Assistant Team Manager/ Team Leader - Safeguarding

Salary Details: Scale Point 48 to 51 (£44,751 to 47,544)
Job Term: Permanent
Appointment Type: Full-time
Hours: 36
Location: Chessington
Directorate: Achieving For Children
Service / School: Children’s Social Care 

About us 
Working for Achieving for Children, you will have the opportunity to operate at the cutting edge of children’s services delivery. We are an award-winning social enterprise created by Kingston and Richmond Councils in 2014, and responsible for delivering the entirety of both boroughs’ children’s services. 

We have been up and running for three years, and in that time we have established a reputation as one of the leading children’s services providers in the country. We are one of the Department for Education’s eight ‘Partners in Practice’, tasked with leading improvement across the sector.

What we’re looking for 
To be successful in this role as Assistant Team Manager/ Team Leader, you will be an expert in your field, with extensive front-line child protection and court work experience. You will bring a wealth of knowledge and be inspirational in your approach to managing diverse and complex cases. You will have sound communication skills, including written and verbal. This role requires you to have a social work qualification and be HCPC registered. You will work with the Head of Service and take operational responsibility to ensure the delivery of team objectives and ensuring targets are met.Full support for personal development, career progression and further training will be provided. 

For this post we require:

• Experience of supervision of staff and preferably managing a team with a complex caseload 
• A recognised Social Work qualification and registration with the H.C.P.C.
• Substantial experience of working with vulnerable children 
• Evidence of effective performance management 
• Strong analytical, and planning skills 
• Use of relevant research methods, including critical reflection and evidenced-based decision making
• Evidence of continued professional development.

In return, we offer a dynamic, friendly and supportive working environment with a focus on on-going development. 

If you would like to find out more about this exciting opportunity, please contact Justine Walesby, justine.walesby@achievingforchildren.org.uk for an informal discussion. 

If you have the management style, that will ensure effective decision making, provide high-quality supervision, and rigorous management oversight then this will be the role for you. 

Our social work promise 
We are able to offer the successful candidate a multi-professional, supportive and engaging environment in which to practice. Our social work support programmes are underpinned by a practice framework that broadens and deepens your knowledge of social work. In addition, we have recently introduced an exciting, bespoke ‘hub model’ funded our Partner in Practice work. This model encourages social workers, family support workers and systemic family therapists to work in partnership, driving down caseloads and collaborating on cases.   

Benefit of working for Achieving for Children  
was recently named as Social Work Employer of the Year at the prestigious Social Worker of the Year awards ceremony, beating off competition from local authorities and national agencies to win the award. As a social enterprise owned by two local authorities, we offer the freedoms of a social enterprise with the employment benefits of local government.   

The successful candidate will have access to;

• The opportunity to work in Chessington, which is able to offer free parking for its staff and great transportation links
• Generous annual leave entitlements, cycle to work scheme, annual season ticket loan, childcare vouchers, and discounts on a range of local shops, restaurants, gyms and leisure centres and much more. 
• Excellent learning and development opportunities and schemes of support 
• A competitive and desirable retention package (to include a generous local government pension scheme) 
• Retention of continuous service benefits, for those moving from a local government post 
• A clear progression path when key qualification milestones are reached 
• Tools and models to support practice, including Signs of Safety 
• Reflective supervision from an experienced management team     

You will find out more about our organisation at https://www.achievingforchildren.org.uk/   

How to apply 
Before applying please refer to the role profile and ensure you meet the essential criteria. You will then need to complete the online application, adding a supporting statement addressing how you meet the criteria outlined the role profile.

Achieving for Children is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. 

All candidates will be required to undertake a Criminal Record Check. The possession of a criminal record will not necessarily prevent an applicant from obtaining this post, as all cases are judged individually according to the nature of the role and information provided. However, should you not declare an offence that is subsequently revealed, e.g. through the DBS check, then this may place your appointment in jeopardy.

For more information about this role please click here to view the role profile.

Apply here.