Head of Social Care Operations

NHS; Huddersfield; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 71,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading organization in the UK is seeking a Head of Service for Adult Social Care Operations to spearhead community social work teams, focusing on strategic leadership and continuous improvement in service delivery. This role entails ensuring compliance with relevant laws while driving transformation agendas to enhance support for individuals.

Benefits

Hybrid working option

Diverse and inclusive workplace culture

Qualifications

• Registered Social Worker with up-to-date knowledge of legislative standards.
• Extensive senior leadership experience in adult social care.
• Demonstrable commitment to diversity, inclusion, and safeguarding.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage community social work teams across Kirklees.
• Ensure compliance with Care Act, Mental Health Act, and safeguarding procedures.
• Drive transformation in adult social care service delivery.

Skills

Change management

Stakeholder management

Safeguarding

Education

Social Work qualification

Job description

Job summary

Are you a strategic leader ready to shape the future of adult social care? Were seeking a Head of Service for Adult Social Care Operations to lead our Adults Community Social Work Teams and drive our ambition to support people in a strength based way. You will provide innovative leadership to drive continuous improvement and transformation of service delivery, focusing on supporting people to live independent lives.

Main duties of the job

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and inspire community social work teams across Kirklees.
• Ensure compliance with the Care Act, Mental Health Act (S117), Mental Capacity Act, and CHC framework.
• Champion safeguarding and embed strengths-based, person-centred practice.
• Drive a 3-year transformation programme focused on prevention, efficiency, and improved outcomes and lead specific transformation projects.
• Use best practice models to develop new services to support people across our ASC pathways.
• Lead cultural change and workforce development.
• Manage budgets and resources effectively within agreed targets.
• Collaborate with partners to deliver integrated, intelligence-led care.

What Were Looking For:

• Qualified and registered Social Worker.
• Senior leadership experience in adult social care.
• Strong understanding of operational delivery, safeguarding, and regulatory compliance.
• Skilled in change management, service transformation, and strategic planning.
• Financially and commercially astute.
• Committed to diversity, inclusion, and co-production with communities.

About us

Why Kirklees?

Kirklees is a place of ambition and opportunity. As Head of Adult Social Care Operations, youll join a supportive leadership team committed to innovation, quality, and improving lives. We offer hybrid working, a collaborative culture, and the chance to make a lasting impact.

Join us and help shape the future of Adult Social Care in Kirklees.

BENEFITS

Our employees are at the very heart of the services we provide to the community, to help us achieve our ambitions, we want the best possible team. In return, we will make sure you are rewarded with a great range ofstaff benefitsto support you in and out of work.

Details Date posted

30 June 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£60,537 to £70,791 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

F0014-15853

Job locations

High Street Buildings

High Street

Huddersfield

West Yorkshire

HD1 2ND

Job description Job responsibilities

You will lead and manage the community social work teams across Kirklees, ensuring the delivery of high-quality social work practice to defined cohorts of people with social care needs. This will be primarily to older people, people with a physical disability and people with autism. You will manage and lead key areas of social care delivery in the Directorate and will provide advice to senior management, including the Executive Director of Adults and Health. You will ensure a restorative learning culture is embedded where practitioners and managers feel comfortable and confident to give and receive high support and high challenge developing a shared culture of reflection, learning and improvement. You will be outcomes focused, ensuring quality assurance is systematically embedded across the service and has a direct impact on practice and outcomes for adults and their families. As the Head of Service, you will play a pivotal role in leading statutory social work within the community. This involves ensuring that all statutory responsibilities are met and that assessments for eligibility are conducted in accordance with the Care Act, the Mental Health Act (S117 after Care), the Mental Capacity Act, and the National Continuing Health Care framework. You will also oversee the safety of vulnerable adults, adhering to the West Yorkshire Multi Agency Safeguarding Adults Procedures and the operational guidance of Adults and Health. This role is based within Adults and Health. Role Description Ensure teams have the skills and confidence to meet all statutory responsibilities and to assess eligibility for provision under the Care Act, S117 after Care (Mental Health Act), the Mental Capacity Act or the National Continuing health care framework. Ensure the safety of vulnerable adults in line with the West Yorkshire Multi Agency Safeguarding Adults Procedures and Adults and Health operational guidance. Embed excellent practice standards to ensure consistent and confident front line social work practice is delivered across Kirklees. Working with the Head of Practice (and PSW) lead the continuous quality assurance of frontline social work practice to meet CQC Quality Assurance standards and ensure high quality, costeffective, strength-based person-centred care and support is provided. Ensure that services and support are intelligence driven and outcome focused, and that the allocation of resources is consistent, within an agreed financial envelope. Provide innovative leadership to ensure the continuous improvement and transformation of service delivery to focus on prevention, demand management, efficient processes, and improved outcomes. Responsible for developing connections with local communities and third sector organisations to support strength-based working, improve the outcomes for individuals and to collaborate around meeting the needs of the local population. Responsible for embedding cultural change to work in a strength-based, preventative way, implementing the use of digital solutions and agile working. Responsible as a budget holder within the Councils scheme of Delegation for allocated budgets, ensuring that they are used appropriately and efficiently and that there are robust and relevant monitoring systems in place. Ensuring a balanced budget and meeting any efficiency targets agreed. Responsible for workforce development and retention, including planning, training, and sufficiency. Lead service transformation and the development of specific specialised service provision. Provide expert guidance to the development of service strategies and policies that are reflective of the Councils corporate policies and behaviours. Champion the use of an agreed commissioning discipline. Contribute to line of sight from strategic intent to practical delivery of good social care practice. Articulate the impact of social care practice in the experience of adults with social care needs. Support a culture of high expectations in social care practice that is fully embedded and can be articulated clearly at all levels in a way that is meaningful and understood. Support a culture of transparency where challenge and scrutiny are embraced as an opportunity to learn and improve practice. Contribute to a service framework for monitoring achievement of desired impact and a feedback loop to strategy and policy framework. Work in partnership with public and statutory agencies to support jointly commissioned outcomes. Significantly contribute to a defined work programme with healthcare partners that results in a more integrated and cost-effective set of delivery arrangements to support acute sector flow.

