Group Manager MAST and Multiple Vulnerabilities Children
This job is now closed
Job summary
Salary: From £55,056 up to £63,367 per annum
Grade: SM1
Contract: Fixed term 12 month contract
Hours: Full time
Location:Based at County Hall Northallerton, covering the county.
As Group Manager for MAST you will lead the Multi Agency Screening team and ensure that our work with partners continues to provide a high quality service for children and families in need of help or protection. This includes children who are privately fostered, missing or experiencing exploitation as areas of expertise.
At the core of our work is the belief that children and young people deserve to receive the outstanding care and support they need to be safe and reach their full potential. Our practice model puts effective relationships with children and families at its heart.
Main duties of the job
The role of Group Manager is dynamic and diverse, requiring a confident, autonomous individual to drive forward practice and influence stakeholders, partners and colleagues. We are looking for an innovative social work professional with strategic managerial experience who is driven, astute, inspirational, and a great communicator. As Group Manager you will demonstrate real leadership in a challenging and evolving sector by shaping and driving the practice across the county and localities whilst also utilising and developing your skills and knowledge.
We understand the importance of investing in our workforce, and as such you will be well supported to effectively deliver and improve services. In addition, you will receive continuing professional development to enhance your leadership and management skills further.
You will be responsible for the management of significant financial resources and ensure that the service delivers within nationally defined regulations and standards. In addition, you will have a sound knowledge of the Ofsted Inspection Framework and a good understanding of the diverse needs of children and their families.
About us
There are significant challenges facing Childrens Services nationally. However, North Yorkshire has a record of facing challenge with innovation and creativity and seeks transformational approaches, which maintain and improve services to children and their families.Strength in partnership has always been a key driver in North Yorkshire and it is more important than ever that we work in genuine partnership, are crystal clear about our priorities, and are relentlessly focussed on improving outcomes for children, their families and their communities.
As a council we are very much committed to encouraging flexible working for our employees, including using modern technologies to support an agile ways of working. We can offer you a range of employee benefits including a competitive salary, generous leave entitlement, a government pension scheme and access to our Everybody Benefits package which includes a variety of retail discounts.
Details
Date posted
30 July 2024
Pay scheme
Other
Salary
£55,056 to £63,367 a year
Contract
Fixed term
Duration
12 months
Working pattern
Full-time
Reference number
F0025-24-0046
Job locations
County Hall
Racecourse Lane
Northallerton
North Yorkshire
DL7 8AE
Job description
Job responsibilities
Job context
The post holder will be responsible for the Multi-Agency Screening Team, policy development and specialist social workers. This requires the post holder to have the ability to operate in an environment of transformational change and innovation. Capacity to manage change in a time of financial constraints and provide clear leadership and management to enable staff, including partners to perform at their best is required.
The post holder will also be responsible for leading on the development of policies across the Children and Families Service at an operational level with a focus on quality practice and outcomes.
Specialist Social Workers who focus on complex case work will report to the role. Specialist areas of work such as missing and exploitation will be further developed and the post holder will be required to lead this specialist service across the County.
There are 6 key skills required for all senior managers:
people management
transformational change and innovation
project management
partnership working
financial management
personal development
The post holder must have a commitment to shared values and the common purpose of developing a culture of interagency working; including statutory bodies, third and private sector organisations.
There is a requirement to play a significant part in ensuring the Council successfully delivers the high profile Partners in Practice programme in order to maintain the reputation of the Council as a high performing and a rich source of innovative thinking and purposeful action.
The post holder will ensure that strategic visions are translated into local plans in collaboration with professionals, partners and service users. The post holder will ensure that teams within the service area deliver services to the appropriate standards in terms of performance and budget. They will monitor and review performance and develop strategy in constructive partnership with other agencies and key stakeholders.
They will be a key member of the Senior Management Team for Children & Families.
An Enhanced DBS check is required.
Job purpose The core focus of this job is to manage the performance, direction, and strategic development of a functional service area within Children & Families Service, and for the planning and implementation of service changes and improvements over the medium to long term.
