Strategy & Policy Manager - Children's Services

Wokingham Borough; Wokingham; Hybrid; GBP 61,000 - 67,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous Annual Leave

GP Helpline

Employee Assistance Programme

Free Eye Tests and Flu Vaccines

Free Onsite Gym

Salary Sacrifice Schemes

Local & Lifestyle Discounts

Move through Menopause Course

Sports & Social Group Activities

Job summary

Wokingham Borough Council invites applications for a Strategy & Policy Manager in Children’s Services. This permanent, full-time role leads strategic direction, policy development and cross‑department collaboration to improve outcomes for children and families in the borough.

You will translate complex policy into practical frameworks, oversee delivery plans and provide senior-level briefings. The post emphasises co‑production with young people and partners and requires a strong track record

Qualifications

• Degree-level education or equivalent, or extensive relevant experience within Children’s Services.
• Significant experience of developing strategies or policies within Children’s Services, education, social care or a related public‑sector environment.
• Strong understanding of national policy, legislation, safeguarding responsibilities relating to children and families.
• Experience of research, needs assessment and analysis, turning evidence and intelligence into clear priorities and recommendations.
• Excellent strategic writing, analytical and problem‑solving skills for senior leaders, boards and inspectors.
• Proven ability to facilitate, influence and negotiate across complex partnerships with political awareness.
• Experience of co‑production and embedding the voices of children, young people and families in service design.
• Collaborative, inclusive and resilient leadership with an outcome‑focused, continuous‑improvement mindset.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate the development, review and refresh of high-quality strategies across Children’s Services, ensuring consistent quality standards.
• Translate national policy, legislation, local priorities and reform requirements into practical strategic frameworks, policies and measurable action plans.
• Use research, data, demographics, demand forecasting, performance intelligence and feedback to inform strategic decisions and long‑term planning.
• Produce clear, persuasive briefings, insight reports, governance papers and strategic narratives for senior leaders, elected Members, inspectors and partnership boards.
• Maintain oversight of delivery plans, milestones, outcomes, risks and dependencies, providing constructive challenge and escalation where progress is off track.
• Lead meaningful engagement and co-production with children, young people, families, practitioners and partners, working with the Participation Team.
• Align strategy, policy and transformation activity, identifying cross-cutting opportunities and supporting continuous improvement.
• Maintain the Children’s Services Strategy Register and ensure governance, publication, statutory and inspection requirements are met.
• Provide professional leadership, supervision and direction to officers and cross-service project teams, promoting high performance, inclusion and learning.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Policy development

Stakeholder engagement

Data analysis

Written briefing

Education

Degree-level education or equivalent

Job description

Strategy & Policy Manager - Children's Services

Employer: Wokingham Borough Council
Salary: £60,957 - £66,808 per annum, plus benefits
Location: Shute End, Wokingham
Contract: Permanent
Working Pattern: Full Time
Hours: 37 hours per week.
DBS Check: Enhanced
Closing Date: 29/11/2026 at 23:00
Reference: 713566

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Strategy & Policy Manager to join our Children’s Strategy, Transformation and Commissioning service here at Wokingham Borough Council, on a full-time, permanent basis.

As Strategy & Policy Manager, you will provide strategic leadership across Children’s Services, connecting national reform, local priorities and the voices of children and families to shape services that make a lasting difference. Working closely with Heads of Service, senior leaders, elected Members, partners and subject matter experts, you will lead the development, coordination and quality assurance of strategies, policies and delivery plans.

You will combine strong strategic thinking with practical delivery. From translating complex policy into clear frameworks and producing insight for senior decision-makers, to monitoring progress and strengthening governance, your work will ensure our priorities are coherent, measurable and focused on long‑term improvement.

At the heart of the role is collaboration. You will bring together colleagues across social care, education, early help, SEND, health and the voluntary and community sector, while ensuring children, young people and families have a meaningful voice in the strategies that affect them.

At Wokingham, we are looking for an accomplished strategist and relationship‑builder who can see the bigger picture, make sense of complexity and turn evidence into strategies that can be delivered. In return, you will join a collaborative, ambitious service with the opportunity to influence priorities across the whole Children’s Services system and improve outcomes for local children and families.

