Service Manager & Quality Safeguarding

inploi; Rochdale; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A municipal authority in Rochdale is seeking a dedicated Service Manager for Quality and Safeguarding to lead and ensure compliance across children's services. The role involves overseeing safeguarding practices while driving improvements and providing expert advice. Ideal candidates will have experience in quality assurance, strong analytical skills, and knowledge of safeguarding legislation. This role offers a chance to make a significant impact in the community with numerous benefits, including competitive salary and flexible working arrangements.

Benefits

Highly competitive salary

Professional fees paid

Flexible working options

Career progression opportunities

Attractive pension

Staff recognition awards

Up to 34 days annual leave

Staff discounts at retail sites

Qualifications

• In-depth knowledge of safeguarding legislation and best practices is essential.
• Proven experience in quality assurance and compliance required.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills needed.

Responsibilities

• Oversee safeguarding practices across all services ensuring statutory compliance.
• Develop and implement quality assurance frameworks.
• Monitor and report on service performance.

Skills

Knowledge of safeguarding legislation

Analytical skills

Problem solving

Leadership

Education

Relevant degree or equivalent

Job description

There is an exciting opportunity to come and join The Safeguarding & Quality Assurance Team at Rochdale as a Service Manager for Quality and Safeguarding you will be part of Children’s Service’s senior management team based on Floor 4 of Number 1 Riverside.

The role of the Service Manager is to ensure that our services meet the highest standards of safety, compliance and quality assurance. This role is critical in protecting vulnerable individuals and embedding a culture of continuous improvement. You will provide an operational and strategic function within the service, accountable to the Head of Safeguarding for the delivery of effective service provision, strategic plans and priorities.

The Key responsibilities of the role are:

• Oversee safeguarding practices across all services, ensuring statutory compliance.
• Develop and implement quality assurance frameworks.
• Monitor and report on service performance, driving improvements where needed.
• Provide expert advice and guidance on safeguarding and quality standards.

To be successful in the role you will require in-depth knowledge of safeguarding legislation and best practice with proven experience in quality assurance and compliance. You will have strong analytical and problem‑solving skills with the ability to lead and influence across multiple teams.

Why join us?

You will be part of a forward‑thinking organisation committed to delivering exceptional services and making a real difference in people’s lives.

Our dedicated teams ensure they feel safe, healthy, successful and heard too, and we are incredibly proud, passionae and pioneering in the way our services are delivered.

Here at Rochdale Borough Council, we are committed to supporting our children and young people to live in a borough where they can grow, get on and live well.

Everyone at Rochdale Children’s Services plays a valued role in achieving the best outcomes for children and we work closely to support and deliver real positive progress to achieve the best possible outcomes as part of our Raising Rochdale ethos.

We always have lots of great things happening in our borough and we never stand still so this is a great time to join our team and succeed at Rochdale.

We offer lots of training and supervision alongside help and guidance to build positive relationships with our children, young people and their families.

We would love for you to join us and if you would like to speak to a member of our team about this role please contact Bev Paris, Head of Safeguarding, [e-mail]

We reward you with great benefits:

• Highly competitive salary with an opportunity to earn up to £1,000, every year (£500 retention payment every six months)
• Paid for Social Work England professional fees
• Affordable car leasing scheme
• Excellent career progression pathway
• Hybrid and flexible working

• Attractive pension

• Staff recognition awards and celebration events

• Supported leadership

• Mileage payment and Town centre parking scheme

• Up to 34 days annual leave with an option to buy more

• Staff discount at popular retail and leisure sites

Other benefits

• Work in a modern, award‑winning building

• Be conveniently located next to the Metrolink, bus exchange and a short walk from Rochdale train station

• You’re also a 10‑minute drive from the M62 corridor

What our colleagues say.

Rochdale Council is a great place to work and managers are supportive, approachable and listen to their ideas. Here are some further comments

• ‘We work in friendly, supportive & multi‑disciplinary teams

• ‘There are lots of easy to access training opportunities to learn
• ‘we have lots of community resources available to support families’

• ‘We are based right in the town centre office, next to M&S and close to local services

We are making positive progress in terms of our ways to work with children, young people and families as we work to deliver better outcomes for all. We are empathetic and listen to our families as we build on their strengths to work towards agreed goals.

We look forward to hearing from you.

As part of our safeguarding commitment to promoting the welfare of our children, young people and vulnerable adults, appointment to this post is subject to an enhanced DBS including a barred list check child workforce

To apply please upload your CV together with a supporting statement that provides evidence of how you meet the essential requirements of the person specification.

Please include reference to your qualifications that are specified on the person specification within your CV/supporting statement.

Please ensure you anonymise your CV and supporting statement.

If you have completed the GM Elevate (Leadership Development) Programme, please indicate this within the ‘About You’ or ‘Supporting Statement’ section of your application.

Closing Date 27th January 2026

Interview date 5th February 2026

Unfortunately, we are unable to offer a sponsorship for this role at this stage.

Supporting Documents

↗ Policy on Recruitment of Ex-Offenders

↗ Service Manager - Quality & Safeguarding jd

Calculate your take home pay. Use this service to estimate how much Income Tax and National Insurance you should pay for the current tax year.

Employment could affect your benefits, find out more here. Turn2us Benefits Calculator.