Enfield Council is seeking a Service Manager to manage and develop the Child in Need and Child Protection service.
If you are a dynamic and passionate person committed to working with and supporting children and young people, this is your chance to join us. We offer a high quality and innovative service for children in Enfield and are on a journey to Outstanding. We have an established culture that places children at the centre of all our practice, underpinned by an extensive quality assurance framework. We are both relentless in our commitment and dedication to improving services and ambitious for all our children and young people to have the best start in life to achieve their potential. We are committed to “signs of safety” and need exceptional leaders who are committed to embedding this model of working and understand and champion “motivational interviewing” to achieve good quality social work engagement to make a positive difference for children, young people and their families. Enfield is committed to providing children and their families with the right support at the right time and thus this post is key to delivering the first response for every child. Our Enfield Centre of Excellence provides dedicated support to the Children and Family Service and this includes support from the Practice Lead, Principal Social Worker, Social Work Practice Mentor, ASYE Consultant and the Learning and Development Manager.
Enfield is one of London’s most vibrant and diverse boroughs. It is one of the most sought-after areas to live in London with good schools, abundant green spaces and local amenities, as well as great transport links and vibrant and diverse communities. We believe Enfield is the best place in London for someone to develop their career as a children’s social care leader and working with a wide range of partners including schools, health, and police, will enhance your system leadership skills.
As Service Manager we are looking for:
a strong understanding of what best good practice looks like and be passionate about inspiring and improving children’s lives, as well as the continuous professional development of social work practitioners and team managers.
have a demonstrable track record of leading, motivating and managing teams and programmes to achieve significant, sustainable service improvements and outstanding results
proven experience of leading and delivering statutory services.
managing and being accountable for high-level risk and decision making in relation to children in need and those in need of protection
excellent communication and relationship development skills.
demonstrable experience of influencing and negotiating at a senior level.
have a demonstrable track record of leading, motivating and managing teams and programmes to achieve significant, sustainable service improvements and outstanding results
About you
Educated to degree level or equivalent
Qualified and registered social worker (SWE)
Knowledge of what excellence looks like and champion best practice and have a thorough working knowledge of relevant legislation and local, regional and national practice that underpins child protection work
A visionary leader with a passion for making a positive impact on the lives of children and families
Benefits of working for Us:
Highly competitive salary
An excellent pension scheme
Up to 31 days’ annual leave in addition to Bank Holidays
The opportunity to build/shape your career in social work through our excellent training offer including Mentoring and Coaching programme
4 weeks sabbatical leave with pay after 3 years of continuous service with Enfield Council
Investment into your staff well-being
Regular supervision and access to a clinical therapist to support your work
SMART working options which include home and office-based working
Staff discount scheme
An excellent location and welcoming modern offices with the ability to travel easily and cycle around the borough, accessing our Cycle to Work scheme
For an informal discussion please contact the Head of Child Protection and Vulnerable Children – Rashmi Patel on 020 8132 2962 or the Director of Children & Family - Anne Stoker on 0208 3794075.
If you have any difficulties accessing this information, please contact Rebecca Spyrou on 0208 132 0008 or rebecca.spyrou@enfield.gov.uk
Closing date: 20th August 2023
Interviews: 6-8th September 2023
Job Specifics – Skills, Experience, Knowledge, Behaviours Essential: 1. Proven experience to lead, engage, motivate, appraise and develop staff to deliver high standards of service and performance 2. Successfully led teams to respond positively to change 3. Experience of effective budget management and deliver services plans on time and on budget 4. A good understanding of the political structure and role of elected members 5. As a regular and intrinsic part of this role requires you to speak to members of the public in English, the ability to converse at ease with customers and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential and consistent with the requirements of this role. This role also requires you to be polite and courteous when conversing with the public. 6. Recognised SW qualification and SWE registered 7. Extensive experience of managing operational services to vulnerable children 8. Experience of strategic leadership across partnerships 9. Expert knowledge of legislation and statutory requirements in relation to all vulnerable children 10. Ability to drive through service improvements and performance management 11. Positive, committed, adaptable, robust and confident approach 12. Sound judgement in devising and evaluating options and dealing with complex issues Desirable:
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Behaviours Appropriate behaviours are key to the delivery of our vision for Enfield. We want staff who will work collaboratively, flexibly and constructively, and exhibit this ethos in all their dealings with residents, colleagues and partners. Our leaders will be exemplars of the following behaviours and encourage them in staff at all levels; Takes Responsibility We want staff who are willing to make decisions and be accountable for them. Staff should have a positive can-do attitude where they see problems as challenges which can be overcome. They should accept responsibility for service delivery, be clear about their service offer and deliver what they promise. Is Open, Honest and Respectful We want staff who are comfortable and confident to acknowledge the difficulties and the barriers they face. They should also be able to constructively challenge the way things are done where there is evidence that it impedes service delivery. Challenge should be conducted in a professional, courteous manner with the aim of reaching a mutually agreeable resolution. Actively Listening and Learning We want staff who are prepared to actively listen and reflect on customer concerns with a view to understanding the customer’s point of view. Staff should be able to receive constructive criticism and be prepared to adapt the way they operate and deliver services where appropriate. Working Together to find solutions We want staff who can work collaboratively with other departments and partners, freely sharing their knowledge and skills to identify solutions to address customer concerns. Candidates: Please ensure you address these behaviours in your responses to the essential and desirable (if applicable) criteria above.
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Competencies: Candidates: Please ensure you address these competencies in your responses to the essential and desirable (if applicable criteria above). 1. Customer focus 2. Deliver service performance 3. Focus on continuous improvement 4. Political awareness and context
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Qualifications & Professional registration criteria Candidates: Please ensure you address these qualifications in your responses to the essential criteria, you will be expected to meet these requirements of the role and they will be explored with you at interview. Social work qualification
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Special requirements Candidates: Please note you will be expected to meet these requirements of the role and they will be explored with you at interview. In-depth knowledge and understanding of the statutory, policy, strategic and service delivery framework in which local government and Children’s Services operates.
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Enfield is one of the most diverse parts of London, with all the benefits this brings across our communities, culture, heritage and local economy. It also has incredibly diverse landscapes – from the urban centres of Edmonton, Southgate, Palmers Green and Enfield Town, to rural areas and farmland in the north of the borough.
Based in the bubbling heart of Enfield Town, situated in a modern newly designed service hub, the new office is an environment which supports our smart working policy surrounded by small businesses, bars, restaurants, a buzzing high street and shopping centre. Our brand new high-tech multiagency office has good transport links into central London and is easily assessable to the M25, A10 and A406.
We are proud of the services we offer to children and families living in the borough and work with partners to ensure children receive the best start in life. We are passionate about improving outcomes and driving up standards and performance. Ofsted has rated our children’s services as GOOD overall, read the full report here
Our offer to you include:
A rewarding role in an Ofsted rated GOOD children’s services department
Up to 32 days annual leave depending on grade and length of service. You will also get eight public holidays per year and an extra day off at Christmas.
A blend of remote and office based working
Health and leisure discounts and tax-free bikes for work.
Modern purposefully designed working environment in Thomas Hardy House located 5 minutes from the station
A clear career progression pathway, supported by a comprehensive training programme
Smart technology assistance including hybrid video conferencing
Employee Assistance Programme to provide advice and counselling services. This is a free and confidential service available to staff and members of their family.
Enthusiastic and proactive staff network groups
1 month paid sabbatical for children’s social workers