Team Manager

Suffolk County Council; Ipswich; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 61,000; Full time

Job summary

Suffolk County Council is seeking an experienced Team Manager to lead our Integrated Front Door team in Ipswich. You will oversee safeguarding decision-making, ensuring children and families receive timely support and high-quality services.

Join us to shape practice, drive continuous improvement, and support practitioners in a busy multi-agency environment. This is an office-based role, five days per week, with a pro rata salary of £55,563 per annum for part time.

Qualifications

• Must be a qualified Social Worker registered with Social Work England.
• Significant management experience within Children’s Social Care.
• Strong understanding of safeguarding, thresholds and risk.
• Ability to provide direction when complex decisions need to be made.
• Develop and inspire practitioners to be their best.
• Track record of improving performance and driving change.

Responsibilities

• Lead, motivate and develop a high-performing Front Door team.
• Drive timely, safe and effective decision-making.
• Provide management oversight on contacts, referrals and thresholds.
• Support practitioners to deliver strengths-based, child-focused practice.
• Embed high-quality safeguarding and risk management.
• Drive performance, quality assurance and continuous improvement.
• Build strong partnerships across the multi-agency network.
• Create a culture of learning, accountability and professional curiosity.
• Be a visible, accessible leader providing oversight and guidance to practitioners.

Skills

Management experience

Safeguarding knowledge

Leadership

Performance improvement

Education

Social Worker registered with Social Work England

Job description

• Suffolk County Council
• Address: Landmark House, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP1 5PF. Office based
• Salary:£55,563 per annum (pro rata for part time)
• Hours:37 hours per week
• Contract: Permanent

At Suffolk County Council, every role is a chance to create positive change.

As an experienced, visible and confident Team Manager, you'll lead one of our Integrated Front Door teams at a key stage in our improvement and development journey. Through your leadership, you'll help ensure children and families receive the right support, at the right time, while shaping practice and driving continuous improvement across the service.

As Team Manager, you'll have the opportunity to influence practice at the very start of a child's journey, supporting high-quality safeguarding decisions and helping shape the service as part of Suffolk's ongoing improvement programme. Join us and turn your passion for progress into action.

Reimagine the possibilities.

Your role and responsibilities

You’ll lead a busy, multi-agency Front Door team responsible for safeguarding decision-making and ensuring children and families access the right support at the earliest opportunity.

You will:

• lead, motivate and develop a high-performing team
• drive timely, safe and effective decision-making
• provide management oversight on contacts, referrals and thresholds
• support practitioners to deliver strengths-based, child-focused practice
• embed high-quality safeguarding and risk management
• drive performance, quality assurance and continuous improvement
• build strong partnerships across the multi-agency network
• create a culture of learning, accountability and professional curiosity
• be a visible, accessible and supportive leader, providing regular oversight, guidance and challenge to practitioners within a busy Front Door environment.

You will need

• to be a qualified Social Worker registered with Social Work England
• to lead from the front and thrive in a fast-paced environment
• understanding that visibility, accessibility and support are key to success
• significant management experience within Children’s Social Care
• strong understanding of safeguarding, thresholds and risk
• the ability to provide direction when complex decisions need to be made
• to develop and inspire practitioners to be their very best
• a track record of improving performance and driving change.
• A passion for achieving outstanding outcomes for children and families.

Experience in Front Door, MASH or Assessment Services will be highly desirable.

The team

At Suffolk County Council, we aspire for every child to live their best life.

The Integrated Front Door is a fast-paced, multi-agency environment bringing together professionals from across the partnership, including social care, police, health and education, to ensure concerns are responded to quickly, consistently and effectively.

You’ll be part of a service that:

• Supports early decision-making and earlier help
• Works within a shared safeguarding framework and statutory duties
• Promotes joined-up, high-quality responses for children and families
• Plays a key role in Suffolk’s Families First approach.

This is an office-based role, five days per week. We believe that being together matters. Visible leadership supports better decision-making, stronger oversight, professional development and a culture where practitioners feel supported to do their best work.

Empowering Everyone

We’re 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.

For more information

Please contact either Scott Wentworth or Milly Clarkfor a casual conversation. You can reach them by either calling 01473 296371 or 01473 260673or emailing [e-mail] or [e-mail]

Closing date:11.30 pm, 1 November 2026.

Promoted as FJ (Featured Job) on Suffolk Jobs Direct.

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.

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