Head of Children in Care

Nottingham City Council; Nottingham; Hybrid; GBP 73,000 - 82,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Generous annual leave

Local Government Pension Scheme 18.5%

Flexible hybrid working

Wellbeing focus

Professional development

Job summary

Nottingham City Council is seeking a Head of Children In Care to lead services across children in care, permanence and care leavers, ensuring stability, positive relationships and high-quality support at a pivotal time. The role sits within Children's Services and requires a confident, inspiring leader with substantial experience in children's social care.

You will drive improvement, champion excellence, and build partnerships across the city to deliver outstanding outcomes for young people.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in children's social care.
• Passion for improving lives in children's services.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership across children in care and care leaver services.
• Champion high-quality, relationship-based practice.
• Lead and develop high-performing teams.
• Drive improvement, innovation and transformation.
• Build strong partnerships that deliver better outcomes for children and young people.
• Ensure services are safe, effective and focused on what matters most, helping children achieve their best possible future.

Job description

Join us and help shape the future of Children's Services in Nottingham

We are investing in our workforce and creating exciting opportunities for skilled, ambitious professionals who want to make a lasting difference for children and families. You'll join a supportive and forward-thinking organisation committed to continuous learning, innovation and excellent practice. Together, we're building services where children can thrive and colleagues can develop rewarding careers.

Head of Children In Care

Contract - Permanent
Location - Hybrid / Loxley House, Station Street, Nottingham NG2 3NG
Salary - £72,917 - £81,700

Changing Lives, Changing Futures

Nottingham City Council is on a significant journey of improvement, reform and transformation across Children's and Education Services.
We are redesigning services, strengthening practice, and building a more connected system around children, young people, and families. With a clear vision, strong leadership, and a commitment to continuous improvement, this is an exciting opportunity to join us and help shape the future of services across our city.
Every child deserves the chance to grow up safe, loved and supported to achieve their potential. In Nottingham, we are determined to make that a reality for our children in care and care experienced young people.

As Head of Children in Care, you will lead and shape our Children in Care services at a pivotal time for Children's Services. This is a rare opportunity to make a lasting difference to the lives of children and young people while helping to deliver our ambitious vision for the future.
You will lead services across children in care, permanence and care leavers, you will ensure children experience stability, strong relationships and high-quality support when they need it most.
You will champion excellent practice, drive continuous improvement and create the conditions for children and young people to thrive.
As a key member of the Children's Services leadership team, you will lead high-performing managers and teams, build strong partnerships across the city and play a central role in shaping services that deliver outstanding outcomes.
We are looking for a confident and inspiring leader with significant experience in children's social care, a passion for improving lives and a track record of leading change.

You will:

• Provide strategic leadership across children in care and care leaver services
• Champion high-quality, relationship-based practice
• Lead and develop high-performing teams
• Drive improvement, innovation and transformation
• Build strong partnerships that deliver better outcomes for children and young people
• Ensure services are safe, effective and focused on what matters most, helping children achieve their best possible future.
  If you are ambitious for children, committed to excellence and ready to lead positive change, we would love to hear from you.

Working for Nottingham City Council comes with a wide range of benefits. Alongside competitive pay, generous annual leave and access to an excellent pension scheme, we are committed to creating an innovative, inclusive, and progressive workplace where colleagues are supported to be their very best.

Our benefits include:

• A competitive salary
• Generous annual leave entitlement (between 26 and 33 days per year depending on your length of service)
• Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme with an 18.5% employer contribution
• Flexible hybrid working
• A strong focus on wellbeing
• Opportunities for professional development and career progression

In return, we are looking for compassionate, dedicated people who share our commitment to improving outcomes for children, young people, adults, and families across Nottingham. If you are passionate about making a positive difference through education and social care and want to help people thrive, we would love to hear from you.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Nottingham City Council is committed to building a workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We are a fair and inclusive employer and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and abilities. We value diversity and recognise that different perspectives, experiences and ideas help us deliver better services for Nottingham's citizens.

We particularly welcome applications from people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities, disabled people, and people who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender (LGBT+), as these groups are currently underrepresented in our workforce.

Right to Work

Candidates must have the legal right to work in the UK.

Any offer of employment will be subject to the successful completion of right to work checks in accordance with Home Office requirements.