Operational Management:
Ensure delivery of the functional service area in accordance with current legislative requirements, all relevant policies and procedures and to agreed performance targets.
Provide effective and motivational leadership to managers and staff in the service area.
Ensure key professional decisions are made according to the highest standards, using an evidence base.
Provide appropriate challenge to the decisions of other managers.
Manage transition points to ensure service areas work in a joined up way.
Manage performance and quality assurance activity and ensure value for money across service provision, act on inadequate performance as appropriate.
Set and deliver on high service standards.
Improve timeliness of performance across key areas.
Assist and support senior managers /colleagues with the collation of data in order to track performance against agreed indicators and outcomes.
Ensure that all performance reporting is timely and accurate to enable strategic and operational managers to make informed decisions.
Ensure that Strategic plans are reflected in operational service delivery.
Ensure that operational delivery plans are effectively monitored and tracked with adherence to formal reporting mechanisms to ensure delivery within timescale.
Contribute to the effectiveness of improvement activity by participating in consultation activity around performance to ensure stakeholder views are reflected in performance improvement activity.
Ensure performance data relating to safeguarding activity is routinely collected and analysed.
Resource management:
Lead and manage a group of team managers including responsibility for their recruitment, development, appraisal, attendance management, grievance/discipline/capability issues etc. Support and challenge team managers with particularly complex cases and situations.
Be accountable for service delivery outcomes in your area of responsibility.
Chair panels regarding complex staff issues.
Manage service budgets effectively and guide team managers in resolving any budgetary difficulties to ensure services are delivered within financial targets.
Drive continuous performance improvement.
Partnerships:
Develop and maintain good internal and external working relationships with partner organisations around safeguarding, LAC and Children in Need.
Understand and promote your role in sustaining good relationships across agencies.
Support other agencies in understanding and complying with their responsibilities regarding safeguarding.
Lead on or contribute to project work within the Service and/ or across the wider organisation or with partners.
Strategic management:
Support the Heads of service in delivering transformational change and delivering innovative solutions to service delivery and development.
Lead the development of the services business plan and contribute to the wider annual planning process in line with key performance objectives and priorities.
Contribute to Directorate and cross-Directorate strategy and policy development.
Take lead responsibility for planning, implementing and evaluating a number of service development and quality improvement initiatives.
Contribute to the CYPP and C&F Plan; provide leadership to staff; ensure delivery of high quality, effective services to children and families that respect and are responsive to their needs.
Communications:
Influence and persuade diverse stakeholder groups (internal and external) in order to build continuous commitment to service development and performance.
Prepare and deliver specialist reports which analyse, evaluate service delivery and performance, as well as making recommendations for change.
Communicate aims, objectives and vision to employees, internal and external stakeholders to create dependencies to ensure on going service and performance improvement.
Inform and analyse national policy developments and communicate implications to senior and operational managers.
Promote the work of the Children & Families Service across local, regional and national forums, including media outlets, to ensure the development of public confidence in the service.
Deliver presentations and facilitate workshops both internally and externally in order to develop effective service delivery and stakeholder relationships.
Undertake complex and contentious negotiations with partners and commissioned services in order to ensure delivery of required outcomes and benefits.
Influence others both internally and externally to adopt policies and courses of action to gain buy-in to changes and improvements in order to achieve required outcomes
Systems and information:
Ensure systems, policies and procedures are in place to ensure children participate fully in services for early help, LAC, Child Protection and Children in Need.
Ensure systems, policies and procedures are in place to fully involve families in planning and decision making around early help, LAC, Child Protection and Children in Need.
Ensure the engagement of children and families is evaluated and used to improve practice.
Investigate and respond to complaints from service users/relatives/carers and other agencies etc.
Ensure service information is shared with relevant other agencies and key stakeholders to ensure access to services is smooth and effective.
Refer issues of poor practice, issues of media interest and any other issues that require reporting to appropriate senior managers.
