Team Manager

Kent County Council; Kings Hill; Hybrid; GBP 66,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in Kings Hill seeks a Team Manager for its Children in Care Service. The role involves leading a dedicated team of social workers, providing support and supervision, and working closely with various agencies. Required qualifications include a Social Work degree and significant experience in children’s services. The position offers a competitive salary up to £65,246, hybrid working, and additional benefits including relocation support.

Benefits

Retention scheme of £3,000

£4,000 Golden Hello

Up to £8,000 relocation package

Excellent local authority pension scheme

Qualifications

• Social Work England registered with a Social Work degree.
• Extensive post-qualification experience supervising staff.
• Deep knowledge of legislation and policy related to Children.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of social workers and deliver improved services.
• Provide high-quality caseload supervision.
• Work with agencies to develop social work services.

Skills

Managerial experience

Knowledge of safeguarding processes

Staff supervision

Understanding of children's legislation

Education

Social Work degree (Dip SW or equivalent)

Job description

About the role

We have a rare vacancy in one of the 5 teams for a Team Manager within West Kent Children in Care Service, based at Worrall House in Kings Hill, West Malling. West Kent covers the districts of Sevenoaks, Swanley, Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge & Malling and Maidstone. This is a hybrid working role offering you the opportunity of a good work‑home life balance.

Key responsibilities

• Lead a close‑knit team of 5/6 social workers, championing social work values and delivering improved services and outcomes for children and young people.
• Provide daily support and high‑quality caseload supervision, ensuring the team meets complex and changing demands of the service and enabling their development.
• Work in partnership with a broad range of agencies to contribute to the development of Children’s Social Work Services procedures and policies.
• Advisely on commissioning strategies, ensuring services are developed and accessible to all children, young people and families needing support, protection and intervention.
• Adhere to statutory duties under Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016), maintaining a command of spoken English/Welsh sufficient for effective performance of the role.
• Have or demonstrate managerial experience and specialist knowledge of the service user group, including safeguarding processes, work with children in care (LAC procedures), care proceedings & adoption, supervision, budget management, and joint work with statutory, private and voluntary sectors.
• Lead and develop the team, supporting and challenging social workers effectively and contributing to practice and policy development.

Qualifications and experience

Social Work England registered with a Social Work degree (Dip SW or equivalent). Extensive post‑qualification experience, including supervising staff, deep knowledge of legislation, policy and practice relating to Children, and a good understanding of social work theories applied to the Kent Practice Framework.

Experience of supervising staff, in‑depth knowledge of legislation, policy and practice relating to Children, and an understanding of social work theories applied to the Kent Practice Framework.

Diversity and inclusion

KCC is committed to building a workforce which reflects the diversity of the county’s working residents, encouraging applications from people of all ages, abilities, genders, sexual orientations, ethnic backgrounds, faiths and those with caring responsibilities, and aspires to create an inclusive workplace where everyone can be themselves at work.

Salary and benefits

Competitive basic salary between £52,716 and £60,246, dependent on experience, plus £3,000 per annum retention scheme and £2,000 car allowance. Potential to earn up to £65,246 per year. Additional benefits include a £4,000 Golden Hello (subject to eligibility) and up to £8,000 relocation package (subject to eligibility), excellent local authority pension scheme, staff benefits package, and excellent career development and training.

Eligible candidates must hold a Full UK Driving Licence; the Council is committed to making reasonable adjustments, so applicants unable to drive due to a disability will still be considered.

Application deadline

Please note – if you are interested, please apply soon as possible, as the closing date for this advert may be earlier than stated should a number of suitably qualified candidates apply.