Principal Social Worker (Childrens) - CMB2664e

The Cumbria County Council; Carlisle; On-site; GBP 68,000 - 71,000; Full time

Job summary

The Cumbria County Council in Carlisle seeks a Principal Social Worker to provide strategic and professional leadership across Children’s Services. You will champion high-quality practice and workforce development, guiding the service toward continuous improvement.

You will lead the Children’s Social Work Academy, supporting practitioners from students to experienced professionals, and collaborate with senior leaders, partners, and universities to drive innovation and strengthen professional

Qualifications

• Leadership to drive departmental strategy and practice.
• Strategic thinking for workforce development and change.
• Effective communication with senior leaders and partners.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and professional leadership across Children's Services.
• Lead the Children's Social Work Academy and develop practitioners.
• Collaborate with partner agencies and universities to drive innovation.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Communication skills

People management

Job description

Job reference REQ00000020357 Date posted 04/09/2026 Application closing date 02/10/2026 Location CARLISLE Salary £68,047-£71,045 Package Blank Contractual hours 37 Basis Full time Attachments Blank

Job description.

Principal Social Worker (Children’s)

Salary: £68,047 to £71,045 per annum

Hours: 37 hours per week

Location: Cumbria House, Carlisle

Contract: Permanent

#INDCSC

About this opportunity

This is a unique opportunity to shape and influence the future of children's social work practice across the organisation. As Principal Social Worker, you will provide strategic and professional leadership, championing high-quality practice, workforce development, and continuous improvement across Children's Services.

Leading the Children's Social Work Academy, you will play a pivotal role in developing the next generation of social workers and supporting practitioners at every stage of their career, from students and newly qualified social workers through to experienced professionals. You'll work closely with senior leaders, partner agencies, universities, and regional networks to drive innovation, strengthen professional standards, and ensure children and families receive the highest quality support.

This role is ideal for an experienced and inspirational social work leader who is passionate about practice excellence, professional development, and creating a culture where practitioners are supported, challenged, and empowered to achieve the very best outcomes for children and young people.

This role is available on a permanent basis.

Who we’re looking for

We’re looking for individuals who embody our organisation's core values: ambitious, collaborative, compassionate, empowering, and innovative. We believe in the power of these values to drive positive change, deliver excellent public services and shape a better future for our communities.

We’re also about potential over perfection and we can help you grow in the role and thrive in your career.

Be sure to take a look at the post specification (below) for the essential criteria for this role.

Contact

For more information about the role or to arrange an informal chat prior to your application, please contact Paige Thomason by email at [e-mail] and [e-mail] or phone [phone].

DBS Checks

This role requires a DBS check. The level of check for this role is:

Enhanced DBS check with a Children’s Barred List check.

Please note this role involves working in regulated activity with Children. It is an offence for people who are barred from working in regulated activity to apply for roles that require them to work unsupervised with Children.

Guaranteed Interviews

We offer a guaranteed interview to the following applicantsas long as your application can demonstrate you meet the essential criteria for the role.

• Those who consider themselves disabled as defined by the Equality Act 2010
• Those in care or who have left care and are aged 24 and under
• Those who identify as a member of the British Armed Forces community (service leavers, veterans, their partners or spouses, reservists, cadets).

If you meet one or more of the criteria above, and wish to be considered for this scheme, select 'yes' to the appropriate question during your application. Find out more .

Diversity, Inclusion & Adjustments

We’re dedicated to enhancing the diversity of our workforce and we encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds. That’s why we’re a proud Disability Confident Leader and also an Age Friendly Employer – to provide opportunities for everyone to thrive.

If you need any reasonable adjustments

to participate in the recruitment process, please let either the hiring manager or our Resourcing Team know by emailing [e-mail] . While adjustments aren’t always guaranteed, we’ll always listen and we’ll try our best to accommodate your needs.

Application and Interview information

• Closing date: 02 nd October 2026
• Interview date:14 th October 2026

If you experience any difficulties logging in to apply for this role, please contact the HR Systems team at [e-mail].

Please note this role may close early subject to demand. If you’re interested in applying, you should apply well before the advised closing date. We cannot accept applications once the role has closed.

Please read the supporting information:

• Post Specification

Please also refer to our Careers site to find out more:

• Our Staff Benefits
• Candidate Support
• About Cumberland Council