Share information and ensure good practice is in place regarding confidentiality and data protection.
Ensure performance monitoring information is routinely available to Team Managers and others as appropriate.
Understand the importance of sharing information, how it can help and the dangers of not doing so.
Safeguarding:
Be responsible for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young people that you are responsible for and come into contact with.
Understand systems in place to protect children and your role in their effectiveness.
Involve children and young people as appropriate when taking action that affects them.
Be responsible for ensuring that team managers are accountable for the delivery of service performance.
Ensure Government guidance and legislation are interpreted appropriately and are adhered to in a manner consistent with best practice
Monitor and evaluate service outcomes in relation to safeguarding children.
Monitor and evaluate case files and decision making to ensure standards and high quality provision.
Ensure appropriate standards are in place in anticipation of inspections and other quality assurance exercises.
Ensure service policies and procedures support the development of young people.
Ensure Children & Families priorities and service objectives are in line with the Children and Young Peoples Plan.
Understand the systems for obtaining support and reporting concerns.
Manage the process of transition in a timely way and help the child or young person reach a positive outcome.
Understand your own role and its limits and the importance of providing care or support.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Job context
The post holder will be responsible for the Multi-Agency Screening Team, policy development and specialist social workers. This requires the post holder to have the ability to operate in an environment of transformational change and innovation. Capacity to manage change in a time of financial constraints and provide clear leadership and management to enable staff, including partners to perform at their best is required.
The post holder will also be responsible for leading on the development of policies across the Children and Families Service at an operational level with a focus on quality practice and outcomes.
Specialist Social Workers who focus on complex case work will report to the role. Specialist areas of work such as missing and exploitation will be further developed and the post holder will be required to lead this specialist service across the County.
There are 6 key skills required for all senior managers:
people management
transformational change and innovation
project management
partnership working
financial management
personal development
The post holder must have a commitment to shared values and the common purpose of developing a culture of interagency working; including statutory bodies, third and private sector organisations.
There is a requirement to play a significant part in ensuring the Council successfully delivers the high profile Partners in Practice programme in order to maintain the reputation of the Council as a high performing and a rich source of innovative thinking and purposeful action.
The post holder will ensure that strategic visions are translated into local plans in collaboration with professionals, partners and service users. The post holder will ensure that teams within the service area deliver services to the appropriate standards in terms of performance and budget. They will monitor and review performance and develop strategy in constructive partnership with other agencies and key stakeholders.
They will be a key member of the Senior Management Team for Children & Families.
An Enhanced DBS check is required.
Job purpose The core focus of this job is to manage the performance, direction, and strategic development of a functional service area within Children & Families Service, and for the planning and implementation of service changes and improvements over the medium to long term.
Operational Management:
Ensure delivery of the functional service area in accordance with current legislative requirements, all relevant policies and procedures and to agreed performance targets.
Provide effective and motivational leadership to managers and staff in the service area.
Ensure key professional decisions are made according to the highest standards, using an evidence base.
Provide appropriate challenge to the decisions of other managers.
Manage transition points to ensure service areas work in a joined up way.
Manage performance and quality assurance activity and ensure value for money across service provision, act on inadequate performance as appropriate.
Set and deliver on high service standards.
Improve timeliness of performance across key areas.
Assist and support senior managers /colleagues with the collation of data in order to track performance against agreed indicators and outcomes.
Ensure that all performance reporting is timely and accurate to enable strategic and operational managers to make informed decisions.
Ensure that Strategic plans are reflected in operational service delivery.
Ensure that operational delivery plans are effectively monitored and tracked with adherence to formal reporting mechanisms to ensure delivery within timescale.
Contribute to the effectiveness of improvement activity by participating in consultation activity around performance to ensure stakeholder views are reflected in performance improvement activity.
Ensure performance data relating to safeguarding activity is routinely collected and analysed.
Resource management:
Lead and manage a group of team managers including responsibility for their recruitment, development, appraisal, attendance management, grievance/discipline/capability issues etc. Support and challenge team managers with particularly complex cases and situations.
