Please note this position is Countywide and the successful candidate can choose to be based in Basildon, Chelmsford, Colchester, Clacton or Harlow.

Interviews will take place on the 14th of September 2022.

Here in Essex, we continue to raise the bar about practice and our investment in our workforce is second to none. It's an exciting time to join us. Not only have we been named Outstanding by Ofsted, we are delighted and at the same time humbled to have been crowned Social Work Employer of the Year for the second time in the last three years!

Job Purpose

Children and Families is recognised as a service in which social work can develop and prosper, with a culture of collaboration, integrity and compassion; promoting development and wellbeing of children, young people and their families; protecting them from neglect and abuse. Working together with partners delivering a range of early help, family support and effective social work interventions which build resilience, remove barriers and enable children and young people to look forward to a brighter future.

The Team Manager leads team, developing and promoting capabilities and holding them accountable for performance and delivering improvements. Working with the Service Manager, contributing to the development of strategy and ensuring a service which adapts responsively to change.

With proven ability to focus on results, develop innovative solutions and build strong working relationships, this leader will possess a deep understanding of working in a challenging social and financial environment.

Fostering Recruitment Team

Undertakes marketing, recruits and assesses foster carers and supported lodgings in line with our children in care placement sufficiency needs. Recruiting foster carers in a highly competitive market is challenging and requires management that can negotiate the complexities.

Organisational Accountabilities

Roles at this level will be focused on delivering results in a specific functional area. They will hold expertise on the application of policy and improvement of service delivery. These roles have clear team budgets and targets set within the overall service requirements. The role is accountable for:

• Operational planning and performance review to maintain exceptional service delivery and ensures the political objectives and priorities of the council are met.
• Working collaboratively within and across functions and thinking commercially to support the delivery of best possible outcomes for our customers on a financially sustainable basis.
• Maintaining and nurturing collaborative relationships with other teams in the function and external organisations that support the delivery of annual plans.
• Implementing changes and continually evaluating service to improve the area of work, while maintaining the highest possible levels of service quality are continually delivered.
• Managing complex issues and resources to meet the needs of customers and deliver the best possible outcomes.
• Effective utilisation of digital technologies and innovation across the council and with stakeholders and partners.
• Ensuring equality and diversity is celebrated and considered as part of all decisions taken.
• Using professional expertise to translate goals and plans into ways of working that comply with relevant legislation and statutory requirements and manages a level of appropriate risk.
• Managing the delivery of exemplar customer interactions to individuals and communities which support the management of strong relationships and a reputation for achieving outcomes and resolving issues.

Service/Functional Accountabilities

• Lead a team of social workers to deliver a high quality professional service with positive outcomes.
• Accountable for individual performance, quality assurance, resources and budgets.
• Accountable for the practice of social workers within the team, providing professional and practice supervision, using available tools to address underperformance and coaching to enhance the quality of the practice.
• Responsible for development of individuals to maximise the capability and performance across the team.
• Responsible for the oversight and quality assurance of a range of social work reports and court statements.
• Responsible for responding to complaints and other feedback from service users in accordance with policy and in a way that fosters positive relationships.
• Lead inter-agency collaborative working, where a social work perspective is used to inform and drive decision making. Establishing and developing effective approaches to integrated working with partners, communities and the voluntary sector, to achieve successful outcomes for service users.
• Develop the training and tactical service delivery plan for the team.
• Use expertise and professional knowledge to provide advice and guidance for complex cases in line with legislative and organisational standards.
• Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.

The Experience You Will Bring

• A recognised social work qualification i.e. Diploma, degree or Masters in social work, CQSW, CSS or equivalent, with current registration with Social Work England as a registered social worker.
• Evidence of continuing professional development, aligned to any relevant Professional Competency/Capability frameworks or Knowledge and Skills Statements.
• Significant experience within a Social Care setting with evidence of challenging social and family situations.
• Experience of supervision of Social Work students and/or newly qualified Social Workers, possessing strong leadership and behavioural skills, with the ability to forge a highly performing and motivated team from diverse backgrounds, to deliver local objectives and work to required professional standards.
• Experience of working within a complex environment and leading change to ensure the Council delivers best practice.
• Developing strong relationships with partners, other agencies and the local community to achieve joint objectives and offer a supportive framework for children and their families.
• Recognise the financial implications of care packages commissioned.
• Evidence of clear decision making in order to highlight and limit the potential risks associated with intervention.
• A proven capacity to provide emotional support and leadership to individuals and groups which will maximise team functioning.
• Experience of working with foster carers and an in-depth knowledge of fostering regulations and ideally have experience of undertaking fostering assessments and or providing quality assurance to assessments being presented to the fostering panel.
• You will be able to evidence creative thinking, and a willingness to work effectively with marketing and communications colleague.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the strategic importance of foster recruitment and their role in increasing the number of foster carers to meet the sufficiency needs of Essex children in care.
• An understanding of trauma informed, therapeutic fostering and have the ability to lead their workers and drive assessments of foster carers in this direction.

Why Essex?

Essex County Council has a location to be proud of. Our 1,300 square miles stretch from Constable Country to the Thames Estuary, from the dynamic M11 corridor to the traditional seaside resorts of Clacton and Walton. England's oldest town, Colchester, and two of its newest - Basildon and Harlow - are right here. Along with the City of Chelmsford, the county town, they form our major population centres. It means real choice and makes Essex the ideal place for your career.

Essex County Council is proud to offer an excellent benefits package to all its employees.

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.