Practice Development Manager

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About Us

North Somerset Council is committed to providing high-quality services to our community. We are committed to creating a fair, green, and more inclusive environment for all our residents. Join us and contribute to making a positive impact on our community.

The Role

We are seeking a dedicated and experienced Practice Development Manager to lead our Learning, Development & Participation Teams. Its an incredibly exciting time to join us; the team is driving forward a rich learning & development offer for our social care workforce, with our relational practice model at its heart, and we are creating our own relational learning academy for newly qualified and international social workers. Our Participation Team is growing, and children, young people, and adults with lived experience of intervention or care experience are central to how we shape and develop our services. If you are an experienced practitioner or manager, and want to be part of our journey to deliver family-led, restorative, and relational practice, this role may be a perfect fit for you!

Key Responsibilities:

• Support the design and delivery of social work learning and development pathways, which are responsive to identified areas for practice improvement & workforce learning
• Evaluate the effectiveness of learning and development activity, reporting regularly to key stakeholders on impact and outcomes.
• Build and maintain strong and effective working relationships with quality assurance colleagues and across the Directorate and partnership, to enable a timely and effective response to practice improvement within a wider learning culture.
• Lead and support the continual development and improvement of pre and post qualification pathways to support growing our own staff and building a stable and able workforce.
• Support the development of an effective participation strategy and lead the Participation Team with embedding this across Childrens Services.

This position is exempt under the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions) Order 1975 and is subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check.

Work Style

At North Somerset Council, we offer a hybrid working environment based on four distinct work styles. Depending on the role and personal circumstances, you will fall into one of these categories. However, please note that during the induction period, it may be necessary to spend more time in the office to support your learning and development. We are flexible and open to discussions about your preferred working style, and if you wish to be in the office more frequently, this can be negotiated.

This role falls into the category of Flexible Worker which means you can expect to work in the following way:

• 2-3 days in the office
• Works both from home and the office, depending on the task at hand.
• Training is provided to help balance work-life and manage time effectively, with an emphasis on communication for team touchpoints and planning in-office days for collaboration.

About You

We are looking for an individual who is passionate about learning, development, and participation, and who possesses the following skills and experience:

Essential Criteria:

• Degree or equivalent in Social Work
• Social Work England registration
• Significant post qualifying experience
• Direct experience of supervising social care professionals
• Understanding and experience of supporting the delivery of pre and post qualification career development pathways (eg Apprenticeships & ASYE).
• Knowledge and understanding of the interdependencies between quality assurance and practice improvement activity

What We Offer

At North Somerset Council, we value our employees and provide a supportive and inclusive work environment.

We offer:

• Competitive salary and benefits
• Flexible working arrangements
• Local Government Pension
• Opportunities for professional development
• Inclusive Staff groups including Carers, Disabled, LGBTQ+, REACH (Race, Ethnicity, and Cultural Heritage), and Young Staff Forums
• Opportunity to purchase up to an additional 10 days annual leave each year
• Dedicated in house Wellbeing Team
• Salary sacrifice Cycle to Work and Electric Vehicle schemes

Further details of our excellent rewards package can be found in our Benefits booklet .

How to Apply

If you share our vision and values and are ready to make an impact to North Somerset, please select the apply online button below. If you are interested in this exciting opportunity, please submit your application by 11.59pm on the application closing date. When completing our online application form, please detail how you meet the essential criteria for the role.

Contact Information

For further information about the role, please contact Laura Clements, Principal Social Worker at laura.clements@n-somerset.gov.uk or 07891814045.

Important Information

As a Disability Confident Leader, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the job role.

Interview date: Thursday 27 th March 2025.

Please note: We are currently only able to accept applications from candidates who have full permission to work in the UK.

Equal Opportunities

At North Somerset Council we want all our employees to feel valued and appreciated. We aim to ensure equality of opportunity and prevent discrimination irrespective of your sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion or belief, race, age, disability, including neurodiversity, if you are married or in a civil partnership or are pregnant or currently on maternity leave. We strive to create a workplace that reflects the communities we serve and where everyone feels empowered to bring their full, authentic selves to work.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment.