Service Manager

Cafcass; Croydon; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 58,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading children's service organization is seeking a Service Manager based in Croydon. This full-time, fixed-term role to March 2026 involves managing children’s social work and leading teams in a hybrid work environment. Candidates should be organized, resilient, and registered with Social Work England. Join us to make a positive impact on children's lives in family court settings.

Benefits

Extensive wellbeing support

Excellent benefits

Flexible work arrangements

Qualifications

• You must be organized, resilient, empathetic, and supportive.
• A registration with Social Work England is required.

Responsibilities

• Manage and supervise practice effectively.
• Establish networks with other agencies.
• Lead teams through operational changes.

Skills

Expert knowledge of children’s social work

Practice management or supervisory experience

Practice educator skills

Ability to establish strong networks

Experience leading teams through change

Education

Registered with Social Work England

Job description

Overview

Cafcass – Service Manager

Location: Croydon, Greater London

Salary: £55,250–£57,275 per year

Contract: Fixed Term Contract (until 31 March 2026), Full-time

We are recruiting for the role of Service Manager in our team(s) covering the Croydon area. We trust and empower colleagues to work in a hybrid way, providing resources, equipment, and support so that individually and collectively we can be the voice of children and young people when the family court makes critical decisions about their futures. The role is based from our Croydon office, but teams work flexibly and remotely; proximity to the office is not a strict requirement.

We are a diverse, inclusive organisation and a safe space for colleagues with shared aspects of identity and lived experience. We aim to reflect the diversity of the children and families we work with and provide extensive wellbeing support and excellent benefits.

Responsibilities

Being a Service Manager is rewarding and challenging. In addition to registration with Social Work England, the role requires you to be organised, resilient, empathetic, supportive and able to work independently.

• Expert knowledge of children’s social work, including safeguarding, statutory and assessment frameworks
• A track record of highly effective practice management or supervisory experience
• Demonstrable experience as a practice educator with skills to monitor, manage, develop and improve team and individual performance
• Proven ability to establish strong and effective networks with other agencies
• Experience of leading individuals and teams through change

Qualifications

As part of the application, you should be registered with Social Work England and meet the role requirements outlined above.

Next steps / Timelines

If you are ready to apply, our application process is straightforward and quick to complete. You can start the application and return later to amend responses/update your CV before the closing date.

• Closing date: 22 September 2025
• Initial Interview: TBC
• Final Interview: TBC

Additional information

We understand you may want more information before applying. You can find details about the role in the Job Description and about Cafcass on our page. If you need to speak with a member of the team, you can contact our HR Resourcing team with your contact information and preferred times/methods to reach you. We strive to respond promptly and will help you meet the closing date where possible. If needed, you may ask questions as part of your application to obtain the required information to decide on your candidacy.

Pre-employment checks will include a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Per our policy, if you have a declared criminal offence, an individual assessment will be completed. Further information on the assessment can be found in the policy documentation.

We are Cafcass – the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service. We represent children in family court cases in England, advising the family courts about what is safe for children and in their best interests, and we speak up for over 140,000 children every year.