Team Manager - Care Leavers & Looked After Children

Do you see yourself leading a high-performing team dedicated to supporting care-experienced young people?

Can you use your leadership and safeguarding expertise to shape better futures for Southwark’s looked after children and care leavers?

Does the idea of working in a strong, values-led service committed to systemic and relationship-based practice inspire you?

If yes, we have the perfect role for you!

Our Children’s Services is looking for a passionate and dedicated Team Manager to join our amazing Care Leavers & Looked After Children team and help make a difference today.

About the Role:

As Team Manager, you will provide strategic and operational leadership to a team of caseworkers supporting looked after children and care leavers. In a fast-paced and collaborative environment, your key responsibilities will include:

• Safeguarding and risk management in partnership with professionals across agencies
• Driving best practice to ensure young people feel safe, secure, and supported to thrive in adulthood
• Setting clear standards and expectations of corporate parenting
• Ensuring effective supervision, case oversight, and outcomes-focused planning

About You:

We’re looking for someone with proven leadership, strong values, and a commitment to high-quality care. You will bring:

• Substantial experience in a social care leadership role
• Strong supervisory and team development skills
• Expertise in safeguarding and risk management
• Excellent communication and relationship-building abilities
• A passion for young people and improving life outcomes
• The ability to work collaboratively with internal and external partners
• A focus on accountability, progress tracking, and building team capacity

About the Team:

You’ll join a welcoming and experienced team that’s proud of our impact and culture. Our service was rated “Good” by Ofsted in all areas, with young people describing us as a “special council” that “feels like family.”

We’re supported by:

• Experienced Practitioners with expertise in housing, youth support, substance misuse, EET, and more
• Clinical professionals who promote reflective practice and continuous learning
• Strong, visible leadership and a shared commitment to holding each other to account
• A high support, high challenge ethos where children’s voices drive our practice

If you are ready to lead with integrity, purpose and ambition for children’s futures - we encourage you to apply today.

For detailed qualifications and requirements, please review the job description and person specification located at the bottom of the advert.

Contact Information:

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Khalida Khan at, khalida.khan@southwark.gov.uk.

Additional Information:

This post requires a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) DBS check at Enhanced level.

Benefits and more information:

In your role, we want you to feel supported, challenged and rewarded. You will benefit from our family-friendly policies including flexible working, home working, and a local government pension scheme, plus many other staff benefits. You will join a motivated, driven and supportive team that strives for excellence and values its members. You will also be part of a successful and high-achieving development team that is making a real difference to the lives of residents in the borough. For more information about the wide variety of benefits you can take advantage of please visit our Staff Benefits page.

Recruitment timetable

Advert close date: 11:59pm on Monday 18th August 2025

Shortlisting date/s: w/c 18th August 2025

Interview date/s: w/c 1st September 2025

The closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. We strongly advise you to complete your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme:

As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role, and identify with one of the below criteria:

• Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
• Are currently in care, or have previously been in care
• If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition

We are an organisation who is passionate about our people and understands that richness of diversity is a requirement to provide the best possible services to our communities. This is demonstrated through our council-wide ambitious commitment to tackle racial inequality in our communities and workforce through our Southwark Stands Together programme. We particularly welcome applications from members of the Black, Asian and ethnic minority communities to increase representation at senior management level in the Council.

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Attachments

• Team-Manager-JD-and-PS-Oct-2020.pdf