Team Manager - Adolescent Service

Ernst & Young; Erith; On-site; GBP 38,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in Erith seeks an Adolescent Team Manager to lead a dynamic group of Social Workers. You will oversee high-quality practice supporting adolescents facing significant challenges. The role requires strong leadership and extensive knowledge of social work legislation. As a pivotal leader, you will manage complex cases and drive positive outcomes for young people. This position offers competitive benefits including 40 days of annual leave and a generous pension plan.

Benefits

40 days annual leave

Flexible working

Generous pension plan

Qualifications

• Hold a Social Work qualification with Social Work England membership.
• Advanced qualification in Social Work is preferred.
• Knowledge of Children Act 1989 and 2004, and Children & Families Act 2014.

Responsibilities

• Oversee a team of 6-8 skilled Social Workers.
• Ensure high-quality social work practice for adolescents and families.
• Coordinate support and care planning using trauma-informed approaches.

Skills

Leadership

Social Work qualification

Children Act legislation knowledge

Management experience

Complex case management

Education

Advanced qualification in Social Work

Job description

Adolescent Team Manager – Wandsworth Council

As a Team Manager, you will oversee a dynamic group of 6-8 skilled Social Workers, including a Systemic Social Worker and an ASYE Social Worker, plus a Practice Specialist. Reporting to the Service Manager, you will provide strong supervision and management oversight, ensuring high-quality social work practice that supports adolescents and their families.

About the role: This is a specialist role within Wandsworth’s Adolescent Service, which adopts a Contextual Safeguarding approach to tackle risks such as child sexual exploitation, criminal exploitation, serious youth violence, gangs, and online abuse. You will work closely with partner agencies to coordinate wraparound support and robust care planning, using trauma‑informed and relational frameworks to protect young people and help them thrive. Your leadership will be pivotal in delivering our vision and strategic priorities, managing complex cases involving contextual and extra‑familial harm, and driving positive outcomes for young people.

Location: Erith
Salary: £37,310.00
Hours: Sunday to Thursday 14.00 – 22.00

We may close this vacancy early once a sufficient number of applications has been received. Please submit your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Qualifications

• Hold a Social Work qualification with Social Work England membership.
• Have an advanced qualification in Social Work or evidence of having met the capabilities at advanced level.
• Show systematic working knowledge and understanding of the Children Act 1989 and 2004 and the Children & Families Act 2014, including awareness of current national policy drivers, legislation and how they affect children's social care.
• Exhibit extensive leadership and management knowledge and experience in a similar role working with children and families.
• Experience managing a team/service with a complex caseload, developing effective work allocation and case‑work prioritisation systems.
• Deploy resources flexibly to respond to service pressures.
• Interpret management information and performance data to identify performance issues and develop solutions.

If you are an experienced leader with a strong background in adolescent and statutory social work, and you are ready to guide a skilled team through complex challenges, this is your opportunity to make a lasting impact.

Richmond & Wandsworth Better Service Partnership are committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone. We promote equality and diversity and develop a culture that values differences, recognising that employees from a variety of backgrounds bring important and positive contributions to the Councils and can improve the way we deliver services. We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer. If you require any reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment and selection process, please let us know. We are also committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Some posts may be exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, and the appointment to these posts will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

Benefits: 40 days annual leave (including Bank Holidays), flexible working, and a generous pension plan.