Professional Development Officer

Instagram; Spennymoor; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading social media platform is seeking a qualified social worker to review and deliver induction programmes while providing mentorship to staff. The role involves collaborative work with various stakeholders to support professional development in the social work sector. The successful candidate will need a social work degree and will engage with practice education roles as necessary. The company offers a competitive rewards package, including a generous leave entitlement and flexible working arrangements.

Benefits

Generous annual leave entitlement

Local Government Pension Scheme

Flexible working arrangements

Qualifications

• Knowledge of current professional development initiatives and challenges.
• Ability to engage collaboratively with colleagues and service users.
• Skills in developing social work/care initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Review and deliver induction programmes and supporting documentation.
• Facilitate and provide expert advice on assessment panels.
• Support Operational Managers in professional development.

Skills

Social Work knowledge

Collaboration with stakeholders

Research and project planning

Mentorship

Education

Social Work Degree, DipSW, CQSW, CSS or equivalent

Job description

Responsibilities

As the postholder you will review/re‑design and deliver induction programmes, supporting documentation and procedures to meet national requirements such as Assessed and Supported Year in Practice/Licence to Practice. You will facilitate, provide expert advice, and act as a decision maker on a range of panels alongside Strategic Managers, operational staff and team managers. Panels will decide whether Social Workers have demonstrated the requirements of the Assessed and Supported Year in Employment, or for Social Workers and those working in related professions to demonstrate their practice is at a sufficient level to work as an Approved Mental Health Professional or the requirements of progression to be a higher grade worker. You will be supporting Operational Managers to ensure effective professional development for the Social Work workforce and related roles. To use your social work knowledge and experience to support the transformation of services including:

• Providing specialist advice to project steering/management groups.
• Carrying out research, project planning and writing supporting reports.
• Working collaboratively with other teams (for example the Safeguarding Adults Board/Practice Development) to ensure an innovative and timely response to Service needs.

You will be required to act as a mentor for staff undertaking post qualification modules and Practice Education where team managers are unable to do. You may need to act as a long arm practice educator supporting and assessing the practice of social work students where there is a lack of capacity within teams, unplanned absence of allocated practice educators, breakdown of placements or students with complex learning needs.

Qualifications

You will be expected to have a knowledge of current professional development initiatives and challenges facing the AHS workforce; be able to engage and work collaboratively with colleagues, stakeholders and service users and be able to develop social work/care initiatives to ensure you can fulfil the duties and responsibilities of the role.

Social Work Degree, DipSW, CQSW, CSS or equivalent. Membership of a professional body i.e. Social Work England.

Benefits

We offer a competitive rewards package that includes attractive salaries, a generous annual leave entitlement of 27 days (rising to 32 after five years' continuous local government service), membership of the excellent contributory career average Local Government Pension Scheme, and a range of flexible working arrangements including hybrid working (home and office) where applicable. Explore the full range of rewards and benefits on our website.