Job description Job responsibilities

You will lead and manage the community social work teams across Kirklees, ensuring the delivery of high-quality social work practice to defined cohorts of people with social care needs. This will be primarily to older people, people with a physical disability and people with autism. You will manage and lead key areas of social care delivery in the Directorate and will provide advice to senior management, including the Executive Director of Adults and Health. You will ensure a restorative learning culture is embedded where practitioners and managers feel comfortable and confident to give and receive high support and high challenge developing a shared culture of reflection, learning and improvement. You will be outcomes focused, ensuring quality assurance is systematically embedded across the service and has a direct impact on practice and outcomes for adults and their families. As the Head of Service, you will play a pivotal role in leading statutory social work within the community. This involves ensuring that all statutory responsibilities are met and that assessments for eligibility are conducted in accordance with the Care Act, the Mental Health Act (S117 after Care), the Mental Capacity Act, and the National Continuing Health Care framework. You will also oversee the safety of vulnerable adults, adhering to the West Yorkshire Multi Agency Safeguarding Adults Procedures and the operational guidance of Adults and Health. This role is based within Adults and Health. Role Description Ensure teams have the skills and confidence to meet all statutory responsibilities and to assess eligibility for provision under the Care Act, S117 after Care (Mental Health Act), the Mental Capacity Act or the National Continuing health care framework. Ensure the safety of vulnerable adults in line with the West Yorkshire Multi Agency Safeguarding Adults Procedures and Adults and Health operational guidance. Embed excellent practice standards to ensure consistent and confident front line social work practice is delivered across Kirklees. Working with the Head of Practice (and PSW) lead the continuous quality assurance of frontline social work practice to meet CQC Quality Assurance standards and ensure high quality, costeffective, strength-based person-centred care and support is provided. Ensure that services and support are intelligence driven and outcome focused, and that the allocation of resources is consistent, within an agreed financial envelope. Provide innovative leadership to ensure the continuous improvement and transformation of service delivery to focus on prevention, demand management, efficient processes, and improved outcomes. Responsible for developing connections with local communities and third sector organisations to support strength-based working, improve the outcomes for individuals and to collaborate around meeting the needs of the local population. Responsible for embedding cultural change to work in a strength-based, preventative way, implementing the use of digital solutions and agile working. Responsible as a budget holder within the Councils scheme of Delegation for allocated budgets, ensuring that they are used appropriately and efficiently and that there are robust and relevant monitoring systems in place. Ensuring a balanced budget and meeting any efficiency targets agreed. Responsible for workforce development and retention, including planning, training, and sufficiency. Lead service transformation and the development of specific specialised service provision. Provide expert guidance to the development of service strategies and policies that are reflective of the Councils corporate policies and behaviours. Champion the use of an agreed commissioning discipline. Contribute to line of sight from strategic intent to practical delivery of good social care practice. Articulate the impact of social care practice in the experience of adults with social care needs. Support a culture of high expectations in social care practice that is fully embedded and can be articulated clearly at all levels in a way that is meaningful and understood. Support a culture of transparency where challenge and scrutiny are embraced as an opportunity to learn and improve practice. Contribute to a service framework for monitoring achievement of desired impact and a feedback loop to strategy and policy framework. Work in partnership with public and statutory agencies to support jointly commissioned outcomes. Significantly contribute to a defined work programme with healthcare partners that results in a more integrated and cost-effective set of delivery arrangements to support acute sector flow.

