Are you ready to lead change and help shape the future of child protection practice in Kirklees?

This is an exciting opportunity to join Kirklees Council as Team Manager for our new Multi-Agency Child Protection Team. The team has been established in line with the Department for Education’s Families First reforms and represents a significant step forward in how we work with children, families and partners at the front door of safeguarding.

We are looking for an experienced, confident and values-driven social work leader who can help develop and embed this new team, strengthen multi-agency working, and ensure that children and families receive the right response at the right time. You will play a key role in shaping practice, supporting staff, managing risk proportionately and ensuring safeguarding remains at the heart of everything we do.

About the role

As Team Manager, you will be accountable for the development and delivery of a complex range of key services in line with policy, legislation, professional standards and best practice. You will provide strong, visible leadership to the Multi-Agency Child Protection Team and work closely with partners across children’s social care, police, health, education and wider safeguarding services.

You will report to the Service Manager and Head of Service and will work as part of the wider management team to design, implement and embed service changes that improve outcomes for children and families. This is a key leadership role within a new and developing area of practice, offering the successful candidate the opportunity to influence how Kirklees responds to child protection concerns in a collaborative, timely and child-centred way.

What you will do

·       Lead, manage and support the Multi-Agency Child Protection Team to deliver high-quality, child-centred safeguarding practice.

·       Ensure risk is identified, understood and managed proportionately, with clear decision-making and effective management oversight.

·       Promote a culture of learning, professional curiosity, reflection and continuous improvement.

·       Provide high-quality supervision, support and direction to staff, ensuring workloads are appropriate to skill, experience and capacity.

·       Work strategically with internal and external partners to develop seamless multi-agency responses across service boundaries.

·       Monitor team and individual performance, ensuring records are accurate, timely and support good decision-making.

·       Complete audits, analyse information and put improvement plans in place where needed.

·       Contribute to service development, transformation and the implementation of the Families First reforms in Kirklees.

·       Ensure that children’s voices, experiences and outcomes remain central to practice and service delivery.

What we are looking for

We are looking for a qualified and registered social worker with substantial experience in children’s safeguarding and child protection practice. You will be an effective and supportive leader, able to inspire confidence, develop others and maintain a strong focus on quality, performance and outcomes.

You will bring sound professional judgement, strong decision-making skills and the ability to work confidently in a complex multi-agency environment. You will understand the importance of partnership working, relational practice and timely, proportionate responses for children and families.

You will also be committed to developing staff, supporting continuous professional development and embedding a culture where learning is shared, practice is strengthened and employees are empowered to deliver effective services.

Why join Kirklees?

In Kirklees, children and young people are at the heart of our vision. We are committed to improving outcomes and working with families and partners in a way that is strengths-based, inclusive and focused on lasting change. Joining us at this stage means you will be part of a forward-thinking service with a real opportunity to shape a new team and influence practice across the safeguarding system.

As a Team Manager in Kirklees, you can expect access to reflective supervision, supportive management, peer support and development opportunities to help you continue to grow as a leader. You will be joining a service that values innovation, partnership, professional development and high-quality social work practice.

Our behaviours and expectations

The right behaviours and attitudes are as important to us as the skills you bring to the role. We expect all employees to be positive, honest, respectful, flexible, communicative and supportive, and to model the values and expectations of Kirklees Council.

If you are passionate about improving outcomes for children and families, confident in leading high-quality safeguarding practice, and excited by the opportunity to help shape a new multi-agency service in line with the Families First reforms, we would welcome your application.

For an informal discussion about this opportunity, please contact Head of Service Charlotte Jackson. Charlotte.jackson@kirklees.gov.uk