Service Manager – Front Door Service

Overview

In this role you lead the Front Door Service within Children and Families, directing a busy, multidisciplinary team to deliver fast, safe and child-focused decisions. You will ensure consistent handling of new contacts, collaborate with partners across social care, police, health and education, and drive performance improvement. You’ll shape strategic service development, safeguarding practices and resource management to improve outcomes for children and families. This is a high-visibility leadership position within a safeguarding partnership with a clear impact on service quality and timeliness.

Pay / Benefits

• Market Rate Supplement of 4,000 per annum (reviewed annually)

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Front Door service including the Emergency Duty Team, setting expectations for safe, timely and child-focused decision-making
• Ensure all new contacts are screened, assessed and responded to consistently with proper oversight
• Strengthen multidisciplinary and multi-agency working with partners across social care, police, health and education
• Use performance data, quality assurance and feedback to improve practice and outcomes
• Provide professional leadership to managers and practitioners, fostering a supportive and accountable culture
• Manage resources, oversee demand and capacity, and ensure delivery within budget
• Contribute to wider leadership and shape strategic service development, transformation and improvement
• Ensure safeguarding responsibilities are fulfilled and risk is identified and managed appropriately

Key requirements

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

• leadership
• influence across teams
• strong communication
• performance management
• quality assurance
• risk assessment and management

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