Service Manager Family Support and Protection

Essex County Council; Chelmsford; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Essex County Council is seeking a Service Manager for Family Support and Protection to lead our FS&P teams working with children in need and child protection plans. You will shape practice, drive performance and collaborate with partners to deliver better outcomes.

The role requires strong leadership, systemic and strengths-based approaches, and the ability to navigate public law outlines and court processes. Mobility around Essex is essential, with DBS checks and inclusive recruitment.

Qualifications

• A recognised social work qualification (i.e. Diploma, degree or master's in social work, CQSW, CSS or equivalent) with current registration Social Work England.
• Ability to work collaboratively with internal and external partners and stakeholders, demonstrating breadth of thinking across social care, partners, the wider council and the system.
• Significant experience within a social care setting, with a deep understanding of current social care issues and implications for delivery at local level.
• A deep understanding of strengths-based and relational intervention approaches and a drive to support meaningful change for children
• Strong leadership and behavioural skills with the ability to focus on results forging a highly performing and motivated team from diverse backgrounds to achieve objectives.
• Experience of successful delivery within a rapidly changing and ambiguous environment while managing conflicting priorities.
• Proven influencing skills with an ability to pro-actively lead and deliver cultural change to improve quality of service.

Responsibilities

• Operational planning and performance review to maintain exceptional service delivery and ensures the political objectives and priorities of the council are met.
• Working collaboratively within and across functions and thinking commercially to support the delivery of best possible outcomes for our customers on a financially sustainable basis.
• Maintaining and nurturing collaborative relationships with other teams in the function and external organisations that support the delivery of annual plans.
• Implementing changes and continually evaluating service to improve the area of work, while maintaining the highest possible levels of service quality are continually delivered.
• Managing complex issues and resources to meet the needs of customers and deliver the best possible outcomes.
• Effective utilisation of digital technologies and innovation across the council and with stakeholders and partners.
• Ensuring equality and diversity is celebrated and considered as part of all decisions taken.
• Using professional expertise to translate goals and plans into ways of working that comply with relevant legislation and statutory requirements and manages a level of appropriate risk.
• Managing the delivery of exemplar customer interactions to individuals and communities which support the management of strong relationships and a reputation for achieving outcomes and resolving issues.

Skills

Leadership

Collaborative work

Strategic thinking

Policy and governance

Influencing

Change management

Education

Qualified social worker

Job description

We're serious about social work at Essex County Council. It's demanding, it's complex, but it's also 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 are looking to build on the well-earned achievements of our teams, and the families they work with. In this role, you will harness that momentum and lead our teams as we seek to deliver better outcomes for our community. This is an opportunity to shape the direction of children's social work in Essex. From the small details to the big picture, you will be a guiding force for staff and families alike. The Family Support and Protection (FS&P) teams work with families on Child in Need and Child Protection plans to promote sustainable change. FS&P Social Workers are responsible for building positive relationships with families using systemic and strengths based social work approaches. The work is varied and involves working within Public Law Outline (PLO) and Court Proceedings, when necessary. As FS&P Service Manager you will also have responsibility for the Mid Essex Family Centre which provides parenting assessments, educative and therapeutic social work interventions, and a Multi-Disciplinary Team which provides bespoke intensive support to families. You will work closely with other operational service managers within a well-established leadership team, and with other Service Managers across Essex to drive innovation in practice.

• Operational planning and performance review to maintain exceptional service delivery and ensures the political objectives and priorities of the council are met.
• Working collaboratively within and across functions and thinking commercially to support the delivery of best possible outcomes for our customers on a financially sustainable basis.
• Maintaining and nurturing collaborative relationships with other teams in the function and external organisations that support the delivery of annual plans.
• Implementing changes and continually evaluating service to improve the area of work, while maintaining the highest possible levels of service quality are continually delivered.
• Managing complex issues and resources to meet the needs of customers and deliver the best possible outcomes.
• Effective utilisation of digital technologies and innovation across the council and with stakeholders and partners.
• Ensuring equality and diversity is celebrated and considered as part of all decisions taken.
• Using professional expertise to translate goals and plans into ways of working that comply with relevant legislation and statutory requirements and manages a level of appropriate risk.
• Managing the delivery of exemplar customer interactions to individuals and communities which support the management of strong relationships and a reputation for achieving outcomes and resolving issues.

As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities, Essex offers a stimulating public service environment. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we're committed to transformational change and delivering better quality at lower cost. Recognised in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity, we ensure everyone matters in Everyone's Essex. With flexible working options and a focus on innovation, whether you are looking to develop your career or contribute to the local community, Essex is the ideal place for you. In March 2026, the Government announced that councils in Greater Essex will be reorganised into five new unitary authorities from April 2028. In addition to this, Greater Essex has been accepted on to the devolution priority programme, where we will work towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority. You can read more about these changes, and what this may mean for this role, on our careers site.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We're committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process. We're also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

Once you've secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs.

At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles, including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.

The role requires you to be mobile throughout a wider operational area including travelling around the county of Essex and beyond, transporting service users and their belongings and to be able to do so in an emergency. Driving licence and car or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means is essential. As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service please go to https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service

Please note that visa sponsorship is not available for this role. Applicants must have a current, unrestricted right to work in the UK.

• A recognised social work qualification (i.e. Diploma, degree or master's in social work, CQSW, CSS or equivalent) with current registration Social Work England.
• Ability to work collaboratively with internal and external partners and stakeholders, demonstrating breadth of thinking across social care, partners, the wider council and the system.
• Significant experience within a social care setting, with a deep understanding of current social care issues and implications for delivery at local level.
• Significant experience within a social care setting, with a deep understanding of current social care issues and implications for delivery at local level.
• A deep understanding of strengths-based and relational intervention approaches and a drive to support meaningful change for children
• Strong leadership and behavioural skills with the ability to focus on results forging a highly performing and motivated team from diverse backgrounds to achieve objectives.
• Experience of successful delivery within a rapidly changing and ambiguous environment while managing conflicting priorities.
• Proven influencing skills with an ability to pro-actively lead and deliver cultural change to improve quality of service.