Team Manager

Suffolk County Council; Bury St Edmunds; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 61,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

LGPS

Flexible working options

Annual leave

Training & development

Job summary

Suffolk County Council is recruiting a Team Manager (Social Work Qualified) within our Family Help Service in Suffolk. You will lead practice teams, ensuring timely, relationship-based interventions for children and families, with a focus on safeguarding and service improvement.

You will build a positive learning culture, provide professional supervision, and develop partnerships across education, health, police and other agencies to achieve the best outcomes.

Qualifications

• Qualified social worker with current Social Work England registration.
• Experience leading, managing and developing staff in children’s social care.
• Strong knowledge of safeguarding, child protection, legislation and national policy.
• Proven ability to make complex decisions, manage risk and deliver service outcomes.
• Experience of partnership working across education, health, police and other agencies.
• Willingness to travel and drive where needed.

Responsibilities

• Lead, manage and develop a multidisciplinary team of social workers and practitioners.
• Provide reflective supervision, professional guidance and performance management.
• Oversee complex child protection, safeguarding and family support work.
• Support effective decision-making and risk management across the team.
• Drive high-quality, strengths-based practice using Signs of Safety and Wellbeing principles.
• Monitor service performance, case quality and statutory compliance.
• Lead on quality assurance activities, including audits and practice improvement.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Decision making

Risk management

Partnership working

Team development

Strategic thinking

Education

Social Work qualification and SW England registration

Job description

• Suffolk County Council


• Address: West Suffolk House, Bury St Edmunds IP33 3YU and Haverhill House, Haverhill CB9 9HB - Hybrid


• Salary: £55,563 per annum (pro rata for part time)


• Hours: 37 hours per week, flexible working options available


• Contract: Permanent

At Suffolk County Council, collaboration is at the heart of what we do. As a Team Manager (Social Work Qualified) in our Family Help Service, you'll lead social work practice that helps children and families achieve lasting and meaningful change.

You will join a service committed to delivering the right support at the right time, bringing together safeguarding, child protection, targeted early help and multi‑agency working to achieve the best outcomes for children and young people across Suffolk. The role requires strong leadership, sound decision‑making and a passion for developing high‑quality practice.

Your role and responsibilities

You will lead and develop a multidisciplinary team, providing professional oversight, support and challenge to ensure children and families receive effective, timely and relationship‑based interventions.

You will create a positive learning culture where social workers and practitioners feel supported to deliver their best work, while maintaining high standards of safeguarding practice and effective risk management. You will also play a key role in supporting service improvement and strengthening partnership working across the wider system.

You will:

• lead, manage and develop a team of social workers and practitioners


• provide reflective supervision, professional guidance and performance management


• oversee complex child protection, safeguarding and family support work


• support effective decision-making and risk management across the team


• drive high‑quality, strengths‑based practice using Suffolk Signs of Safety and Wellbeing principles


• monitor service performance, case quality and statutory compliance


• lead on quality assurance activity, including audits and practice improvement


• support safe and effective transitions for children and families between services


• develop and maintain strong partnerships with professionals across education, health, police and other agencies


• contribute to workforce planning, recruitment, retention and staff development


• lead change, innovation and continuous improvement within the service.

You will need

We are looking for an experienced and passionate social work leader who is committed to achieving the best outcomes for children and families.

You will bring:

• a recognised Social Work qualification and current Social Work England registration


• significant frontline experience in children’s social care, including safeguarding and child protection


• experience of leading, managing and developing staff


• strong knowledge of relevant legislation, statutory guidance and national policy


• experience of complex decision-making, risk management and service delivery


• the ability to build effective partnerships across professional disciplines


• excellent communication, organisational and performance management skills


• the ability to use performance information to drive service improvement


• experience of leading service improvements or organisational change


• knowledge of Signs of Safety and solution‑focused approaches


• understanding of evidence‑informed interventions


• experience of working alongside a range of partner agencies


• an awareness of the wider operational and strategic environment within children’s services.


• due to the travel requirements of the role, you will need a driving licence and access to personal transport. If you can meet these requirements through other suitable means, please contact the Hiring Manager to discuss.

We aspire for every child in Suffolk to live their best life.

Our Family Help teams bring together social workers and practitioners to provide coordinated support, early intervention, safeguarding and child protection services for children and families. We are committed to delivering relationship‑based and strengths‑focused practice that creates sustainable change and helps families build on their own strengths.

You will be joining a supportive and collaborative service where learning, development and continuous improvement are actively encouraged. This is an exciting opportunity to influence practice, support colleagues and help shape the future of Family Help across Suffolk.

Take a look at what makes our Ideal Worker, shaped by the voices of young people: find out more .

Empowering Everyone

We are big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We’re always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in our Workforce Equality Report .

In return, you'll enjoy:

• up to 29 days annual leave entitlement (pro rata), plus UK bank holidays and two paid volunteering days


• membership of a competitive Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)


• travel, lifestyle, health and wellbeing benefits


• performance‑related annual pay progression, in addition to an annual cost‑of‑living pay increase


• training and encouragement to expand your knowledge


• a variety of career development opportunities across our organisation


• diverse and active staff networks


• flexible working options, with the right to request flexible working from your first day

Closing date: 11.30 pm, 30 September 2026

Interview date: 12 October 2026

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts. #LI-Hybrid

As a modern and effective council, we offer a wide variety of careers to suit people with a range of skills, abilities and ambitions. We offer working options that flex to reflect the way people work today and take the time to understand and support your individual needs. We’re driven to make a positive difference to the world around us and encourage everyone with drive and focus to join us and build an influential and impactful career. Reimagine the possibilities.