrid working role therefore attendance at the office is expected every week.