Team Managers - Children's Social Work Teams

Job title: Team Managers – Childrens Social Work Teams
Salary: £53,806 plus market enhancement of £8,560 pa, progressing to £59,497 plus market enhancement of £8,607 pa
Location: Stevenage or Hemel Hempstead (depending on the team - see below)
Hours: 37 hours per week
Contract: Permanent or Fixed Term/Secondment to Dec 2026 (depending on team - see below)
Directorate: Childrens Services

About us

At Hertfordshire County Council, we are proud of our strong track record of delivering high-quality services for children, young people and families. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted, we are committed to continuous improvement, innovation and ensuring the best possible outcomes for those we serve.

We place children and families at the heart of everything we do, working in partnership with agencies and communities to safeguard children and promote their welfare. Our approach is underpinned by relationship-based, trauma-informed practice, alongside a commitment to developing and supporting our workforce through high-quality training and reflective supervision.

This is an exciting time to join us as we continue to build on our strengths and evolve our services to meet the needs of Hertfordshire’s diverse communities.

About the role

As a Team Manager, you will play a key leadership role in delivering a high-quality service that safeguards and promotes the welfare of children and young people.

Working closely with senior managers, you will:

• Lead, manage and support a team of practitioners to deliver effective and timely interventions.
• Provide clear oversight of practice, ensuring plans are robust, outcome-focused and centred on the child.
• Ensure statutory duties are met, including those relating to Child in Need, Child Protection, Children Looked After and other relevant frameworks.
• Oversee workload management, including allocation and prioritisation of cases.
• Provide reflective supervision, performance management and professional development to staff.
• Monitor and drive performance against service objectives, KPIs and quality standards.
• Make informed and timely safeguarding decisions, including contributing to or leading strategy discussions where appropriate.
• Work collaboratively with partners across multi-agency networks to achieve the best outcomes for children and families.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement, learning and high professional standards.

You will also contribute to service development, ensuring that practice reflects current legislation, policy, and local priorities.

About the teams

You will be joining a dynamic and supportive service made up of skilled and dedicated professionals. Our teams are diverse, collaborative and committed to making a meaningful difference to children, young people and families.

We work in a multi-agency environment, valuing strong partnerships and innovative approaches to safeguarding and supporting families. You will be supported by experienced senior leaders and be part of a wider management group, providing opportunities for peer support, shared learning and professional development.

We are recruiting for managers in the following teams;

• Building Bridges Reunification Team
  Based in Stevenage
  37 hours per week | FTC/Secondment to Dec 2026
  For an informal conversation about the role please contact Jenna.Keen@hertfordshire.gov.uk
  – closing 8th June with interviews on 15th June
  
• Family Safeguarding West Teams
  Based in Hemel Hempstead
  37 hours per week | Permanent and FTC/Secondment to Aug 2027
  For an informal conversation about the role please contact Kingsline.Savariar@hertfordshire.gov.uk
  – closing 16th June with interviews on 23rd June
  
• Specialist Adolescent Team (SASH)
  Based in Stevenage
  37 hour per week | Permanent
  For an informal conversation about the role please contact Charlotte.Opie-Greer@hertfordshire.gov.uk
  – closing 20th July with interviews on 29th July and 4th August
  
  

About you

Essential

• Qualified Social Worker with current Social Work England registration.
• Significant experience within children’s social care, including safeguarding practice.
• Previous experience in a management role, supervising, managing or supporting staff in a practice setting.
• Strong leadership, organisational and decision-making skills.
• Ability to provide clear direction, oversight and reflective supervision.
• Sound knowledge of relevant legislation, statutory guidance and best practice.
• Experience of managing complex cases and making risk-informed decisions.
• Ability to work effectively in a multi-agency environment.
• Experience of performance management, quality assurance and service delivery.
• Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Full driving licence and access to a vehicle for work purposes.
• Experience working within the relevant specialist service area (e.g. safeguarding, adolescents, MASH, or reunification services).

Why join us?

If you are an experienced and passionate social work professional ready to take the next step in your leadership career, we would love to hear from you. This is a rewarding opportunity to lead a team that is committed to making a lasting difference in the lives of children, young people and families.

• Be part of an outstanding local authority with a strong reputation for practice excellence.
• Access to high-quality training and development opportunities.
• A supportive leadership culture that values reflective practice and staff wellbeing.
• Opportunities to contribute to innovative service development.
• A role where your leadership has a direct impact on improving outcomes for children and families.

We welcome applications from candidates who currently reside in the UK with established proof of right to work documentation. We are not able to offer sponsorship at this time for this role.

This job role is Level 13. Please locate the job profile here:

Job profiles - Health and social care

Benefits of working for us

How to apply

As part of your application, please upload your most recent CV. Ensure your CV is up to date with your employment history (including any employment gaps), and including any training/qualifications. We encourage you to include examples of where you have demonstrated the requirements/criteria in the advert / job profile to allow the panel to fully recognise your skills and abilities. You will have the opportunity to include a short covering paragraph within your application to give us a little more information about your skills, knowledge, and experiences.

Secondment
This role is open to secondments for eligible employees who work for HCC. If you wish to apply on a secondment basis, you must have your line manager’s approval before submitting your application. You will be asked to confirm this within your application form. If you are not eligible for a secondment (e.g., you are currently on a fixed‑term contract that would end before this positions ends) or you indicate that your manager cannot support a secondment, your application will be considered on a fixed‑term contract basis instead.

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 and/or travel around Hertfordshire, either using your own mode of transport or a company car to travel to other locations.

English Fluency
The ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post (for those whose language is a signed language the provision of a sign language interpreter who speaks English to the necessary standard of fluency will be required). Further information about the legal requirement can be found here.