Team Manager - Assessment Service

We Manage Jobs(WMJobs); Dudley; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Office-based 3 days/week

Job summary

We Manage Jobs (WMJobs) is seeking a confident Team Manager to lead Dudley’s Assessment Team within Children’s Services. You will shape early interventions and oversee robust, timely assessments, guiding staff and coordinating multi‑agency responses in a demanding front‑line setting.

The role requires qualified, experienced social work leadership with a focus on risk management, decision‑making, and delivering high‑quality outcomes for children and families.

Qualifications

• Qualified, experienced social worker with a strong track record in children’s services
• Sound understanding of front-line services, thresholds, and assessment processes
• Strong skills in risk assessment, decision‑making, and service leadership
• Confident leading in a fast‑paced, high‑pressure environment
• Can motivate, support and develop staff to achieve high standards
• Organised, resilient and able to manage competing priorities effectively
• Committed to delivering timely, high‑quality interventions that improve outcomes for children

Responsibilities

• Lead and support a team of social workers delivering high-quality assessments
• Oversee timely decision-making at the front door, ensuring children receive the right response at the right time
• Provide clear direction on complex and high-risk cases, ensuring effective risk management
• Drive strong performance and quality of practice across a busy and demanding service
• Support your team to work effectively under pressure, maintaining high professional standards
• Ensure assessments are analytical, child-centred, and outcome-focused
• Work closely with partners to ensure a coordinated multi-agency response
• Collaborate with senior leaders to manage demand, improve services, and embed best practice

Skills

Social work

Leadership

Risk assessment

Decision making

Staff development

Organisational skills

Job description

Ready to lead at the front door of children’s services?

We’re looking for a confident, driven and inspiring Team Manager to lead one of our Assessment Teams—a critical service that sits at the front of Dudley Children’s Services, making timely decisions that shape the journey of children and families from the outset. This is a fast-paced and influential leadership role where your decisions and oversight will directly impact how we safeguard children and support families at the earliest point of intervention. You will lead a team managing high levels of demand, ensuring assessments are robust, timely and focused on achieving the right outcomes.

If you thrive in a dynamic environment, enjoy leading under pressure, and are passionate about high-quality practice—this could be the role for you.

As Team Manager, you will:

• Lead and support a team of social workers delivering high-quality assessments
• Oversee timely decision-making at the front door, ensuring children receive the right response at the right time
• Provide clear direction on complex and high-risk cases, ensuring effective risk management
• Drive strong performance and quality of practice across a busy and demanding service
• Support your team to work effectively under pressure, maintaining high professional standards
• Ensure assessments are analytical, child-centred, and outcome-focused
• Work closely with partners to ensure a coordinated multi-agency response
• Collaborate with senior leaders to manage demand, improve services, and embed best practice

About you

You’re someone who:

• Is a qualified, experienced social worker with a strong track record in children’s services
• Has a sound understanding of front-line services, thresholds, and assessment processes
• Brings strong skills in risk assessment, decision‑making, and service leadership
• Is confident leading in a fast‑paced, high‑pressure environment
• Can motivate, support and develop staff to achieve high standards
• Is organised, resilient and able to manage competing priorities effectively
• Is committed to delivering timely, high‑quality interventions that improve outcomes for children

Why join Dudley?

At Dudley Children’s Services, we are committed to innovation, improvement, and putting children first.

In this role, you’ll have the opportunity to:

• Lead at a critical point in the child’s journey, shaping outcomes from the start
• Develop your leadership in a challenging and rewarding front‑line service
• Be part of a supportive and collaborative leadership team
• Play a key role in driving service improvements and managing demand effectively
• Benefit from hybrid working, with an expectation of 3 in‑person office‑based days per week

This is more than a management role This is your opportunity to lead at the front line of safeguarding, ensuring children and families receive the right help at the right time, and setting the standard for high‑quality assessment practice across the service.

If you’re ready to lead with confidence, make critical decisions, and drive meaningful change—we’d love to hear from you.