Kirklees Council

Head of Service Neighbourhoods and Partnerships

The closing date is 21 July 2025

Job summary

Are you passionate about transforming lives through early intervention? This role focuses on creating sustainable, community-based solutions that support adults, families and communities to live healthier, more independent lives for longer.

Main duties of the job

What Youll Be Doing:

  • Develop and implement a targeted prevention strategy.
  • Lead transformation programmes focused on early intervention/ prevention and reducing demand on formal services across adults, childrens and health services.
  • Champion a whole-family, whole-community, whole-life, whole system approach to service design.
  • Promote trauma-informed, strengths-based, and restorative practices.
  • Lead multidisciplinary teams and foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement i.e. Councils role within Integrated Neighbourhood Health teams
  • Oversee key services including support to carers, co-production, and community and safeguarding partnership working.
  • Use intelligence-led decision-making to drive service improvement and operational excellence.
  • Collaborate with partners across social care, health, education, and the voluntary sector to deliver jointly commissioned outcomes.
  • Manage budgets effectively and ensure cost-efficient service delivery.

What Were Looking For:

  • A strategic, experienced leader with a strong track record in social care (adult and/or childrens) health or/or community services.
  • Excellent people leadership and stakeholder engagement skills.
  • Deep understanding of prevention, early intervention, and community-based service models.
  • Experience working across both Adults and Childrens services.
  • Proven ability to lead system-wide transformation and partnership working.

About us

What Were Looking For:

  • Financially astute with strong change management and innovation capabilities.
  • Committed to diversity, inclusion, safeguarding, and co-production with communities.
  • Politically aware and confident working in a complex, multi-agency environment.

Why Kirklees?

Kirklees is a place of ambition and opportunity. As Head of Neighbourhoods and Partnerships, youll join a forward-thinking leadership team committed to improving lives through innovation, collaboration, and community empowerment.

Apply now to become our next Head of Neighbourhoods and Partnerships and help shape a stronger, healthier Kirklees.

Likely Job Titles Candidates Might Hold:

  • Head of Prevention
  • Strategic Lead Early Intervention
  • Service Manager Community Wellbeing
  • Head of Adult / Childrens Social Care
  • Head of Community Services
  • Director of Prevention and Wellbeing
  • Head of Access and Inclusion
  • Strategic Lead Childrens and Adults Prevention Services

Details

Date posted

30 June 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£60,537 to £70,791 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

F0014-15855

Job locations

High Street Buildings

High Street

Huddersfield

West Yorkshire

HD1 2ND


Job description

Job responsibilities

The Head of Neighbourhoods and Partnerships (working across both Social Care and Communities) is a senior leadership role responsible for developing and implementing strategic initiatives that reduce the need for formal care and support by promoting independence, wellbeing, and early intervention. This role focuses on creating sustainable, community-based solutions that support adults, families and communities to live healthier, more independent lives for longer. You will work collaboratively with partners across health, education, voluntary sectors, and communities to design and implement innovative, evidence-based prevention service delivery improvements, as well as informing commissioning strategies. Development and implementation of a targeted prevention strategy that will identify and develop responses and approaches opportunities to improve early intervention and prevention. Integrate intelligence of risk and protective factors, information and support across the council and partners, embedding what we learn from communities and services about both when things have gone well and when they havent. Lead transformation programmes that reduce long-term demand on social care and communities through early intervention and prevention. Champion a whole-family, whole - community, whole-life, whole system approach to service design and delivery Identifies opportunities for innovation, leading a multidisciplinary team, fostering a culture of innovation, learning, and continuous improvement, internally and externally to further develop our prevention strategy Promote trauma-informed, strengths-based, and restorative practices across the workforce. Direct responsibility for several of the councils preventative services including Carers support strategy, co production, community and safeguarding partnership Identifies risks to the successful implementation of a targeted Prevention strategy Ensures cost effective delivery of high-quality services. Supports a culture of high expectations in service delivery ensuring joined up services focused on excellence and delivering agreed outcomes Consistently applies intelligence led decision making ensuring best practice, data and intelligence are used to drive continuous improvement and operational practice Embeds a service framework for monitoring the achievement and impact of changes and ensures a feedback loop into strategy across the wider council. Embeds a partnership ethos to achieve jointly commissioned outcomes across the council and its wider partners Monitor and manage service delivery within available budgets and improvement targets Responsible for workforce development including planning, development, sufficiency, and succession planning for current and future need Effective corporate management with other Heads of Service to drive standards