Be accountable for service delivery outcomes in your area of responsibility.
Chair panels regarding complex staff issues.
Manage service budgets effectively and guide team managers in resolving any budgetary difficulties to ensure services are delivered within financial targets.
Drive continuous performance improvement.
Partnerships:
Develop and maintain good internal and external working relationships with partner organisations around safeguarding, LAC and Children in Need.
Understand and promote your role in sustaining good relationships across agencies.
Support other agencies in understanding and complying with their responsibilities regarding safeguarding.
Lead on or contribute to project work within the Service and/ or across the wider organisation or with partners.
Strategic management:
Support the Heads of service in delivering transformational change and delivering innovative solutions to service delivery and development.
Lead the development of the services business plan and contribute to the wider annual planning process in line with key performance objectives and priorities.
Contribute to Directorate and cross-Directorate strategy and policy development.
Take lead responsibility for planning, implementing and evaluating a number of service development and quality improvement initiatives.
Contribute to the CYPP and C&F Plan; provide leadership to staff; ensure delivery of high quality, effective services to children and families that respect and are responsive to their needs.
Communications:
Influence and persuade diverse stakeholder groups (internal and external) in order to build continuous commitment to service development and performance.
Prepare and deliver specialist reports which analyse, evaluate service delivery and performance, as well as making recommendations for change.
Communicate aims, objectives and vision to employees, internal and external stakeholders to create dependencies to ensure on going service and performance improvement.
Inform and analyse national policy developments and communicate implications to senior and operational managers.
Promote the work of the Children & Families Service across local, regional and national forums, including media outlets, to ensure the development of public confidence in the service.
Deliver presentations and facilitate workshops both internally and externally in order to develop effective service delivery and stakeholder relationships.
Undertake complex and contentious negotiations with partners and commissioned services in order to ensure delivery of required outcomes and benefits.
Influence others both internally and externally to adopt policies and courses of action to gain buy-in to changes and improvements in order to achieve required outcomes
Systems and information:
Ensure systems, policies and procedures are in place to ensure children participate fully in services for early help, LAC, Child Protection and Children in Need.
Ensure systems, policies and procedures are in place to fully involve families in planning and decision making around early help, LAC, Child Protection and Children in Need.
Ensure the engagement of children and families is evaluated and used to improve practice.
Investigate and respond to complaints from service users/relatives/carers and other agencies etc.
Ensure service information is shared with relevant other agencies and key stakeholders to ensure access to services is smooth and effective.
Refer issues of poor practice, issues of media interest and any other issues that require reporting to appropriate senior managers.
Share information and ensure good practice is in place regarding confidentiality and data protection.
Ensure performance monitoring information is routinely available to Team Managers and others as appropriate.
Understand the importance of sharing information, how it can help and the dangers of not doing so.
Safeguarding:
Be responsible for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young people that you are responsible for and come into contact with.
Understand systems in place to protect children and your role in their effectiveness.
Involve children and young people as appropriate when taking action that affects them.
Be responsible for ensuring that team managers are accountable for the delivery of service performance.
Ensure Government guidance and legislation are interpreted appropriately and are adhered to in a manner consistent with best practice
Monitor and evaluate service outcomes in relation to safeguarding children.
Monitor and evaluate case files and decision making to ensure standards and high quality provision.
Ensure appropriate standards are in place in anticipation of inspections and other quality assurance exercises.
Ensure service policies and procedures support the development of young people.
Ensure Children & Families priorities and service objectives are in line with the Children and Young Peoples Plan.
Understand the systems for obtaining support and reporting concerns.
Manage the process of transition in a timely way and help the child or young person reach a positive outcome.
Understand your own role and its limits and the importance of providing care or support.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Professional Qualifications
- Fully qualified, accredited social work professional status (CQSW, DipSW, CSS, PQCCA)
- Current registration with HCPC
Desirable
- Desirable
- Advanced or Post-Qualifying professional training
Experience
Essential
- Extensive knowledge and fundamental understanding of current research and good practice standards in relation to children & families at a local and national level.
