Service Manager – Children in Care, West Essex

TN United Kingdom; Harlow; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading local authority in Essex is seeking a passionate Service Manager to enhance the lives of vulnerable children and families through effective social work practices. In this permanent, full-time role, you will lead teams, drive operational excellence, and collaborate to ensure high-quality outcomes in children's services. You will have a profound impact on service delivery and community well-being while shaping the future of social work in Essex.

Benefits

Flexible working options

Commitment to accessible recruitment processes

Qualifications

• Significant experience in social care with a deep understanding of children in care and care leavers’ needs.
• Ability to lead diverse teams and manage ambiguous environments.
• Experience delivering results amidst conflicting priorities.

Responsibilities

• Operational planning and performance review to maintain service standards.
• Collaborate with internal teams and external organizations.
• Lead and manage complex issues to meet customer needs.

Skills

Leadership

Collaborative Working

Influencing Skills

Cultural Change

Education

recognised social work qualification (degree, diploma, or master's)

Job description

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Client:

Essex County Council

Location:

Harlow, United Kingdom

Job Category:

Other

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EU work permit required:

Yes

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Job Reference:

bf5c14dbf50b

Job Views:

14

Posted:

27.05.2025

Expiry Date:

11.07.2025

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Job Description:

Permanent, Full Time

Location: Harlow

Working Style:

We're serious about social work at Essex County Council. It's demanding, complex, but hugely fulfilling. Here you'll have time to be the Service Manager you always wanted to be, achieving change for our most vulnerable children and families through direct relationship-based social work practice. You'll work collaboratively with other agencies and partners to ensure that we provide the right response at the right time to every child and family receiving services.

We aim to build on our teams' achievements and the families they work with. In this role, you will harness that momentum and lead our teams to deliver better outcomes for our community. This is an opportunity to shape the future of children’s social work in Essex. You’ll have an immediate impact on how our teams think and communicate – and a lasting impact on future generations of Essex residents. From small details to the big picture, you will be a guiding force for staff and families alike.

Children In Care Teams work with children and young people up to age 18 who are in care—unable to live at home and placed with foster carers or in residential homes. They ensure their care experiences are positive and prepare them for transition into leaving care or returning home. The teams handle cases post-initial hearing, visit children in placement, develop permanency plans including SGO and adoption, undertake life-story work, and support children’s return to birth families. They are committed to high-quality work and engagement with all children in care to maximize their potential. They collaborate with agencies including health and education to support care plan outcomes.

We seek a Service Manager with a good understanding of Children In Care and Care Leavers’ needs. The successful candidate will work with Fostering and Foster Carers to promote stable and available placements.

Accountabilities

• Operational planning and performance review to maintain high service standards and meet political objectives.
• Collaborate within and across functions, thinking commercially to support optimal outcomes on a sustainable basis.
• Build and nurture relationships with internal teams and external organizations supporting annual plans.
• Implement and evaluate service improvements, maintaining high quality.
• Manage complex issues and resources to meet customer needs and outcomes.
• Utilize digital technologies and innovation across the council and with partners.
• Ensure equality and diversity are integrated into all decisions.
• Translate goals into compliant working practices, managing risks appropriately.
• Deliver excellent customer interactions, fostering strong relationships and a reputation for outcomes and issue resolution.

Requirements

• A recognised social work qualification (. Diploma, degree, or master’s in social work, CQSW, CSS, or equivalent) with current registration with Social Work England.
• Ability to work collaboratively with partners and stakeholders across social care and the wider system.
• Significant experience in social care, with a deep understanding of current issues and local delivery implications.
• Strong leadership and behavioural skills to lead diverse, motivated teams to achieve objectives.
• Experience of delivering results in a changing, ambiguous environment with conflicting priorities.
• Proven influencing skills and ability to lead cultural change to improve service quality.

Why Essex?

Essex offers a stimulating environment with flexible working options and a focus on innovation. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we’re committed to transformational change and better quality at lower cost. Recognized in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity, we value everyone. Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader and commits to accessible recruitment processes. We also value safeguarding and expect all employees to share this commitment. The role requires mobility around Essex, including travel and transportation of service users, with a valid driving license and vehicle or alternative mobility means essential.

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