Service Manager - Assessment and Family Safeguarding

Schools’ Choice; Cambridge; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 92,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Office in Cambridge

Job summary

Schools’ Choice seeks an experienced Service Manager to lead Assessment & Family Safeguarding across Cambridge City, South Cambridgeshire and East Cambridgeshire. You will drive high‑quality social work practice, safeguard children and oversee multi‑agency partnerships in a hybrid role.

The role requires a Qualified Social Worker with considerable leadership experience in Children’s Services, and a strong track record in complex safeguarding decisions and service improvement.

Qualifications

• Qualified Social Worker with current Social Work England registration.
• Significant management experience within Children's Social Care.
• Recent experience managing multiple frontline social work teams is essential.
• Strong knowledge of safeguarding, child protection, relevant legislation and statutory guidance.
• Proven ability to manage risk, performance and complex casework.
• Demonstrable experience delivering service improvements and leading through change.
• Excellent leadership, communication and partnership-working skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage multiple frontline social work teams within Assessment & Family Safeguarding.
• Ensure safe and effective delivery of statutory children's social care services.
• Provide oversight and decision-making on complex safeguarding and child protection cases.
• Drive service improvement, quality assurance and performance management.
• Manage service resources and budgets effectively.
• Develop strong partnerships with schools, health services, police and other key agencies.
• Support and develop a high-performing workforce through effective leadership and coaching.
• Ensure compliance with legislation, policy and safeguarding procedures.

Skills

Team leadership

Multi-agency collaboration

Risk management

Strategic planning

Change management

Education

Qualified Social Worker

Job description

About the Role

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Service Manager to lead Assessment & Family Safeguarding services across Cambridge City, South Cambridgeshire and East Cambridgeshire. We are seeking a motivated and resilient senior leader with recent experience managing multiple frontline social work teams within Children's Services. This is a key leadership role responsible for driving high-quality social work practice, safeguarding vulnerable children, and ensuring positive outcomes for children and families. As Service Manager, you will provide strategic and operational leadership across Assessment & Family Safeguarding services, ensuring statutory responsibilities are fulfilled and services are delivered safely, effectively and within performance expectations. You will lead practice development, oversee complex safeguarding decisions, manage risk, and work closely with multi-agency partners to achieve the best possible outcomes for children and families. Cambridge City/South Cambridgeshire & East Cambridgeshire £500 per day (Umbrella) Hybrid Working | Minimum 3 Days per Week in the Office

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage multiple frontline social work teams within Assessment & Family Safeguarding.
• Ensure safe and effective delivery of statutory children's social care services.
• Provide oversight and decision-making on complex safeguarding and child protection cases.
• Drive service improvement, quality assurance and performance management.
• Manage service resources and budgets effectively.
• Develop strong partnerships with schools, health services, police and other key agencies.
• Support and develop a high-performing workforce through effective leadership and coaching.
• Ensure compliance with legislation, policy and safeguarding procedures.

Requirements

• Qualified Social Worker with current Social Work England registration.
• Significant management experience within Children's Social Care.
• Recent experience managing multiple frontline social work teams is essential.
• Strong knowledge of safeguarding, child protection, relevant legislation and statutory guidance.
• Proven ability to manage risk, performance and complex casework.
• Demonstrable experience delivering service improvements and leading through change.
• Excellent leadership, communication and partnership-working skills.

Why Join Cambridge County Council?

• Competitive daily rate of £500 per day.
• Opportunity to make a significant impact within a well-established Family Safeguarding model.
• Hybrid working with a minimum of 3 days per week in the office.
• Supportive senior leadership team and collaborative partner network.

This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975. A DBS check may be applicable for this role, applicants are required to declare any cautions and convictions that are not protected under current filtering rules.

If you are an experienced Children's Services leader with a track record of managing high-performing frontline teams and delivering excellent safeguarding outcomes, we'd love to hear from you