SERVICE DIRECTOR – Children, Young People & Families *MR

Working on behalf of a Local Authority, Aatom Recruitment has a new exciting opportunity for a Service Director – Children, Young People & Families on a 12 month contract with the possibility for further extension.

Key responsibilities:

• Provide strong, visible leadership and direction through compelling communication of the client’s vision and values to own Department, Federation and wider where necessary
• To act as the principal policy and professional advisor on the children, youth and families matters within own Department and provide specific subject matter expertise and advice to Directors, Chief Executive and Members as required.
• Ensure own department delivers the policies set by elected members, ensuring all staff understand and act on the aims of the organisation, in order to meet the needs of the people.
• Take lead responsibility for the overall management of the Department, with particular reference to the development and implementation of the strategies that protect children and young people and improve their life chances, ensuring the client’s financial, human resources and other assets are planned, deployed and managed effectively to deliver the priorities.
• To ensure the department provides cost effective and efficient services for customers
• Contribute to the development of programmes of local engagement and communication within the city with stakeholders and local communities designed to promote the work of the client and own Department and deepen the client’s understanding of those it exists to serve.
• Create an environment and culture that empowers and requires employees to work collaboratively and effectively across the Department, with the Directorate/Federation, organisation and with partners.
• Develop and engage in mutually beneficial relationships with partners and, where appropriate, integration of service delivery, to successfully deliver expected outcomes and benefits for the City

Role accountabilities:

• Lead CYPF Management Team to transfer and redesign services from traditional departmental structures into modern and effective customer services.
• Accountable for the development of the client’s commissioned services (working with the Head of Service Strategic Cooperative Commissioning) within the social care, youth and health arena.
• Lead on the digital transformation of the client ensuring that customer requirements are at the forefront of developments, that systems are fit for purpose and employees appropriately trained.
• Deliver services for all Children in Need.
• Ensures services within own department are focused on continuous improvement within agreed levels of customer satisfaction to best meet the needs of internal and external customers and citizens.
• Create and manage effective relationships and partnerships with a broad range of stakeholders, building support amongst them in order to deliver better public services
• Deliver the statutory functions within CYPF.

Requirements:

• A social work qualification and a registration to practice (with the Health and Care Professions).
• Knowledge of social care, youth and family services and commissioning frameworks and legislation, as well as current and future policy developments within the social care system.
• Substantial experience of leading and developing a successful social care department, including a strong commissioning and enabling model of delivery linked to outcomes.
• Substantial experience of maintaining high safeguarding standards and understanding of systems to protect vulnerable groups.
• Strong record of delivery and improvement of whole system change and development of effective commissioning strategies.
• Evidential ability to have identified strategies for collecting and using market and client data to drive performance improvements and efficiency.
• Strong record of the involvement of service users in the design and determination of services within the children’s social care sector.
• Leadership experience in a culture change environment
• Experience of deploying commercial and transformational acumen within medium or large organisations.
• Experience of developing strategies and translating them into effective operational plans gained in a multi-disciplinary organisation
• Proven experience of commissioning/delivering services to achieve quality and value for money for customers.
• Understanding of the principles of System Leadership.

If this sounds good to you, please apply or contact Pocholo!