Assistant Director for Children's Safeguarding & Care

Assistant Director for Children's Safeguarding & Care

Brighton

Up to £94,500

We are recruiting for an Assistant Director with responsibility for Children’s Safeguarding & Care, reporting directly into the Executive Director for Families, Children & Learning (DCS).

The city of Brighton & Hove is on a journey to providing excellent social work services to children, young people and their families. After a period of significant stability which has involved a positive ILACs inspection in 2018 where a Good judgement was obtained, and an ILACs focused visit in 2020 which recognised continued improvement, we are now looking to recruit to a key post to lead our services to Outstanding.

We are looking for a dynamic and ambitious senior manager who can continue our journey to excellence, building on the significant improvements made within our children’s safeguarding and care services over the past 5 years.

You will be responsible for the city’s children’s social work services and must be committed to a relationship-based practice model, that recognises the strengths within families.  You will have oversight of and accountability for, the Front Door for Families (which comprises our MASH and Early Help Hub); our social work pods which provide support to children and their families from the point of initial contact to when they exit the social work system; our fostering, placements and permanence services; our specialist Adolescent Service which brings together our YOS, adolescent health, Functional Family Therapy and specialist adolescent social work pod.  You will also lead the preparation for and management of the process for inspections.

You must be a qualified social worker, registered with Social Work England, who can demonstrate how they have improved practice, can engage with partners and listen to the voice of children and young people.

Essential Qualifications

• DipSW or equivalent
• Registration with Social Work England
• Post qualifying qualifications (e.g. management qualification)

Experience

• Further professional qualification in social work.
• Knowledge and experience of managing large and complex organisations.
• Experience and evidenced expertise in delivery excellent safeguarding social work practice across the child’s journey.
• Ability to work within a complex political environment and awareness of, and sensitivity to, the political implications of professional and managerial decisions
• Understanding of the context of a Local Safeguarding Children’s Partnership and the role of Practice Leader in this.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; advocacy; presentation; influencing and negotiating skills.
• Experience of working with a range of partners and ability to influence to improve outcomes for children and their families.
• Senior management experience and a proven track record of success at a senior level.
• A passion for supporting vulnerable children, young people their families

The salary for this post is up to £94,500.  Relocation package up to £10,000 may be available for a candidate who relocates to the area.

If you are interested in this position or would like to have a confidential discussion to find out further details please contact Deb Austin, Executive Director Families, Children & Learning at deb.austin@brighton-hove.gov.uk or 01273 29046.

To apply for this post, please visit our website.

Closing date: Sunday 14 March 2021.

Interviews: week commencing 29 March 2021.

We welcome applications from all sections of the community but particularly encourage applicants from a BME or White Other background as well as those who identify as disabled, LGB, female or trans as these groups are currently under-represented in our Directorate workforce.