Practice Development Manager

Wigan Council; Wigan; Hybrid; GBP 51,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working and flexible hours

Exclusive rewards and benefits

Support for professional development

Job summary

Wigan Council in Wigan is seeking a role focused on improving practice in children’s social care. You will lead on quality assurance activities, audits and reviews, and contribute to workforce development through learning and training.

The role also involves evaluating the Families First reforms and related pilot projects to improve outcomes for children and families. You will gather insights from feedback from children, families and carers and use this intelligence to shape service delivery,

Qualifications

• Excellent team player, organised and efficient with ability to prioritise work.
• Child-focused practitioner with sound knowledge of good practice.
• Track record of delivering relationship-based practice and outcomes for children, young people and families.
• Experience of supporting transformation and positive change.
• Knowledge of motivational interviewing, the family safeguarding model and Families First reforms.
• Excellent verbal and written communication; ability to engage others meaningfully.

Responsibilities

• Lead and contribute to quality assurance activities (audits and reviews) in children’s social care.
• Lead on and contribute to learning to support workforce development.
• Support evaluation of the Families First reforms and pilot projects.
• Gather feedback from children, young people and families to inform service delivery.

Skills

Team player

Organised

Child-focused

Relationship-based practice

Excellent communication

Job description

Priority Candidates will be considered in the first instance

Wigan Life Centre South

Salary: Grade 11, £50,908 - £55,224 per annum.

37 hours per week

We're on a journey to build a workforce reflective of our Borough.

We are committed to fostering diverse teams where everybody can bring their authentic selves to work and feel that they belong. If you want to work for a Council where everybody is encouraged to meet their full potential and make a difference in our neighbourhoods, we would love to hear from you!

Your role:

You will support the continuous enhancement of practice in children’s social care, prevention and early help services by leading and contributing to quality assurance activities (including audits and reviews). You will lead on and contribute towards delivering learning in order to support workforce development. You will play a significant role in the evaluation of the Families First reforms, and the pilot projects.

In addition, you will seek to understand the experiences of children, young people and families via various feedback mechanisms and use this intelligence to support effective service delivery.

About you:

You will need to be an excellent team player; organised and efficient, with the ability to prioritise work accordingly.

You will need to be a child-focused practitioner, with a really sound knowledge of what good looks like. You will have a track record of delivering relationship based practice and supporting excellent outcomes for children, young people and families.

You will have experience of supporting transformation and a positive attitude towards change, leading by example.

You will have a detailed understanding of motivational interviewing, the family safeguarding model, and the Families First reforms.

You will have excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, including the ability to engage others meaningfully, and deliver key messages which have an impact.

About us:

We are a small service with a workforce development and practice development function. You will work alongside experienced and enthusiastic colleagues with a passion for improving the experiences of children, young people and families and enhancing the experience and practice of the workforce. The role offers hybrid and flexible working arrangements suited to the needs of yourself and the service.

The Progress with Unity plan is a place movement for change for the next decade, bringing a new era for Wigan Borough. It draws on the strengths of our individual organisations, recognising that together we can achieve much more for our communities by delivering on our 2 place missions; create fair opportunities for all children, families, residents and businesses and make our towns and neighbourhoods flourish for those who live and work in them.

Here at Wigan, we are proud to support flexible working patterns, when the service can accommodate this. We also take a blended approach to where we work, depending on the work we do. This may include working from home, the office, or the community. We like to thank our employees for their hard work and commitment by giving them the opportunity to access a range of exclusive rewards and benefits to find out more about working for #TeamWigan.

To be appointed to this role you must be able to prove your right to work in the UK, and you must maintain a valid (active) right to work. Please note, at present we are not a licensed sponsor. Please visit the link below to check you qualify to apply. Prove your right to work to an employer: Overview - GOV.UK www.gov.uk Prove your right to work to an employer

Wigan Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment. Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility. As part of this commitment, Wigan Council operates robust Safer Recruitment procedures

We recognise that on occasion candidates may use AI tools. Please read our applying authentically section below before submitting your application.

For further information, please contact Leanne Droogan, Workforce Development Manager on [e-mail]

Interview date: Tuesday 3rd November 2026

This Position Is Subject To Enhanced Disclosure Procedures Plus Child Barred List Check

The employer is committed to safeguarding

If you have completed the GM Elevate Leadership Development Programme, please indicate this within the ‘About You’ or ‘Supporting Statement’ section of your application.

Supporting Documents

• DBS Applicant Information
• Privacy Notice
• Safer Recruitment at Wigan Council
• Job Specification