Service Manager Family Help

Hertfordshire County Council; Stevenage; Ibrido; GBP 63.000 - 71.000; Tempo pieno

Descrizione del lavoro

Hertfordshire County Council in Stevenage is seeking a Service Manager for Family Help to lead three teams within the East of Hertfordshire, driving early intervention and a whole-family approach.

You will oversee service improvements, manage budgets, and partner with schools, health services and police to deliver timely support for vulnerable children and families under the Families First reforms.

Competenze

• Social Work qualification & registration with Social Work England.
• Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle.
• Proven leadership and management experience, including managing/leading managers or teams.
• Strong understanding of Families First Programme and Family Help within an integrated system.
• Significant experience in children's services, early help, family support and safeguarding.

Mansioni

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for Family Help services.
• Manage three Team Managers and foster high-quality practice.
• Lead implementation of Families First Partnership Programme within Family Help.
• Develop partnerships with schools, health services, social care, police and voluntary organisations.
• Ensure timely assessments and coordinated support plans for children and families.
• Oversee case management, quality assurance and performance monitoring.
• Drive continuous improvement and responsible budget and resource management.

Conoscenze

Driving licence

Leadership

Management experience

Stakeholder engagement

Analytical skills

Communication

Formazione

Social Work qualification & registration (Social Work England)

Descrizione del lavoro

Job Introduction

Job Title: Service Manager - Family Help

Starting Salary: £63,471 + £7,574 market enhanced payment progressing to £71,045 + £6,886 market enhanced payment per annum

Hours: 37

Base Location: Stevenage, Farnham House – role includes hybrid working and travel and driving license will be required.

Contract Type: Permanent

Directorate: Children Services

About The Team

We are looking for an experienced, ambitious and motivated Service Manager to lead and further develop our Family Help service in the East of Hertfordshire as part of the Families First Partnership Programme. This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a developing service shaped by the Families First reforms, focused on providing the right help to children and families at the earliest opportunity, strengthening multi-agency working and supporting families to stay safely together wherever possible.

As Service Manager for Family Help in Broxbourne, you will oversee three Family Help Teams within the East of Hertfordshire. You will work alongside two other Service Managers, reporting into the Head of Service, with close partnership working with colleagues in our Multi Agency Child Protection Teams.

About The Role

You will play a pivotal role in leading and embedding Hertfordshire's new Family Help offer as part of the national Families First Partnership Programme. Working closely with partner agencies, you will lead the delivery of an integrated whole-family approach that delivers timely support, strengthens family networks and improves outcomes for children, young people and their families. You will champion relationship-based, strengths-led and evidence-informed practice, ensuring that safeguarding remains at the heart of all service delivery alongside early intervention, prevention and effective risk management.

As Service Manager, you will lead the implementation of service improvements and support the continued development of Family Help in line with evolving legislation, national reform and local priorities. You will lead, manage and ensure high performance within the Family Help Service and be accountable for service delivery, performance and resource management. You will use quality assurance, audit findings, performance intelligence and continuous learning to drive excellent practice, create a dynamic culture of learning and improvement and achieve positive outcomes for children and families.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for Family Help services, ensuring high-quality, family-centred support and interventions.
• Manage and support three Team Managers, fostering strong leadership, accountability and high-quality practice across Family Help service
• Lead the implementation of the Families First Partnership Programme within the Family Help service, ensuring practice is relational, strengths-based and focused on achieving sustainable change for children and families.
• Develop and maintain effective partnerships with schools, health services, social care, police, voluntary organisations, and community groups.
• Ensure timely assessment of needs and the delivery of coordinated support plans for children and families.
• Manage change confidently and creatively, balancing risk while supporting teams to embed new ways of working.
• Oversee case management, quality assurance, and performance monitoring to ensure effective and outcome-focused practice.
• Drive continuous improvement through service evaluation, learning, innovation, and implementation of best practice.
• Manage service budgets, resources, workforce development, and operational performance to a high standard.
• Promote strengths-based, restorative, and whole-family approaches that build resilience and support sustainable change.
• Ensure compliance with relevant legislation, local policies, safeguarding responsibilities, and statutory guidance.

About You

Essential:

• Social Work Qualified and registered with Social Work England
• Full UK driving licence and regular access to a vehicle
• Proven leadership and management experience (including managing/leading managers or teams)
• Strong understanding of the Families First Partnership Programme and the role of Family Help within a wider integrated system of support
• Significant experience in children's services, early help, family support, and safeguarding services.
• Excellent knowledge of child development, safeguarding, early intervention, and family support frameworks.
• Experience of managing complex risk and delivering services focused on improving outcomes for vulnerable children and families.
• Strong experience of building effective partner relationships, communication, negotiation, and influencing skills.
• Ability to analyse performance data, manage risk, and lead service improvement initiatives.
• Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to lead and maintain a positive, high-performing team culture.
• Experience of supporting and developing staff, promoting accountability and continuous learning.

Desirable

• Previous experience operating at Service Manager level within Children’s Social Care.
• Experience of supporting the implementation of service-wide change programmes.

We welcome applications from candidates who currently reside in the UK with established proof of right to work documentation. We are not able to offer sponsorship at this time for this role.

This job role is Level 14. Please locate the job profile here: Job profiles - Health and social care

To hear more about this opportunity please contact Rebecca Taylor ([e-mail]) for an informal discussion about the role.

Interview Date: 11th November - Face to Face, Stevenage offices

Additional Information

We are changing

Hertfordshire County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). If you are employed by Hertfordshire County on 1 April 2028, it is expected that most roles will transfer to the newly-created unitary councils on existing terms and conditions under TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings - Protection of Employment) principles. LGR is one of the biggest changes we will face in a generation. It will reshape how we work and how services are organised and gives us a real opportunity to build something better. To find out more, visit https://www.hertfordshire-lgr.co.uk/

Disability Confident

We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and guarantee an interview to anyone disclosing a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.

Safeguarding

This role has been identified as requiring a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check.

Driving Required

You’ll need to have the ability to drive and/or travel around Hertfordshire, either using your own mode of transport or a company car to travel to other locations.

English Fluency

The ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post (for those whose language is a signed language the provision of a sign language interpreter who speaks English to the necessary standard of fluency will be required). Further information about the legal requirement can be found here.