Service Manager – Front Door Service

Overview

In this role you lead the Front Door service, coordinating the first contact point for children, young people and families in need of support or protection. You will provide visible, cross-agency leadership to ensure safe, timely, and child-focused decisions. You’ll drive consistent screening, assessment and response, while partnering with social care, police, health and education to improve outcomes. This position offers strategic influence on service development within a safeguarding-focused council and a chance to shape practice at scale.

Pay / Benefits

• Market Rate Supplement of 4,000 per annum (reviewed annually)
• Permanent role
• Salary £59,353–£60,391
• 37 hours
• Supportive leadership and professional development
• DBS check at appropriate level

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Front Door service including the Emergency Duty Team
• Set expectations for safe, timely and child-focused decision-making
• Ensure new contacts are screened, assessed and responded to consistently with clear rationale
• Strengthen multidisciplinary and multi-agency working across partners
• Use performance data and feedback to improve practice and outcomes
• Provide professional leadership to managers and practitioners
• Manage resources, demand, capacity and budget within service
• Contribute to wider Children and Families leadership and service development
• Ensure safeguarding responsibilities are fulfilled and risk is managed appropriately

Key requirements

• Qualified Social Worker
• Social Work England registration
• Significant post-qualification experience
• Strong track record of management in children’s social care
• Specialist knowledge of safeguarding and family support
• Ability to lead across organisational boundaries
• Influence at all levels and clear communication of complex information
• Experience of employee, budget and resource management, service improvement and change management
• Passion for improving children’s lives and professional development of practitioners

• leadership
• communication
• collaboration
• safeguarding specialist knowledge
• performance management
• quality assurance

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