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Operational Head - Adult Social Care

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council

Information:

This job is now closed

Job summary

Sandwell MBC is seeking an experienced social work manager to lead and manage three of the Community Teams across Smethwick, Oldbury, and Rowley. The Operational Head (Social Work) will be part of the social work leadership team. The role involves driving operational excellence, ensuring high-quality performance and compliance with statutory requirements in Adult Social Care. The Operational Head will lead strategic initiatives, collaborate with partners, and ensure the delivery of outstanding services to Sandwell residents. The role also includes deputising for the Assistant Director as required.

Main duties of the job

Key Responsibilities:

  • Oversee performance, quality assurance, and service delivery.
  • Lead change and align services with evolving Adult Social Care goals.
  • Provide strategic guidance and support to senior management.
  • Foster partnerships with internal and external stakeholders.
  • Manage budgets and explore external revenue opportunities.
  • Ensure compliance with safeguarding standards and legislation.
  • Oversee critical operational areas like case audits, workforce strategy, and legislative readiness.
  • Lead service development initiatives to improve delivery and processes.

Essential Skills & Experience:

  • At least 5 years of post-qualification experience in adult social care, including team management.
  • At least 3 years of experience in managing large, complex budgets.
  • Strong knowledge of Adult Social Care legislation and regulatory frameworks.
  • Proven ability to manage performance, budgets, and service delivery.
  • Strong leadership, team management, and relationship-building skills.
  • Experience leading complex service improvements and adapting to new legislation.
  • Excellent decision-making and problem-solving abilities.
  • You must hold a Social Work England professional registration
  • You will be required to undergo an Enhanced DBS with Adults Barring List Check

Qualifications

  • Social Work Degree, DipSW, CQSW or equivalent.

About us

Why Join Us:

  • Make a significant impact on the wellbeing of vulnerable adults.
  • Ongoing support and training for career development.
  • Focus on work-life balance and staff wellbeing.
  • Being a member of a very supportive social work management team
  • Being part of our team in providing outstanding care and positively impacting the lives of Sandwell residents. We can't wait to hear from you!

Benefits

Our offer to you includes:

  • Generous annual leave entitlement, with additional entitlement granted to employees who complete 5 years continuous service with Sandwell or other local authorities.
  • Access to our Employee Benefits portal which includes discounts on a number of retail locations, gym membership, cinemas and more
  • Salary sacrifice schemes for cars and bikes
  • Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme

To apply for this role please submit a CV, along with a supporting statement to hrresourcing_applications@sandwell.gov.uk demonstrating how your experience, skills and qualifications fulfil the job requirements and evidence how you meet the job criteria outlined in the Personnel Specification.

Date posted

14 January 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£58,327 to £61,853 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

F0093-SAND8721

Job locations

Freeth Street

Oldbury

B69 3DE


Job description

Job responsibilities

The postholder will be an expert professional in relation to their area of responsibility and will be expected to provide appropriate briefings, guidance and advice to their Assistant Director as appropriate. This will include providing frameworks for the guidance, leadership and development of individual service areas and oversight of performance and delivery to provide excellent customer care and services to Sandwell residents

Be responsible for the management and continued development and improvement of their identified area of responsibility, and key operational services and the quality and standards that these services deliver.

Ensure that policies, systems & resources are in place in the identified area of responsibility to enable the Directorate to achieve its objectives and continuously improve its performance in the context of the overall Corporate & Directorate aims and to support business transformation through leadership and management of the Councils Mental Health Teams and coordination of the Approved Mental Health Practitioner

Be responsible for designing effective and robust business, financial and delivery plans, along with appropriate risk registers for Mental Health services under their management, and will promote the Service within their area of responsibility, raising the profile of Adult Social Care, work locally and embed the importance of effective evidence-based practice.

Ensure that approaches for service delivery are aligned with the developing focus of Adult Social Care in Sandwell, and that relevant policies and procedures are implemented as required.

Facilitate and develop excellent and positive relationships will all key stakeholders, and adopt a seamless approach which will be developed in conjunction with other Managers to ensure that there is co-ordinated delivery of service to residents across the whole of Adult Social Care Adult Social Care.

Act as an ambassador for Sandwell MBC in regional and national forums.