Person Specification Qualifications Essential

• Social Work qualified and registered or equivalent alternative professional qualification, with up-to-date knowledge; legislative, regulatory, best practice standards etc. that affect adult social care.(Essential)

Experience Essential

• Substantial experience in adult social care providing a depth and breadth of knowledge and expertise. (Essential)
• Significant level of senior level leadership experience in adult social care, providing depth and breadth of knowledge to act with credibility at this level. (Essential)
• Ability to lead, manage and develop a team or provide technical leadership through a matrix structure. (Selection Process)
• Strong influencing and stakeholder management skills and the ability to build relationships at a political, senior and management level. (Essential)
• Up-to-date knowledge of external issues (legislative, regulatory, best practice standards etc.) that affect own specialist area. (Selection Process)
• Substantial experience providing a depth and breadth of knowledge across an organisation; organisation subject matter expert in own specialist area. (Essential)
• Significant level of senior level leadership experience, providing depth and breadth of knowledge to act with credibility at this level. (Essential)
• Excellent people leadership skills and strong sense of doing what is right for residents. (Selection Process)
• Understanding of wider issues in local government, partner organisations, public and private sector. (Essential)
• Demonstrable commitment to performance management and productivity to meet the councils priorities. (Selection Process)
• Ability to demonstrate strategic capability and capacity. (Selection Process)
• Committed to and champions Diversity and Inclusion. (Selection Process)
• Committed to and Champions Safeguarding. (Selection Process)
• Demonstrates a flexible, creative, and innovative solutions focused approach. (Selection Process)
• Strong change management skills. (Selection Process)
• Substantial experience that demonstrates financial acumen. (Selection Process)
• Understanding that commercial and entrepreneurial acumen will be increasingly expected and commitment to develop this. (Selection Process)
• Ability to challenge appropriately at all levels and in a range of forums. (Selection Process)
• Accepts this post is politically restricted. (Essential)
• Accepts an enhanced DBS and barred list check is required. Please note that a conviction may not exclude candidates from appointment but will be considered as part of the recruitment process. (Essential)

Person Specification Qualifications Essential

• Social Work qualified and registered or equivalent alternative professional qualification, with up-to-date knowledge; legislative, regulatory, best practice standards etc. that affect adult social care.(Essential)

Experience Essential

• Substantial experience in adult social care providing a depth and breadth of knowledge and expertise. (Essential)
• Significant level of senior level leadership experience in adult social care, providing depth and breadth of knowledge to act with credibility at this level. (Essential)
• Ability to lead, manage and develop a team or provide technical leadership through a matrix structure. (Selection Process)
• Strong influencing and stakeholder management skills and the ability to build relationships at a political, senior and management level. (Essential)
• Up-to-date knowledge of external issues (legislative, regulatory, best practice standards etc.) that affect own specialist area. (Selection Process)
• Substantial experience providing a depth and breadth of knowledge across an organisation; organisation subject matter expert in own specialist area. (Essential)
• Significant level of senior level leadership experience, providing depth and breadth of knowledge to act with credibility at this level. (Essential)
• Excellent people leadership skills and strong sense of doing what is right for residents. (Selection Process)
• Understanding of wider issues in local government, partner organisations, public and private sector. (Essential)
• Demonstrable commitment to performance management and productivity to meet the councils priorities. (Selection Process)
• Ability to demonstrate strategic capability and capacity. (Selection Process)
• Committed to and champions Diversity and Inclusion. (Selection Process)
• Committed to and Champions Safeguarding. (Selection Process)
• Demonstrates a flexible, creative, and innovative solutions focused approach. (Selection Process)
• Strong change management skills. (Selection Process)
• Substantial experience that demonstrates financial acumen. (Selection Process)
• Understanding that commercial and entrepreneurial acumen will be increasingly expected and commitment to develop this. (Selection Process)
• Ability to challenge appropriately at all levels and in a range of forums. (Selection Process)
• Accepts this post is politically restricted. (Essential)
• Accepts an enhanced DBS and barred list check is required. Please note that a conviction may not exclude candidates from appointment but will be considered as part of the recruitment process. (Essential)

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details Employer name

Kirklees Council

Address

High Street Buildings

High Street

Huddersfield

West Yorkshire

HD1 2ND

Employer's website

https://www.kirklees.gov.uk/beta/default.aspx (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details Employer name

Kirklees Council

Address

High Street Buildings

High Street

Huddersfield

West Yorkshire

HD1 2ND

Employer's website

https://www.kirklees.gov.uk/beta/default.aspx (Opens in a new tab)