Principal Social Worker

North Northamptonshire Council; Geddington; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee Assistance Programme

Employee Benefits Scheme

Wellbeing support

Travel rates at HMRC rates

Hybrid and flexible working

Job summary

North Northamptonshire Council is seeking a capable professional to step into a senior operational role within the East Northants Adult Social Care Team. You will work closely with the Team Manager to ensure effective management, high practice standards and timely service delivery for adults with complex needs.

You will be involved in safeguarding oversight, performance management and multi-agency collaboration, helping to shape practice, review assessments and care planning across the locality.

Qualifications

• At least three years post-qualifying experience, including ASYE.
• Strong social work practice foundations within Adult Social Care.
• Experience of supporting operational delivery, safeguarding oversight, and quality assurance.
• A sound understanding of performance management within a statutory social care setting.
• Experience of supporting and managing staff, including providing guidance and constructive challenge.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to prioritise and manage competing demands.

Responsibilities

• Support day-to-day operational delivery and performance across the team.
• Assist Team Manager with safeguarding oversight and practice standards.
• Co-produce care and support plans with people and circles of support.
• Engage with multi-agency partners to ensure safe, person-centred outcomes.
• Contribute to reviews, reassessments and statutory duties for adults with long-term needs.

Skills

Post-qualifying experience

ASYE completion

Social work practice foundations

Safeguarding oversight

Performance management

Staff supervision

Organisational skills

Education

Social Work qualification

ASYE completion

Job description

Interviews will be held on Thursday 3rd December at Cedar Drive, Thrapston. You will work closely with the Team Manager to support the effective management and performance of the team, helping to maintain high practice standards and timely service delivery. This is a key operational role that will support the team as new ways of working continue to embed, ensuring consistency, reflective practice, and defensible decision‑making. We are seeking a candidate who can start as soon as possible subject to satisfactory pre‑employment checks and any applicable notice period. What will you be doing? The East Northants Adult Social Care Team provide professional social care support, undertake Care Act assessments, co‑produce care and support plans with people and their circles of support, review, and reassessment activities. The Team work alongside and together with the person, and often in partnership with other involved professionals and providers too, so that the person can continue to live their chosen way of life. The Team undertake a wide range of social care work and activities on behalf of the local authority including; Duty contact work, safeguarding activities, arranging emergency support, undertaking strengths‑based assessments and support planning, Continuing Health Care assessments, Court of Protection and Best Interests work for adults who have identified long term support needs arising from either Physical Disability, Mental health needs, Acquired Brain Injuries or a combination of conditions. The Team undertake all statutory review activities for people living in the East Northamptonshire locality area. East Northants Adult Social Care Team colleagues work with a wide range of other professional agencies and organisations in primary health care, law enforcement and with the voluntary sector. In addition, the Team work closely with colleagues in the various adult social care teams delivering all local authority work with adults; the Continuing Health Care team, the Moving into Adulthood team, Housing and Accommodation, the Community Resources team, the Hospital and Reablement teams, and the Quality Assurance team to ensure quality of support is multi‑agency, collaborative, safe, person‑centred, outcomes focused and effective. The Principal Social Worker role is focused on supporting the Team Manager in managing day‑to‑day operational delivery, maintaining oversight of practice and safeguarding, and ensuring strong performance management across the teams including line management of staff. Our values define who we are and how we operate, by forming the foundation for how we interact with our customers, colleagues and provide our services. They are also at the forefront of our decision making and delivery and are: Customer‑focused Respectful Efficient Supportive Trustworthy Our key commitments help ensure that the priorities we make, now and in the future, maintain the necessary breadth of focus in those areas that we believe matter most.

This opportunity is suitable for an experienced practitioner who is ready to step into a senior operational role. Applicants must have:

• At least three years post-qualifying experience, including successful completion of ASYE
• Strong social work practice foundations within Adult Social Care.
• Demonstrable experience of supporting operational delivery, safeguarding oversight, and quality assurance
• A sound understanding of performance management within a statutory social care setting
• Experience of supporting and managing staff, including providing guidance and constructive challenge
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to prioritise and manage competing demands
  We provide a range of great benefits such as an Employee Assistance Programme, an Employee Benefits Scheme, wellbeing support, travel rates at HMRC rates, as well as supporting a range of active Employee Network Groups.
  Here at North Northamptonshire Council, we’re transforming for the better, using all our creativity and imagination to create the best life for our local people.

Why choose us? We offer a vibrant working environment with:

• a competitive salary
• a pension scheme, where we pay a significant contribution on top of your contribution. It provides life cover and ill-health protection.

lots of opportunities to develop your skills, knowledge and potential in a large unitary council

• generous leave entitlement (28 days, rising to 33 days) and bank holidays, plus the option to buy up to an extra 10 days
• hybrid and flexible working arrangements, where practicable for service needs to help you with a healthy work‑life balance.