Assist on workforce development and succession planning across Adult Social Care, including contributing to ASYE, Social Work Apprenticeship Programme, Social Work Student and Practice Educator Programme CPD and management development programmes across Adult Social Care.

There is an expectation that cover is provided to other Managers within Adult Social Care and that where appropriate the post holder will deputise for the Assistant Director.

Job description

Job responsibilities

The postholder will be an expert professional in relation to their area of responsibility and will be expected to provide appropriate briefings, guidance and advice to their Assistant Director as appropriate. This will include providing frameworks for the guidance, leadership and development of individual service areas and oversight of performance and delivery to provide excellent customer care and services to Sandwell residents

Be responsible for the management and continued development and improvement of their identified area of responsibility, and key operational services and the quality and standards that these services deliver.

Ensure that policies, systems & resources are in place in the identified area of responsibility to enable the Directorate to achieve its objectives and continuously improve its performance in the context of the overall Corporate & Directorate aims and to support business transformation through leadership and management of the Councils Mental Health Teams and coordination of the Approved Mental Health Practitioner

Be responsible for designing effective and robust business, financial and delivery plans, along with appropriate risk registers for Mental Health services under their management, and will promote the Service within their area of responsibility, raising the profile of Adult Social Care, work locally and embed the importance of effective evidence-based practice.

Ensure that approaches for service delivery are aligned with the developing focus of Adult Social Care in Sandwell, and that relevant policies and procedures are implemented as required.

Facilitate and develop excellent and positive relationships will all key stakeholders, and adopt a seamless approach which will be developed in conjunction with other Managers to ensure that there is co-ordinated delivery of service to residents across the whole of Adult Social Care Adult Social Care.

Act as an ambassador for Sandwell MBC in regional and national forums.

Assist on workforce development and succession planning across Adult Social Care, including contributing to ASYE, Social Work Apprenticeship Programme, Social Work Student and Practice Educator Programme CPD and management development programmes across Adult Social Care.

There is an expectation that cover is provided to other Managers within Adult Social Care and that where appropriate the post holder will deputise for the Assistant Director.

Person Specification

Training

Essential

  • Evidence of continuous professional development.
  • Evidence of, or willingness to, undertake further training.
  • Completion of safeguarding adults training.
  • Completion of NRPF training
  • Completion of Legal Training
  • Facilitation and presentation skills

Experience

Essential

  • Minimum of 5 years post qualification experience in an adult social care setting, including working at a team manager level in a range of settings with complex casework.
  • Minimum of 3 years experience of managing large and complex budgets.
  • Demonstrate substantial experience of working in a senior setting with leadership and supervisory responsibility.
  • Experience of partnership working.
  • Experience of working to improve performance.
  • Experience in managing change.
  • Experience of negotiating and consulting with internal and external stakeholders
  • Experience of briefing/providing information to Elected Members and Chief Officers.

Qualifications

Essential

  • Social Work Degree, DipSW, CQSW or equivalent.
Person Specification

Training

Essential

  • Evidence of continuous professional development.
  • Evidence of, or willingness to, undertake further training.
  • Completion of safeguarding adults training.
  • Completion of NRPF training
  • Completion of Legal Training
  • Facilitation and presentation skills

Experience

Essential

  • Minimum of 5 years post qualification experience in an adult social care setting, including working at a team manager level in a range of settings with complex casework.
  • Minimum of 3 years experience of managing large and complex budgets.
  • Demonstrate substantial experience of working in a senior setting with leadership and supervisory responsibility.
  • Experience of partnership working.
  • Experience of working to improve performance.
  • Experience in managing change.
  • Experience of negotiating and consulting with internal and external stakeholders
  • Experience of briefing/providing information to Elected Members and Chief Officers.

Qualifications

Essential

  • Social Work Degree, DipSW, CQSW or equivalent.

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

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council

Address

Freeth Street

Oldbury

B69 3DE


Employer's website

https://www.sandwell.gov.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council

Address

Freeth Street

Oldbury

B69 3DE


Employer's website

https://www.sandwell.gov.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

For questions about the job, contact:

HR Resourcing

hr_resourcing@sandwell.gov.uk

01215693300

Date posted

14 January 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£58,327 to £61,853 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

F0093-SAND8721

Job locations

Freeth Street

Oldbury

B69 3DE


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)