Service Manager - Multi Agency Child Protection Teams (MACPT)

Hertfordshire; Stevenage; Hybrid; GBP 71,000 - 78,000; Full time

Job summary

Hertfordshire County Council in Stevenage is recruiting two Service Managers for the Multi Agency Child Protection Teams. You will lead multi-agency safeguarding across children’s services, police, health and education to deliver high-quality, child-centred interventions.

We seek experienced social work leaders with registration, who can manage partnerships, drive performance using data, and maintain a positive team culture while meeting statutory requirements and safeguarding duties.

Qualifications

• Social Work qualification and registration with Social Work England.
• Experience leading multi-agency safeguarding teams and partnerships.
• Proven ability to use data to drive service improvement and outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage multi-agency safeguarding and child protection services, ensuring compliance with statutory requirements and best practice.
• Develop and maintain effective partnerships with key agencies to promote integrated safeguarding arrangements.
• Provide professional leadership, oversight, and quality assurance of child protection practice and decision-making.
• Monitor service performance and risk, implementing improvement plans where required.
• Chair or contribute to complex safeguarding meetings, panels, and strategic partnerships.
• Manage resources, budgets, workforce development, and service delivery.
• Promote continuous improvement, learning from audits and safeguarding incidents.
• Support implementation of safeguarding priorities, legislation, and guidance.

Skills

Leadership

Multi-agency collaboration

Safeguarding knowledge

Strategic thinking

Data-driven improvement

Driving licence

Communication skills

Education

Social Work qualification

Job description

The following content displays a map of the jobs location - Stevenage & Apsley

Service Manager - Multi Agency Child Protection Teams (MACPT)

Job Reference HCC/1723/1780

Number of Positions:

2

Contract Type:

Permanent

£71,045 progressing to £77,931

Working Hours:

37

Location:

Closing Date:

25/10/2026

Job Category:

Region / Division:

Hertfordshire

Job Introduction

Job Title: Multi-Agency Child Protection Service Manager
Starting Salary: £63,471 + £7,574 market enhanced payment progressing to £71,045 + £6,886 market enhanced payment per annum
Hours:37
Base Location: Farnham House, Stevenage or Apsley, Hemel Hempstead / hybrid working model with travel required.
Contract Type: Permanent
Directorate:Children Services

About the team

We are looking for two innovative and experienced social work managers to join as Service Managers playing the critical role of leading our newly formed Multi Agency Child Protection Teams. One post will cover services in the West of Hertfordshire and one will cover services in the East of Hertfordshire.

About the role

The national Families First Partnership Programme introduces Multi Agency Child Protection Teams where Children’s Services, Police, Health and Education will be co-located and work in partnership to respond to significant harm and protect Hertfordshire’s children and families .

You will provide strategic and operational leadership for multi-agency child protection services, ensuring effective safeguarding arrangements that protect children and young people from harm. You will lead collaborative working across local authority services, health, education, police, voluntary sector organisations, and other partners to deliver high-quality, child-centred interventions and achieve positive outcomes.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and manage multi-agency safeguarding and child protection services, ensuring
• compliance with statutory requirements, policies, and best practice.
• Develop and maintain effective partnerships with key agencies to promote integrated
• safeguarding arrangements.
• Provide professional leadership, oversight, and quality assurance of child protection
• practice and decision-making.
• Monitor service performance, risk management, and outcomes for children,
• implementing improvement plans where required.
• Chair or contribute to complex safeguarding meetings, panels, and strategic partnerships.
• Ensure effective management of resources, budgets, workforce development, and service delivery.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement, learning from audits, reviews, inspections, and safeguarding incidents.
• Support the implementation of local and national safeguarding priorities, legislation, and
• guidance.

About you

• 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 experience of working within a multi-agency environment (e.g. education, health, police, probation, or safeguarding partnerships)
• Excellent knowledge of safeguarding practice and multi-agency decision-making processes
• Demonstrable ability to manage service performance, including use of data to drive improvement
• In-depth understanding of lawful information sharing (including data protection and safeguarding legislation)
• Strong strategic thinking and ability to contribute at senior / partnership level
• 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
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment
• Experience of working collaboratively with partner agencies to improve outcomes
• Confidence in driving service improvement, transformation, and use of technology
• Promote and model equality, diversity and inclusion across the MACPT, ensuring services are accessible, culturally responsive and reflective of the needs of all children, families and staff.

This is an exceptional development opportunity to join Hertfordshire’s Children’s Services. We welcome you bringing creativity and flair, and we will consistently support you within our high performing management structure.

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.

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.

Interview Date: 9th November - Face to Face, Stevenage offices

Additional information

We are changing Hertfordshire County Councilis 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.