Job description

Job responsibilities

The Head of Neighbourhoods and Partnerships (working across both Social Care and Communities) is a senior leadership role responsible for developing and implementing strategic initiatives that reduce the need for formal care and support by promoting independence, wellbeing, and early intervention. This role focuses on creating sustainable, community-based solutions that support adults, families and communities to live healthier, more independent lives for longer. You will work collaboratively with partners across health, education, voluntary sectors, and communities to design and implement innovative, evidence-based prevention service delivery improvements, as well as informing commissioning strategies. Development and implementation of a targeted prevention strategy that will identify and develop responses and approaches opportunities to improve early intervention and prevention. Integrate intelligence of risk and protective factors, information and support across the council and partners, embedding what we learn from communities and services about both when things have gone well and when they havent. Lead transformation programmes that reduce long-term demand on social care and communities through early intervention and prevention. Champion a whole-family, whole - community, whole-life, whole system approach to service design and delivery Identifies opportunities for innovation, leading a multidisciplinary team, fostering a culture of innovation, learning, and continuous improvement, internally and externally to further develop our prevention strategy Promote trauma-informed, strengths-based, and restorative practices across the workforce. Direct responsibility for several of the councils preventative services including Carers support strategy, co production, community and safeguarding partnership Identifies risks to the successful implementation of a targeted Prevention strategy Ensures cost effective delivery of high-quality services. Supports a culture of high expectations in service delivery ensuring joined up services focused on excellence and delivering agreed outcomes Consistently applies intelligence led decision making ensuring best practice, data and intelligence are used to drive continuous improvement and operational practice Embeds a service framework for monitoring the achievement and impact of changes and ensures a feedback loop into strategy across the wider council. Embeds a partnership ethos to achieve jointly commissioned outcomes across the council and its wider partners Monitor and manage service delivery within available budgets and improvement targets Responsible for workforce development including planning, development, sufficiency, and succession planning for current and future need Effective corporate management with other Heads of Service to drive standards

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • Ability to lead, manage and develop a team or provide technical leadership through a matrix structure. (Selection Process)
  • Strong influencing and stakeholder management skills and the ability to build relationships at a political, senior and management level. (Essential)
  • Up-to-date knowledge of external issues (legislative, regulatory, best practice standards etc.) that affect own specialist area. (Selection Process)
  • Substantial experience in leading and delivering social care, health and / or community services; providing a depth and breadth of knowledge across an organisation; organisation subject matter expert in own specialist area. (Essential)
  • Significant level of senior level leadership experience, providing depth and breadth of knowledge to act with credibility at this level. (Essential)
  • Excellent people leadership skills and strong sense of doing what is right for residents. (Selection Process)
  • Understanding of wider issues in local government, partner organisations, public and private sector. (Essential)
  • Demonstrable commitment to performance management and productivity to meet the councils priorities. (Selection Process)
  • Ability to demonstrate strategic capability and capacity. (Selection Process)
  • Committed to and champions Diversity and Inclusion. (Selection Process)
  • Committed to and Champions Safeguarding. (Selection Process)
  • Demonstrates a flexible, creative, and innovative solutions focused approach. (Selection Process)
  • Strong change management skills. (Selection Process)
  • Substantial experience that demonstrates financial acumen. (Selection Process)
  • Understanding that commercial and entrepreneurial acumen will be increasingly expected and commitment to develop this. (Selection Process)
  • Ability to challenge appropriately at all levels and in a range of forums. (Selection Process)
  • Accepts this post is politically restricted. (Essential)
  • Accepts a basic DBS check is required. Please note that a conviction may not exclude candidates from appointment but will be considered as part of the recruitment process. (Essential)
Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • Ability to lead, manage and develop a team or provide technical leadership through a matrix structure. (Selection Process)
  • Strong influencing and stakeholder management skills and the ability to build relationships at a political, senior and management level. (Essential)
  • Up-to-date knowledge of external issues (legislative, regulatory, best practice standards etc.) that affect own specialist area. (Selection Process)
  • Substantial experience in leading and delivering social care, health and / or community services; providing a depth and breadth of knowledge across an organisation; organisation subject matter expert in own specialist area. (Essential)
  • Significant level of senior level leadership experience, providing depth and breadth of knowledge to act with credibility at this level. (Essential)
  • Excellent people leadership skills and strong sense of doing what is right for residents. (Selection Process)
  • Understanding of wider issues in local government, partner organisations, public and private sector. (Essential)
  • Demonstrable commitment to performance management and productivity to meet the councils priorities. (Selection Process)
  • Ability to demonstrate strategic capability and capacity. (Selection Process)
  • Committed to and champions Diversity and Inclusion. (Selection Process)
  • Committed to and Champions Safeguarding. (Selection Process)
  • Demonstrates a flexible, creative, and innovative solutions focused approach. (Selection Process)
  • Strong change management skills. (Selection Process)
  • Substantial experience that demonstrates financial acumen. (Selection Process)
  • Understanding that commercial and entrepreneurial acumen will be increasingly expected and commitment to develop this. (Selection Process)
  • Ability to challenge appropriately at all levels and in a range of forums. (Selection Process)
  • Accepts this post is politically restricted. (Essential)
  • Accepts a basic DBS check is required. Please note that a conviction may not exclude candidates from appointment but will be considered as part of the recruitment process. (Essential)

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Additional information

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

Kirklees Council

Address

High Street Buildings

High Street

Huddersfield

West Yorkshire

HD1 2ND


Employer's website

https://www.kirklees.gov.uk/beta/default.aspx (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Kirklees Council

Address

High Street Buildings

High Street

Huddersfield

West Yorkshire

HD1 2ND


Employer's website

https://www.kirklees.gov.uk/beta/default.aspx (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

HR Support Officer

Jobs inbox

jobs@kirklees.gov.uk

01484221000

Details

Date posted

30 June 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£60,537 to £70,791 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

F0014-15855

Job locations

High Street Buildings

High Street

Huddersfield

West Yorkshire

HD1 2ND


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

Kirklees Council's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)