Social Work Assistant Team Manager (Adults)

West Northamptonshire Council; Northampton; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking an Assistant Team Manager/Principal Social Worker to enhance their strengths-based practice. This role offers the chance to lead a dedicated team, focusing on professional growth and well-being while ensuring the best outcomes for residents. With a commitment to safeguarding and promoting welfare, you will leverage your extensive experience in social work to inspire innovation and reflection within the service. Join a supportive environment that values quality and inclusion, and make a meaningful impact in the lives of individuals and families in the community.

Benefits

Generous annual leave entitlement

Local Government Pension Scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

Ongoing training and development opportunities

Flexible working options

Cycle to Work scheme

Employee discounts with local and national retailers

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in managing complex legal cases and safeguarding.
• Ability to support social workers from student to qualified level.

Responsibilities

• Develop strengths-based practice and support social workers' growth.
• Lead a supportive team to deliver quality care and guidance.

Skills

Leadership

Interpersonal Skills

Social Work Knowledge

Legislation Knowledge

Management Experience

Education

Higher Post Qualifying Training

Management Qualification

Job description

We offer a wide range of benefits to our employees, these include:

• Subscription fully paid - Community care inform adults.
• Generous annual leave entitlement starting at 28 days annual leave per year, 29 days for senior managers (pro rata, depending on how many hours per week you work), plus bank holidays. An additional 5 days, linked to continuous service, and ability to purchase up to 6 weeks additional leave per year.
• Cycle to Work scheme.
• Local Government Pension Scheme plus immediate life cover (3 times your annual salary from day one) and ill-health protection.
• Employee discounts with local and national retailers, days out, finance, health and beauty, travel and eating out plus lots more.
• Car Lease scheme via Tusker.
• Payment of professional subscription / membership - If your job description requires that you are registered with or are a member of a professional body, WNC will pay for your professional subscription or membership fees.
• Employee Assistance Programme - We have an employee support programme run by Health Assured, an independent, external organisation. Health Assured is available for you and your immediate family members, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and includes telephone counselling, legal advice, bereavement support and medical information.
• Commsave- Free membership to Commsave Credit Union who provide a variety of savings accounts, loans, a monthly lottery draw and more!
• Ongoing training and development opportunities.
• A variety of flexible working options to support your work/life balance, including full or part time, term time, 9-day fortnight, etc. (subject to business needs).
• Our West Ways of Working – We want our workforce to thrive, and we equip our employees with the right technology to support hybrid and collaborative working, on or off site, depending on the role.
• Making a difference - If you want to use your skills and experience with an organisation that are genuinely invested in making a difference, are committed to improving people's lives, and whose success has a direct impact on the wellbeing of your family, friends and people in your local area, then West Northamptonshire Council is the place for you.

Our vision for all adults in West Northamptonshire is that they will have healthy and independent lives with easy access to joined up advice and support which will help them to help themselves.

As an Assistant Team Manager/Principal Social Worker, you will continue to develop and build on our current strengths-based practice, build the skills, confidence and competence of social workers and their colleagues to work in line with Care Act Guidance and deliver the best possible outcomes for residents.

Perhaps you are currently working in an adult safeguarding role, supporting a team manager and looking for your next step. Or, you might be an experienced manager seeking a new challenge—one that not only offers professional growth but also prioritises your well-being.

Although SWE (Social Work England) registration is not a requirement, you should have extensive experience and a proven ability to assist with complex legal cases. You should also be well-versed in legislation, able to provide supporting documents for cases taken to court, and knowledgeable about available funding streams.

As a champion of social work, you’ll lead by example, using your skills to encourage a culture of innovation, reflection and learning within the service, using practice evaluations and learning reviews to inform this work.

The experience you’ll bring with you will enable you to support others from the start of their social work journey; from student to ASYE, and then to qualified, competent and confident Social Workers.

You will be an approachable, ‘can do’ person who understands what good looks like and have high ambitions for the workforce and the organisation.

As a proactive person, you’ll be able to respond to multiple requests and demands, getting to know our fabulous staff group will be imperative and supporting them as they deliver advice and guidance to citizens of West Northants. The team and your peers are all very supportive and in West Northants we are all working towards the same goal of enabling competent and confident staff to deliver great care.

You will bring proven experience of leadership, practice development and consistent achievement in a safeguarding/social work environment, an understanding of working across health and social care and above all a commitment to people who use, work in and rely on social work services. You’ll need exceptional interpersonal skills, a passion for quality and inclusion and the ability to build, manage and develop effective working relationships with people and partners.

Hours: Our standard hours are 9 to 5 pm, Monday - Fridays.

You’ll need:

• Higher post qualifying training in relevant discipline or management qualification.
• Management experience over a range of professional roles with significant experience of managing functions in a number of specialisms e.g. Older People, Mental Health, Learning Disability, Adult Safeguarding.
• You will be required to drive and have transport.

Please see the attached Job spec for further information.

We may be able to support Sponsorship and/or relocation package, if you have Social Work England in place.

If you would like to discuss this role further than please contact Stephanie Langford; [e-mail] / 01604 365092.

This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore subject to an enhanced DBS certificate, at our cost.

It is also a regulated activity and will be subject to a Children and Adults Barred List check. West Northamptonshire Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.