Not only is this an excellent opportunity, but it’s a fantastic time to join our team. You will receive an extensive range of employee benefits including:

Generous Annual Leave - 31 days per annum (rising by 5 days with 5 years’ continued local government service), plus Bank Holidays

GP Helpline - Available 7 days a week

Employee Assistance Programme - Including a 24/7 Your Care Helpline

Free Eye Tests and Flu Vaccines

Free Onsite Gym - Located at Shute End Offices, Wokingham

Salary Sacrifice Schemes - Including Car and Cycle to Work schemes

Local & Lifestyle Discounts - Save on shopping, entertainment, dining out and more

Move through Menopause Course

Sports & Social Group Activities - Including running, football, cricket and more

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and coordinate the development, review and refresh of high-quality strategies across Children’s Services, ensuring a consistent approach and clear quality standards.
• Translate national policy, legislation, local priorities and reform requirements into practical strategic frameworks, policies and measurable action plans.
• Use research, data, demographics, demand forecasting, performance intelligence and feedback to inform strategic decisions and long-term planning.
• Produce clear, persuasive briefings, insight reports, governance papers and strategic narratives for senior leaders, elected Members, inspectors and partnership boards.
• Maintain oversight of delivery plans, milestones, outcomes, risks and dependencies, providing constructive challenge and escalation where progress is off track.
• Lead meaningful engagement and co-production with children, young people, families, practitioners and partners, working closely with the Participation Team.
• Align strategy, policy and transformation activity, identifying cross-cutting opportunities and supporting continuous improvement across the directorate.
• Maintain the Children’s Services Strategy Register and ensure strategies and policies meet governance, publication, statutory and inspection requirements.
• Provide professional leadership, supervision and direction to officers and cross-service project teams, promoting high performance, inclusion and learning.

Candidate Requirements:

• Degree‑level education or equivalent, or extensive relevant experience within Children’s Services and transformation, together with evidence of continued professional development.
• Significant experience of developing strategies or policies within Children’s Services, education, social care or a related public‑sector environment.
• A strong understanding of national policy, legislation, regulatory frameworks and safeguarding responsibilities relating to children and families.
• Experience of research, needs assessment and analysis, with the ability to turn evidence and intelligence into clear priorities and recommendations.
• Excellent strategic writing, analytical and problem‑solving skills, including the ability to prepare high‑quality documents for senior leaders, boards and inspectors.
• Proven ability to facilitate, influence and negotiate across complex partnerships, with strong political awareness, judgement and discretion.
• Experience of co‑production and of embedding the voices of children, young people and families in service design and strategic decision‑making.
• A collaborative, inclusive and resilient leadership style, with an outcome‑focused and continuous‑improvement mindset.

Our Area:

Wokingham Borough is set in the heart of Berkshire with excellent transport links to Reading and central London. Our area comprises a vibrant and historical market town, attractive villages, and miles of beautiful countryside.

We’re home to a range of high‑performing schools, a host of international businesses and an incredible community. The borough has a strong local economy with accelerated growth, a range of excellent public facilities and low levels of crime, offering an exceptional quality of life.

To arrange an informal discussion about the role, please contact the Children’s Strategy, Transformation and Commissioning Service hiring manager: [e-mail] (strictly no agencies).

Alternatively, you can contact Recruitment Specialist Alix Williams for a general discussion about the role and Wokingham Borough Council: [e-mail]

AI in Applications:

We recognise that candidates may choose to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support the preparation of their job applications. When used appropriately, AI can be a helpful aid in structuring responses, checking clarity, and improving presentation.

However, applications must reflect your own skills, experience and understanding. If an application appears to rely excessively on AI‑generated content, it may not meet the required standard and could be rejected.

We encourage all applicants to ensure their submissions are authentic, tailored to the role, and clearly demonstrate their own knowledge, experience and suitability.

If your application is shortlisted for an interview, you will be required to provide proof of your right to work in the UK at that stage. Additionally, successful candidates must present proof upon receiving a job offer.

Please note that all offers are conditional and subject to the satisfactory completion of pre‑employment checks.

Please be aware that we will be reviewing the applications we receive on a daily basis, and we reserve the right to close the advert early if suitable candidates are identified.

Wokingham Borough Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff, other workers and volunteers to share this commitment. All successful candidates for this role will be subject to Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks along with other relevant employment checks.

Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we regret that we are unable to respond to every applicant individually.

If you do not hear from us within 4 weeks of the application closing date, please assume that your application has not been successful on this occasion.

We appreciate your interest in joining Wokingham Borough Council and thank you for taking the time to apply.

Wokingham is an equal opportunities employer.