RQ1752432 – Head of Service

Hours: 37 per week
Pay Rate: £46.45 PAYE / £59.72 Umbrella
Duration: 3 Months Interim
Working Arrangement: Hybrid working – 3 office days per week at Civic Centre
DBS Requirement: Enhanced DBS with Adults & Children’s Barred List

Purpose of the Role

You will provide strategic leadership for Adult Social Care practice, quality assurance, workforce development, and continuous improvement. You will lead on social work standards, service quality, CQC readiness, workforce wellbeing, recruitment, and retention, ensuring services deliver positive outcomes for residents and meet all statutory and regulatory requirements.

Key Responsibilities

You will:

• Lead and promote high-quality social work practice across Adult Social Care services, ensuring professional standards are maintained and improved.
• Drive quality assurance activity, including audits, service reviews, improvement plans, and preparation for CQC inspections and assurance processes.
• Lead workforce development programmes, supporting recruitment, retention, training, professional development, and staff wellbeing initiatives.
• Represent Adult Social Care at local, regional, and national forums, promoting best practice, innovation, and sector improvement.
• Lead strategic service planning, performance management, budget oversight, and transformation programmes to improve service delivery and outcomes.
• Develop and maintain effective partnerships with internal and external organisations to support corporate priorities and improve outcomes for residents.
• Lead the development and implementation of policies, strategies, frameworks, and practice standards that support statutory compliance and continuous service improvement.
• Champion co-production by ensuring the views and experiences of residents, carers, and partner agencies influence service design and delivery.
• Provide professional leadership on complex practice issues, safeguarding matters, and organisational challenges, supporting effective decision-making across Adult Social Care.
• Ensure services are aligned with legislation, including the Care Act, safeguarding responsibilities, and relevant regulatory frameworks.
• Promote a culture of learning, accountability, improvement, and excellence across Adult Social Care teams.

Essential Requirements

You will have:

• Significant senior leadership experience within Adult Social Care.
• Strong knowledge and understanding of the Care Act, CQC assurance framework, safeguarding, and social work best practice.
• Experience leading quality assurance, audit, workforce development, and service improvement programmes.
• Proven experience managing budgets, performance, transformation, and organisational change.
• Ability to provide professional leadership, influence decision-making, and build effective relationships with stakeholders.
• Registered Social Worker qualification (where applicable).
• Experience working collaboratively with residents, carers, partner agencies, and senior leaders to improve service outcomes.

Role Summary

You will play a key role in shaping and improving Adult Social Care services by providing strong professional leadership, driving quality improvements, supporting the workforce, and ensuring services deliver safe, effective, and person-centred support for residents. You will help create a culture of continuous improvement, ensuring the organisation meets its statutory duties and provides the highest standards of care and support.