Head of Service Strategic Safeguarding and Quality Assurance
This job is brought to you by Jobs/Redefined, the UK's leading over-50s age inclusive jobs board.
Job description
Full-Time, Permanent
Transforming our service to put the needs of families and children at its heart
The challenge
Diverse, vibrant and growing, Bristol is the largest city in the South West and home to some 82,200 children. Our Children and Families team is determined to make Bristol a city where every child belongs and every child gets the best start in life, whatever circumstances they are born into. We are especially proud of our strengths-based work in systemic practice and the positive culture in our team.
As our Head of Service for Strategic Safeguarding and Quality Assurance, you will work alongside other senior members of the directorate to ensure we align with the findings of the government's Stable Homes Built on Love consultation. It's a busy and interesting role, with real opportunities to make a difference. You'll use your expertise to ensure our social work professionals have the training, support and resources they need to work effectively with families, vulnerable children and those in care.
Your role
Joining a stable, committed and innovative senior leadership team, your focus will be on developing our new systemic practice hub and the evolution of our child protection service in line with our systemic principles. Responsible for the children's workforce development team, you will shape our recruitment and retention strategy. You will also lead the Directorate in policy, performance and quality assurance work and collaborative working under the Keeping Bristol Safe Partnership. Responsibility for the Child Protection Conference Service, Independent Reviewing Officers and LADO also falls within your remit.
About you
We're looking for someone with the vision and capability to develop services that improve outcomes for citizens and customers. You'll therefore have well-developed leadership skills, including the ability to manage, motivate and inspire people through change. A registered and qualified social worker, with strong frontline experience in children's services, you'll know what good practice looks like and how to achieve it with and through others. You'll also be used to partnership working, analytical problem-solving and budgetary management. Highly developed advocacy, negotiation and presentation skills are important.
The benefits
In return you'll have access to a range of valuable benefits including membership of the Local Government Pension scheme and generous annual leave entitlement. We place high value on creating an inclusive, healthy workplace and offer a range of flexible working options and family friendly policies.
How do I apply?
To apply, please submit your CV along with a supporting statement that details how you meet the criteria within the Person Specification.
To be shortlisted for interview you'll need to demonstrate how you meet each of the essential criteria in the Person Specification. On occasion we will receive high numbers of applications, we may then shortlist against the desirable criteria along with the essential criteria, so if you can, please demonstrate how you meet this in your covering letter.
Closing date: Sunday 2nd June 2024.
Interviews to be held: 18th June 2024.
For further information, please refer to the Job Description and Person Specification or for informal enquiries please contact Fiona.Tudge@bristol.gov.uk
At Bristol City Council, we value having a workforce as diverse as the city we serve. We therefore welcome, develop and promote people from all sections of the community. We particularly welcome applications from Women, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic candidates and Disabled candidates who are currently under-represented within senior leadership roles of Bristol City Council. Appointments will be made on merit.