Director of Children’s Social Care and Youth Inclusion

London Borough of Merton
Salary circa £116,000
Hackney

Merton Council serves our communities to create a place where children and young people feel they belong, stay safe and can thrive. Now the council is seeking an exceptional children's social care professional to lead and transform a portfolio of critical services to deliver this vision for our children and young people.

THE ROLE

You will shape the Social Care and Youth Inclusion division to ensure Merton is a place where children and young people feel they belong, stay safe and can thrive.

You will seek to transform service and make continuous improvements to a portfolio that includes child protection and safeguarding; adoption and fostering; looked-after services; specialist family support services; and integrated youth services.

You will:

  • Lead the transformation of our social care service so that it continues to build from a strong base of high performance
  • Support delivery of strategic plans and priorities as well as council, departmental and service business plans.
  • In conjunction with partners across the public and voluntary sectors, shape and deliver child centred services that keep children and young people safe.
  • Work closely with the Council’s political leadership, opposition and scrutiny to develop, improve and report on service performance
  • Provide inspirational leadership of staff, partnerships and projects that secure delivery of Merton’s priorities for residents.

You will need to show you are able to bring strategic leadership, operational grip and professional expertise to a complex and broad set of services that carry significant political visibility and contribute to vital organisational priorities.

A qualified social worker, you will bring a track record of successful leadership of a comparable range of services in complex public sector organisations, either at Head of Service or Assistant Director level. You will be able to demonstrate how you have used your expertise to improve services and partnerships that help keep children and young people safe.

You will be a leader in an authority with a history of long-term and sustained improvement at a time when the organisation is taking forward some of the most inspirational and aspirational plans in South London.

INFORMATION

For further details, please see the role profile below and select the 'click here' button to visit LB Merton's recruitment website. For more information please contact Luke Judd at 07435 270 659 or luke.judd@starfishsearch.com

ROLE PROFILE     Merton Recruitment Pack     CLICK HERE
Timeline

Closing Date: 25th April 2024

Meeting to agree a Longlist: 30th April 2024

Technical Interviews: 7th May 2024

1:1 Tea and Coffee: 9th/10th May 2024

Final Interviews: 14th May 2024