Team Manager - Missing

Posted 16th Oct, 2025
Location
Lambeth
Salary/rate
£56,436 – £59,574
Working pattern
Full-time – 35 hours per week
Working arrangements
Blended
Contract type
Permanent
Closing date
26th Oct, 2025
Incentives

This role includes a Market Supplement of £4,700

About the role

An exciting opportunity has arisen in Lambeth for a Missing Team Manager to lead the operational oversight and day to day running of the Missing Team in Lambeth. This is an exciting time to be joining this Service as we take forward and embed a contextual safeguarding approach to working with children and families where the risk is outside of the home.

The enthusiasm within the Council and with our partners and community to adopt this approach is high as is the commitment to making a real difference to the children and young people living in Lambeth. You will be part of the Contextual Safeguarding Service, a newly designed service supporting those children where the risk is outside of the home. You will be joining a strong leadership team and a work force committed to Lambeth and its children. We have excellent relationships with our partners and there is a real drive in Lambeth to make positive change for the children in the borough.

Key responsibilities include:

  • Chairing the weekly Missing Panel and having oversight of all of the children missing in our borough
  • Interpreting data and using this knowledge to develop new strategies to support missing children
  • Producing high quality reports and presenting these in a variety of formats
  • Leading a team of Return Home Interviewers, offering high quality supervision and supporting the team to engage with children who have been missing
  • Leading the development of the Missing Processes, with our partners across Lambeth

To apply, click on the apply button and complete an on-line application, along with uploading your Supporting Statement and CV, explicitly evidencing how you meet the shortlist criteria marked with an 'A' on the job specification. You must upload a Supporting Statement and CV for your application to be considered. Please note we operate an anonymised application process. If you want to have further discussions please contact Kath Hunt, Service Manager on khunt@lambeth.gov.uk

About you

We are looking for a confident Social Work Manager who is looking for a new challenge and the opportunity to develop as an expert in this field. You will be passionate at ensuring the right support and safeguarding is in place for children who go missing, and act as a consultant to other parts of Children's Services and partners across Lambeth.

The ideal candidate will:

  • Be an experienced Social Work Team Manager or an Senior Practitioner / ATM looking to take the next step in your career
  • Be skilled at interpreting data and using this knowledge to develop new strategies to support missing children
  • Be confident in producing high reports and presenting these in a variety of formats
  • Be up to date with research and be confident in using this to drive progress and implement changes
  • Use your professional curiosity to ensure we understand the experiences of those children who go missing or are unauthorised from placements
  • Be confident in chairing meetings and ensuring plans are created and actions completed

Successful candidates will be asked to apply for an Enhanced Certificate from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). In addition, you will also be required to undertake a Cifas check from the Fraud Prevention organisation. We are a Stonewall diversity champion; a Living Wage Employer and we guarantee to interview all disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria of the role.

About Lambeth

Located in the heart of South London, Lambeth Borough is a vibrant community. Stretching from the dynamic neighbourhood of Streatham in the South to the iconic landmarks of Waterloo in the North, we are proud to be the 9th largest borough in London. Our diversity is our strength, with more than 130 languages spoken, making Lambeth the home of the Windrush generation, London's largest LGBTQ+ community, and a thriving Portuguese-speaking community.

With exceptional schools, lush green spaces including Brockwell Park, cultural gems like the Black Cultural Archives, and world-renowned institutions such as St Thomas's Hospital, Lambeth offers an enriching and dynamic environment. The Civic Centre is just a short walk from the main underground and train station.  

Lambeth – a borough with social and climate justice at its heart. By harnessing the power and pride of our people and partnerships, we will proactively tackle inequalities so that children and young people can have the best start in life and so everyone can feel safe and thrive in a place of opportunity.”

Lambeth 2030 (Borough Plan)

In Lambeth, we offer our social workers:

  • Fantastic, modern working environment in the award-winning Lambeth Town Hall and Civic Centre buildings
  • Competitive Salary, often including a generous market supplement (depending on the role)
  • Up to 35 days annual leave, dependent upon continuous service
  • 5 Minutes from London Underground and excellent transport links into the centre of London
  • Hybrid/Flexible working
  • Cycle to Work Scheme (including City Bike Hire scheme)
  • Attractive Local Government Pension Scheme
  • A permanent senior leadership team in QA
  • Manageable caseloads that enable connection with families