Head of Service Adult Social Care Operations

Overview

In this executive role you steer the strategic direction of Southampton’s Adult Social Care Operations, delivering high-quality, safe and person-centred services. You will lead large, complex teams, drive transformation and continuous improvement, and strengthen cross‑sector partnerships to improve outcomes for residents. The role sits in a broader improvement programme and offers significant opportunity to shape future operating models and governance. You join a senior team focused on embedding sustainable change and accountable performance.

Pay / Benefits

• Excellent local government pension with 15.2% employer contribution
• Generous holiday entitlement (25–34 days)
• Flexible working options
• Training and development including coaching and mentoring
• Health and wellbeing support and employee networks
• Disability and family-friendly policies

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for a large Adult Social Care portfolio in collaboration with the Executive Director and local partners
• Ensure delivery of high-quality, safe, legally compliant services that improve resident outcomes
• Drive transformation, continuous improvement and cultural change across the portfolio
• Embed strengths-based practice, prevention, effective demand management and professional excellence
• Lead system partnership work to integrate services with health, providers, and community organisations
• Oversee service performance, workforce development, financial stewardship, risk management and delivery of savings
• Provide professional advice and constructive challenge to senior leaders and governance forums
• Contribute to leadership of Adult Social Care and the wider Council
• Shape future operating models and drive improvement across organisational and system boundaries
• Maintain governance arrangements and programme of improvement with space for own leadership ideas

Key requirements

• Experience leading complex, large-scale adult social care services
• Track record of delivering improvement and transformation in a senior leadership role
• Ability to secure outcomes through cross‑partnership working with health, providers and communities
• Strong accountability for performance, finance, workforce, quality and transformation

• relationship building
• stakeholder engagement
• visionary leadership
• performance management
• financial stewardship
• risk management

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