Head of Service

Pharmacyupdate; Birkenhead; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Pharmacyupdate in the United Kingdom seeks an experienced Head of Service for the Home Again programme, providing strategic and operational leadership to protect vulnerable children.

You will mobilise, implement and sustain the service model, build partnerships across children's services, health, education and youth justice, and drive measurable improvements.

A strong track record in governance, workforce development and risk management is essential.

Qualifications

• Experience of leading complex services or transformational change in children’s services, health or social care.
• Proven ability to develop and implement innovative service models.
• Strong track record in governance, QA and performance management.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and cross-agency collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and direction for the Home Again Programme.
• Mobilise, implement and sustain the service model.
• Develop and lead a high-performing multidisciplinary workforce.
• Establish referral pathways, assessment processes and intervention models.
• Build partnerships across children’s services, health, education, youth justice and commissioning.
• Drive service innovation, improvements and sustainable alternatives to restrictive care.
• Establish governance, quality assurance and performance management arrangements.
• Monitor outcomes, milestones and benefits realisation.
• Manage budgets, resources and strategic risks.
• Provide strategic assurance and reporting to senior leaders and governance boards.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Programme management

Stakeholder management

Governance & risk

People leadership

Budget & resource management

Partnership development

Job description

Head of Service

Contract: To be confirmed

Make a difference. Transform lives. Shape the future of children's services.

We are seeking an experienced and inspirational Head of Service Home Again to provide strategic and operational leadership for an innovative programme supporting children and young people with complex needs.

Home Again aims to improve outcomes for children and young people who are at risk of placement instability, restrictive care arrangements, deprivation of liberty orders or escalation into high-cost specialist provision.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead the development and delivery of a transformational service, creating sustainable, child-centred alternatives to restrictive care and ensuring children and young people receive the right support to achieve better outcomes.

About the role

You will lead the mobilisation, implementation and ongoing delivery of the Home Again Programme, translating its strategic vision into an effective and sustainable operating model.

Working collaboratively with partners across children's services, health, education and youth justice, you will build strong relationships, influence service development and commissioning, and drive improvements across complex service environments.

You will also establish effective governance arrangements, develop a high-performing multidisciplinary workforce and ensure the programme delivers measurable improvements for children, young people and families.

Key responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and overall direction for the Home Again Programme.

• Lead the mobilisation, implementation and ongoing delivery of the service model.

• Develop and lead a high-performing multidisciplinary workforce.

• Establish effective referral pathways, assessment processes and intervention models.

• Build strong partnerships across children's services, health, education, youth justice and commissioning.

• Drive innovation, service improvement and sustainable alternatives to restrictive care.

• Establish robust governance, quality assurance and performance management arrangements.

• Monitor programme outcomes, delivery milestones and benefits realisation.

• Manage budgets, resources and strategic risks effectively.

• Provide strategic assurance and reporting to senior leaders and governance boards.

About you

You will be an accomplished senior leader with significant experience of managing complex services, programmes or transformational change within children's services, health, social care or a related environment.

You will have:

• A proven track record of strategic leadership and delivering complex programmes or service transformation.

• Strong knowledge of the needs and challenges facing children and young people with complex needs.

• Experience of developing innovative service models and improving service delivery.

• Excellent partnership working and stakeholder management skills.

• Experience of leading and developing multidisciplinary teams.

• Strong financial, performance and resource management capabilities.

• Experience of governance, quality assurance and risk management.

• The ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive change across organisational boundaries.

• A strong commitment to safeguarding, children's rights and improving outcomes for vulnerable children and families.

Leadership responsibilities

You will lead a multidisciplinary team, with indicative direct reports including Clinical Leads, Service Managers, Hub Leads, Practice and Quality Leads, Programme Managers and Performance and Business Support staff.

You will create a positive and accountable culture that promotes collaboration, professional excellence and continuous improvement.

Why join?

This is a unique opportunity to lead an ambitious programme that will help transform how support is delivered to some of the most vulnerable children and young people.

You will have the opportunity to shape an innovative service, influence strategic priorities, develop a talented workforce and deliver meaningful, lasting improvements to children's lives.