Director of Children & Families

Job Title: Director of Children & Families
Starting Salary: £115,170 progressing to £127,731 per annum
Hours: 37 hours per week
Base Location: Farnham House, Stevenage/Hybrid
Contract Type: Permanent
Directorate: Childrens Services

Are you a strategic leader passionate about making a difference for children and families?

Hertfordshire County Council is driving change and shaping the future of Children’s Services.

We’re seeking a visionary Director of Children and Families to lead strategic social care services and champion child-centred practice across a diverse and growing community.

You’ll provide transformational leadership through national reforms, oversee workforce strategy, and deliver high-quality safeguarding and family support services. This is a pivotal role, influencing multi-agency partnerships and ensuring excellence in statutory standards.

Key accountabilities of the role:

• Provide strategic leadership for all children’s social care services, including safeguarding, family support, youth justice, and specialist interventions.
• Drive workforce strategy and service transformation through national reforms, ensuring high performance and compliance with statutory standards.
• Lead Hertfordshire’s safeguarding agenda, chair key partnership boards, and influence multi-agency collaboration for continual improvement.
• Represent HCC at senior forums and partnerships, shaping policy and delivering excellence across children and family services.

What we’re looking for you to bring (Person Specification)

Essential:

• Degree qualification in relevant disciplines and/or additional knowledge gained through management / qualification.
• Professional qualification in social work & registration with Social Work England.
• Significant experience of Children’s Services management and oversight of safeguarding and child protection at a senior level.
• Experience of leading work in the partnership arena and within a political environment.
• Expert knowledge of legislation, best practice, and sector-wide standards.
• Inspirational leader with strong communication and influencing skills at senior level.
• Collaborative and commercially astute, with sound financial understanding.
• Skilled in negotiation and driving change through constructive challenge and partnership.
• Ability to drive around Hertfordshire, using your own mode of transport to travel to other locations.

This job role is within the Leadership, level job profile. Please locate this via: Organisational Leadership

Recruitment Information & Timelines

Applications:

Please submit your application online, with a CV and covering letter (maximum of two A4 pages) outlining your experiences in relation to the key accountabilities of the role.

Closing date:

Thursday 27th November 2025 – noon.

Technical Interview:

A technical interview will be conducted with the Executive Director of Children Services via MS Teams Wednesday 10th December 2025.

Final Interview:

Monday 15th December 2025 – Farnham House, Stevenage.

If you wish to have an informal conversation about the role, please contact Richard.Hall@hertfordshire.gov.uk or Melanie.Lamprecht@hertfordshire.gov.uk

If you’re ready to lead with impact and innovation, we’d love to hear from you.

Additional information

Disability Confident
We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and guarantee an interview to anyone disclosing a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.

Safeguarding
This role has been identified as requiring a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check.

Driving required
You’ll need to have the ability to drive around Hertfordshire, either using your own mode of transport or a company car to travel to other locations.

Available documents

• Candidate Pack - Director of Children and Families Nov 2025.pdf