Senior Practitioner Specialist Lead

Surrey County Council; Reigate; Hybrid; GBP 52,000 - 61,000; Full time

Job summary

Surrey County Council offers a pivotal role as a Senior Practitioner Specialist Lead, focusing on mentoring and training within the Academy. This hybrid position necessitates leadership in social work and occupational therapy, driving excellence through educational support, equity, and departmental collaboration.

Benefits

26 days' holiday, rising to 30 days after 5 years

Option to buy additional leave

Employee Assistance Programme

Generous pension scheme

Lifestyle discounts

Qualifications

• At least four years' experience in statutory social care.
• Proven track record in communication with stakeholders.
• Experience in supervision and coaching.

Responsibilities

• Support and mentor trainees while delivering training.
• Act as a key connector, promoting equity and inclusion.
• Manage line duties for trainee social workers and OT apprentices.

Skills

Communication

Leadership

Supervision

Legal Literacy

IT Proficiency

Education

Registered Social Worker or Occupational Therapist

Job description

• Location: Reigate, Surrey (Hybrid)

Description

We are committed to the development of our workforce. This position is only available to applicants who already work for Surrey County Council.We thank you for your interest in our roles and would encourage you to review our vacancies which are open to all.

The starting salary for this role is £52,942per annum based on a 36 hour working week. This is a 12 month fixed term contract / secondment opportunity. Please discuss with your line manager before submitting your application. Part-time applications will also be considered.

Are you an experienced, registered Social Worker or Occupational Therapist with a high level of legal literacy and significant experience in line managing registered staff? Are you passionate about professional development, education, and innovation in practice? Do you want to lead and shape key strategic projects that impact the future of occupational therapy and social work in the AWHP directorate?

We are offering an exciting secondment opportunity to step into a pivotal role within the Academy as a part time Senior Practitioner Specialist Lead. The team is based in Reigate and work on a hybrid basis, usually working 2 days in the office per week.

Rewards and Benefits

• 26 days' holiday (prorated for part time staff), rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 30 days after 5 years' service
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• An extensive Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Up to 5 days of carer's leave per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependants leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, shopping and many more
• 2 paid volunteering days per year
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources

About the Team

Our Academy is here to support and grow a strong, skilled, and confident workforce. We lead on the training, career development opportunities and practice improvement activities to staff in our directorate – be that registered professionals or reablement team colleagues.

We focus on supporting our workforce, improving how teams work, and making sure we're ready for future challenges. We use data and feedback to guide what we do, including learning from audits, staff feedback and resident insights.

The Academy is a space for learning, reflection, and support—helping staff build their skills, share good practice, and feel confident in their roles.

About the Role

The role draws on our vision to have the right workforce with the right skills in place for all operational staff to do their job well. A typical day would include supporting and mentoring trainees, quality assuring and delivering training, as well as being part of more strategic meetings to shape our training and development offer to all staff within our directorate.

Key Responsibilities for this role include:

• Drive forward practice improvements across our directorate: Organising and deliver training sessions and support the development of e-learning and in-person training. Organising learning events, reflective practice, and collaborative projects that strengthen consistency and connection between teams.
• Act as a key connector across teams: Championing equity, diversity and inclusion by being an EIA lead across our directorate. Building strong working relationships within and beyond our directorate to support joined-up, inclusive practice.
• Preceptorship Lead: Coordinating the regional preceptorship programme and drive quality improvements and supporting NQOTs through reviews and development, Facilitating reflective practice sessions and peer support groups.
• ASYE Coordination: Coordinating our ASYE offer as well as supporting NQSWs through planning, reviews, and development. Facilitate reflective practice sessions and peer support groups.
• Apprenticeship Programme: Line managing and mentor Occupational Therapists and Social Work apprentices.
• Coordinate with universities and support Trainee Champions.
• Line Management: Providing supervision and support to trainee social workers and occupational therapists. Overseeing performance, wellbeing, and development and attending regular reviews with the trainee and university.
• OT and SW Placement Lead: Expand placement opportunities across services and partners. Liaise with universities and other education providers to support student learning.
• Promote leadership placements and income generation.
• Represent the Academy at regional and national forums.

Shortlisting Criteria

To be considered for shortlisting for this position, as well as submitting your CV, please submit a statement of interest (no longer than 2 A4 pages) that clearly evidences that you have the eight skills for this role. These should include:

• A registered social worker or occupational therapist with at least four years' experience working in a statutory social care team, ideally with experience working with older people, people with learning difficulties, mental health needs and neurodiverse needs.
• A proven track record of working effectively as part of a team, demonstrating a high level of communication skills with a variety of stakeholders.
• Experience and skills in supervision, coaching and performance management
• A high level of legal literacy relating to social work and social care, with the ability to interpret and apply legal principles to guidance notes.
• Exceptional written communication skills with the ability to articulate complex concepts and information in clear, concise, and easily understandable language.
• Experience in the ASYE and Preceptorship programmes
• Previous experience in facilitating and leading workshops, reflective practice sessions and development activities
• Proficiency in IT tools and systems, with experience and confidence in using Microsoft Teams and SharePoint to collaborate and share documents.

Contact Us

Please contact us for any questions relating to the role. This could be to discuss flexible working requests, transferable skills or any barriers to employment.

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 30/06/2025 with interviews planned to follow.

We look forward to receiving your application, please click on the apply online button below to submit.

Local Government Reorgnisation

Surrey County Council is preparing for Local Government Reorganisation which will allow us to implement the Government led policy of devolution, which is all about giving more powers to local areas.

Currently, Surrey has a two-tier council system, with 11 district and borough councils and a county council, all responsible for different services. All these councils will be reorganised into a smaller number of new unitary councils which will come into effect in April 2027. At this point, this role will be transferred, with all existing terms and conditions intact into one of the new unitary councils.

Our values are as important as our abilities and shape who we are as an organisation. Discover more about our values.

Before submitting your application, we recommend you read the job description. Our Life at Surrey handbook provides insights of the culture at Surrey and how as a valued employee, you can help shape our Council.

Our Commitment

Surrey County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. A guaranteed interview will be offered to all disabled applicants where:

• The candidate has evidenced the minimum criteria for the role through their application
• The candidate has chosen to share that they have a disability on the application form

Our application form and onboarding process will provide an opportunity to request any reasonable adjustments for the interview and/or the role. We want to be an inclusive and diverse employer reflecting the community we serve and particularly welcome applications from all underrepresented groups.