Head of Service

My Social Work News; Manchester; On-site; GBP 68,000 - 74,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Head of Service for its Corporate Parenting Team. This pivotal role involves leading and managing services for vulnerable children and young people, ensuring high-quality, outcome-focused care. The successful candidate will champion children's rights, drive service improvements, and collaborate with strategic partners to enhance support for children in care. This position offers a supportive environment with flexible working arrangements, extensive training opportunities, and a commitment to professional growth. If you are passionate about making a difference in the lives of children and young people, this role is an excellent opportunity to thrive in a community-focused setting.

Benefits

Complimentary car parking pass

Reimbursement of Social Work England registration fees

Flexible working arrangements

Educational incentives up to £1000

Access to extensive training programs

Discounts on gym memberships

Attractive annual leave allowance

Participation in a competitive pension scheme

Qualifications

• Qualified Social Worker registered with Social Work England.
• Substantial senior management experience in children’s services.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Corporate Parenting Service for children in care.
• Ensure services meet Ofsted standards and promote continuous improvement.
• Drive strategic direction in line with statutory duties.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic Planning

Budget Management

Partnership Working

Service Transformation

Education

Qualified Social Worker

Job description

Bury Council has a new permanent position available for a Head of Service within the Corporate Parenting Team to work full time based in Bury, Greater Manchester.

This critical leadership role ensures that the council delivers on its corporate parenting responsibilities, providing high-quality, trauma-informed, and outcome-focused services for some of the most vulnerable children and young people in the borough.

The successful candidate will champion children’s rights and voices, drive service improvement, and work closely with strategic partners to develop and deliver services that support children in care to thrive.

Location: Bury, Greater Manchester
Working Hours: Full-time, 37 hours per week
Contract: Permanent
Salary: £68,000 – £73,944 per annum

The Council is dedicated to protecting and enhancing the well-being of children, young people, and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees to uphold this dedication. Employment is contingent upon a satisfactory background check via the Disclosure and Barring Service at the appropriate level.

Benefits of the role:

• Convenient Parking: Complimentary car parking pass
• Professional Fee Coverage: Reimbursement of your Social Work England registration fees.
• Work-Life Balance: Flexible and adaptable working arrangements to encourage and help you to fulfil a healthy work-life balance
• Educational Incentives: Receive a reward of up to £1000 upon successful completion of the practice educator program for social work students
• Training and Development: Access to extensive training programs
• Health and Fitness Benefits: Exclusive discounts on gym memberships and access to salary sacrifice schemes
• Generous Leave Policy: Attractive annual leave allowance with the benefit of Greater Manchester Combined Authority continuous service commitment.
• Financial Security: Participation in a highly competitive local government pension scheme.

Main Duties:

• Lead and manage the Corporate Parenting Service, including Children in Care, Leaving Care, Fostering, and Adoption services.
• Provide clear strategic direction in line with Bury Council’s Children and Young People’s Plan and statutory duties.
• Deliver services that meet or exceed Ofsted standards and ensure continuous improvement.
• Be the lead voice for corporate parenting across the council and in multi-agency forums.
• Drive improvements in placement sufficiency, permanence planning, and transition support for care leavers.
• Ensure services are evidence-informed, inclusive, and meet the diverse needs of Bury’s looked after children.
• Promote and embed trauma-informed practice and restorative approaches.
• Oversee and contribute to quality assurance frameworks, including audits, reviews, and performance reporting.
• Lead partnership working with health, education, housing, and voluntary sector organisations.
• Represent Corporate Parenting at a senior level in multi-agency boards, panels, and strategic groups.
• Work collaboratively with Bury’s Children in Care Council and Care Leavers’ Forum, ensuring young people influence service design and delivery.

Key Requirements for this role:

• Qualified Social Worker, registered with Social Work England.
• Substantial senior management experience in children’s services, ideally including Corporate Parenting.
• In-depth knowledge of Children Act 1989, Leaving Care Act 2000, and relevant regulations and statutory guidance.
• Experience of leading services through inspection or improvement planning (e.g., Ofsted).
• Excellent leadership, strategic planning, and budget management skills.
• Strong track record of partnership working and service transformation.

Contact:

If you are interested in this position please click above to apply now. We welcome applications from Social Workers who meet the above requirements.

Reasonable Adjustments:

If you consider yourself to have a disability or require any reasonable adjustment during the recruitment process or within the workplace, please highlight this at the earliest opportunity. With this information, we will provide appropriate support to you throughout the process and into your work placement.

Why Bury?

Supportive, progressive, and community-focused

Bury Council is community-focused and dedicated to empowering both its residents and Social Workers. Joining the team means working in a supportive environment where professional growth is encouraged. The Council offers flexible working arrangements, balancing time between the office, home, and the community.

Bury is committed to equality, valuing the unique skills and experiences of all individuals. The Council guarantees interviews for disabled people, care leavers, armed forces personnel (including veterans and reservists), and carers, provided they meet essential criteria.

Nurturing Training

Including: Aspiring Managers Programme and accredited Best Interests Assessor training and opportunities to develop new and specialist skills.

Rising to 31 days after 5 years, plus an additional day of leave over the Christmas period and the option to buy an additional 10 days on top of that.

Flexible Working

37 hour full time working week with a range of opportunities to work flexibly which they're happy to discuss.

Work-life Balance

A range of flexible and adaptable working initiatives to maintain a healthy work life balance.

Work, live and thrive in Bury Council

Bury offers a strong sense of community, making it ideal for social workers. With various local charities and support services, it provides opportunities to engage with and support vulnerable groups in a collaborative environment. The town also boasts affordable living compared to nearby Manchester, with great transport links to the city and easy access to nearby countryside. Bury combines convenience, a welcoming community, and a balanced lifestyle, making it the perfect place to live and practice.