- Extensive knowledge of the legal framework for working with children & families
- Awareness of current national developments for children and families
- Extensive post qualifying experience within a relevant professional field.
- Extensive case management experience of cases with complex, professional and ethical issues including child protection, court proceedings, case conferences and other formal processes.
- Substantial experience as a manager in Children Services.
- Extensive experience of people management including managing recruitment, discipline and grievance processes and performance management.
- Extensive experience of budget management including budget planning, expenditure control, and identifying savings.
- Substantial experience of intra and inter-agency work at senior manager level. Able to demonstrate examples of making a practical difference.
- Experience of service and/or policy planning and development
- Experience of successfully planning for and contributing to OFSTED
Desirable
- Experience of working with Directors and Members
Occupational Skills
Essential
- Ability to champion change and to support services during periods of change and development, minimising the impact on staff morale and maximising the positive outcome.
- Ability to monitor services and practices to ensure agreed standards are maintained and intervene constructively where necessary.
- Excellent communication skills, verbal & written, including the ability to use different methods according to service users and professionals differing needs. Good negotiation and report writing skills.
- Good political skills and ability to operate effectively and promote services for children and young people in a political environment
- Ability to plan and develop new ways of working, including integration with other key agencies.
- High level leadership skills and the ability to promote the organisations policy and objectives.
- Strategic thinking.
- Good level of IT literacy, sufficient to manipulate documents and spreadsheets and to interrogate case recording systems
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Professional Qualifications
- Fully qualified, accredited social work professional status (CQSW, DipSW, CSS, PQCCA)
- Current registration with HCPC
Desirable
- Desirable
- Advanced or Post-Qualifying professional training
Experience
Essential
- Extensive knowledge and fundamental understanding of current research and good practice standards in relation to children & families at a local and national level.
- Extensive knowledge of the legal framework for working with children & families
- Awareness of current national developments for children and families
- Extensive post qualifying experience within a relevant professional field.
- Extensive case management experience of cases with complex, professional and ethical issues including child protection, court proceedings, case conferences and other formal processes.
- Substantial experience as a manager in Children Services.
- Extensive experience of people management including managing recruitment, discipline and grievance processes and performance management.
- Extensive experience of budget management including budget planning, expenditure control, and identifying savings.
- Substantial experience of intra and inter-agency work at senior manager level. Able to demonstrate examples of making a practical difference.
- Experience of service and/or policy planning and development
- Experience of successfully planning for and contributing to OFSTED
Desirable
- Experience of working with Directors and Members
Occupational Skills
Essential
- Ability to champion change and to support services during periods of change and development, minimising the impact on staff morale and maximising the positive outcome.
- Ability to monitor services and practices to ensure agreed standards are maintained and intervene constructively where necessary.
- Excellent communication skills, verbal & written, including the ability to use different methods according to service users and professionals differing needs. Good negotiation and report writing skills.
- Good political skills and ability to operate effectively and promote services for children and young people in a political environment
- Ability to plan and develop new ways of working, including integration with other key agencies.
- High level leadership skills and the ability to promote the organisations policy and objectives.
- Strategic thinking.
- Good level of IT literacy, sufficient to manipulate documents and spreadsheets and to interrogate case recording systems
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details
Employer name
North Yorkshire Council
Address
County Hall
Racecourse Lane
Northallerton
North Yorkshire
DL7 8AE
Employer's website
Employer details
Employer name
North Yorkshire Council
Address
County Hall
Racecourse Lane
Northallerton
North Yorkshire
DL7 8AE
Employer's website
Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact:
Details
Date posted
30 July 2024
Pay scheme
Other
Salary
£55,056 to £63,367 a year
Contract
Fixed term
Duration
12 months
Working pattern
Full-time
Reference number
F0025-24-0046
Job locations
County Hall
Racecourse Lane
Northallerton
North Yorkshire
DL7 8AE
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