Service Manager - Leaving Care

Posted 9th May, 2025
Location
Southwark
Salary/rate
£57,678 – £71,742
Hours
Full-time
Working arrangements
Office based
Contract type
Permanent
Closing date
18th May, 2025
About the role

Are you ready to lead and make a real difference in the lives of young people transitioning to independence?

If yes, we have the perfect opportunity for you!

Southwark Council is recruiting a Service Manager to lead the 16+ Service, ensuring we continue to provide an exceptional service for all Care Leavers. This is an exciting role for a passionate and innovative Social Work Manager who is committed to shaping the futures of children and young people.

About the Role:

As the 16+ Service Manager, you will oversee the service's evolution, addressing the challenges and opportunities posed by the Children and Social Work Act, as well as changes in the care leaver demographic, including late entrants, unaccompanied minors and returnees.

You’ll lead initiatives to improve outcomes for young people, focusing on increasing the number of those in education, work and training. Additionally, you will strengthen our expertise in safeguarding young adults and ensuring they have access to secure accommodation. Above all, your work will provide all Looked After Children and Care Leavers with the best opportunities and pathways to successful, independent futures.

In this role, you will be a visible leader with high expectations. You will drive results through strategic planning, strong organisational skills and an excellent understanding of practice. Your leadership will promote a reflective, restorative and open culture where high support is balanced by high challenge. You will also manage operational teams within children’s social care, ensuring the delivery of high-quality services that support young adults’ transition to independence.

For detailed qualifications and requirements, please review the job description and person specification located at the bottom of the advert.

About You:

We are looking for an ambitious, creative leader with experience managing Children’s Services. You will play a key role in the ongoing development of our sector leading, co-designed 16+ Service, collaborating with children, young people, staff and stakeholders to ensure its continued success.

This role requires someone who is passionate about supporting young people through their transition to adulthood and committed to ensuring they receive the best possible support on their journey to independence. We are seeking a Service Manager who can demonstrate:

  • Strong, visible leadership, with the ability to inspire and challenge teams effectively.
  • Proven experience in managing operational teams within children’s social care.
  • Expertise in safeguarding young adults and supporting successful transitions to adulthood.
  • An in-depth understanding of the Children and Social Work Act, as well as the unique needs of late entrants, unaccompanied minors and returnees.
  • Excellent analytical, planning, and organisational skills
  • A commitment to systemic practices and restorative approaches that allow practitioners to spend meaningful time with children and young people
  • Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage and influence a wide range of stakeholders
  • A results-focused approach, ensuring continuous improvement and high standards across services for care leavers

About Us:

At Southwark, we are committed to providing the best opportunities for our Looked After Children and Care Leavers. We focus on helping young people succeed in education, work, and training, and ensuring they have the support they need to thrive independently.

We pride ourselves on delivering innovative, co-designed services that empower young people and help them build a foundation for a successful future. As a member of our management team based in Peckham, you will work closely with the Head of Service to lead the 16+ Service and contribute to a culture of continuous development and excellence.

Additional Information:

  • Type of Contract: Permanent
  • Working Hours: 36 hours per week
  • Qualifications: You must be a qualified Social Worker, registered with Social Work England
  • DBS Requirements: An Enhanced DBS (Children’s) check is required for this role

Contact Information:

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Elaine Reid at Elaine.Reid@southwark.gov.uk

Benefits and more information:

https://jobs.southwark.gov.uk/why-us/

Recruitment Timeline:

  • Advert close date: 11:59pm on Sunday 18th May 2025
  • Shortlisting date/s: Week commencing 19th May
  • Interview date/s: Thursday 29th & Friday 30th May 2025

The closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. We strongly advise you to complete your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

We are an organisation who is passionate about our people and understands that richness of diversity is a requirement to provide the best possible services to our communities. This is demonstrated through our council-wide ambitious commitment to tackle racial inequality in our communities and workforce through our Southwark Stands Together initiative. We particularly welcome applications from members of the black, Asian and ethnic minority communities to increase representation at senior management level in the Council.

About Southwark

We are the largest local authority social landlord in London, managing 55,000 homes lived in by 40% of Southwark’s residents. We are home to over 18,300 businesses including iconic London venues and social enterprises and we have a young, diverse and growing population.

At Southwark we are committed to making our borough just and fair and are taking positive action to tackle inequalities.  Our residents and communities are our greatest asset and the passion we have for Southwark is shared by millions of Londoners who enjoy our outstanding cultural offer, use our hospitals and attend our universities. Our refreshed borough plan and focus on Southwark Stands Together, (which is our work with Southwark’s communities and the council’s staff to tackle racism, injustice and inequality) underpins all that we do.

At Southwark Children’s Services, we pride ourselves on doing our vital job differently. Our systemic, holistic, family-centred approach sits at the core of our values. And our endlessly supportive, collective, culture underpins everything we do to protect vulnerable children across our borough.

Southwark is a great place to grow and develop as a social worker. We continue to provide fantastic career progression opportunities. Supported by great partnerships and resources we are always growing and developing what we do through innovation, investment in our workforce and, most importantly, listening to children and families, and those that work with them.

Our offer to staff includes:

  • competitive remuneration packages

  • the opportunity to work in a vibrant borough in the heart of London with excellent access to Central London and easy transport links to the South East

  • a multi-cultural and diverse working environment, which provides excellent opportunities for enhancing your skills

  • modern digital plan with technology to support flexible working arrangements

  • professional development and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) opportunities through an established and extensive learning and development plan and opportunities.

  • opportunities to train as a Practice Educator and develop experience with student

  • clinical practitioners attached to every team to support you as an individual and your work with children and families.

  • culture of innovation and a ‘can do’ approach to problem solving in Social Care

  • stable, supportive leadership; Southwark has a lower ratio of workers to managers than most local authorities

  • small teams with supportive managers and manageable caseload

  • travel season ticket loans, cycle scheme, essential user care parking permits and local government pension

  • family friendly, flexible and agile working, from home or on-site

  • wellbeing programme, HSF Health plan and eye care scheme, EAP employee assistance programme, confidential counselling and support, and access to subsidised HSF health plan

If you are interested in having an informal discussion about this role, or working in children’s social care in Southwark, please contact Dan Comach, our Principal Social Worker at daniel.comach@southwark.gov.uk