Job Title: Chief Officer - Family Help and Social Work
Salary: £112,369 - £123,394 (Pay award pending)
Contract: Permanent
Location: Merrion House
Closing Date: Midnight, 31st May 2026
Leading a citywide safeguarding system with purpose
Leeds is a city with bold ambition for children and families. We are proud of our strong values, our commitment to inclusion and our relentless focus on improving outcomes.
We are driven by our Leeds Ambitions, prioritising the actions that will have the most impact for people in our city over the next decade. Working together with partners, communities and families, our shared goal as Child Friendly Leeds is that every child and young person will have the best start in life and be supported to thrive.
To help lead this next phase of improvement, we are recruiting three exceptional Chief Officers to join our Children and Families Directorate. These are influential, system‑leading roles that will work collectively as part of a strong and values‑driven senior leadership team, shaping the future of services across the city.
We are continuing to strengthen our social work and family help system - with prevention, early intervention and safeguarding at its core - and we’re seeking a courageous, experienced leader to help drive that work forward.
Reporting to the Director of Children and Families, the Chief Officer for Family Help & Social Work will provide strategic leadership across the end‑to‑end safeguarding system, from early help and the integrated front door through to statutory social work.
As a senior corporate leader, you will help shape the strategic direction of Children and Families and contribute to the wider leadership of the council and the Leeds Ambitions.
Your impact
You will lead area‑based children’s social work and family help services across Leeds, ensuring children are safeguarded, families are supported to stay together wherever it is safe to do so, and statutory responsibilities are delivered to the highest professional standards.
You will guide the ongoing development of the family help system, strengthening prevention, reducing unnecessary escalation and embedding strengths‑based practice through the Leeds Practice Model. Working closely with partners across education, health, police and the voluntary and community sector, you will ensure integrated, effective approaches to safeguarding and family support.
You will provide expert advice to elected members and senior leaders on safeguarding, social work practice and early help, and represent Leeds in regional and national forums. You will lead transformation and continuous improvement activity, maintaining readiness for Ofsted inspection and ensuring learning drives sustained progress.
As a leader of people, services and significant budgets, you will build a high‑performing, values‑driven workforce focused on excellent outcomes for children and families.
About you
You will be a registered social worker with substantial senior leadership experience in children’s social care. You will bring:
- Extensive experience leading safeguarding and statutory social work services
- Strong knowledge of legislation, policy and inspection frameworks (including Ofsted)
- A proven ability to lead complex systems and large‑scale change
- Political acumen and confidence operating in highly visible, sensitive environments
- Excellent communication, influence and partnership‑building skills
You will be driven by a clear purpose: keeping children safe, strengthening families and ensuring Leeds continues to deliver high‑quality, child‑centred services.
To find out more and apply, visit Future Leeds or contact Zarvesha Rasool (07551 392696) or Anita Denton (07725 554802).
Closing date: Midnight, Sunday 31st May 2026
Job Description
Directorate Children and Families
Service Area Family Help & Social Work
Job Title Chief Officer
Grade Dir 85%.
Conditions of service JNC Terms and Conditions
Reports to Director of Children and Families
Responsible for Heads of Service across Family Help and Social Work including area-based Children’s Social Work and Family Help services, incorporating early help, front door, and statutory social work functions.
Job Purpose Provide strategic leadership for the Family Help and Social Work system across the city, ensuring children, young people and families receive effective support that promotes early intervention, safeguarding and improved life outcomes, lead the development, performance, and transformation of services across the end-to-end safeguarding system prior to and at the point of statutory intervention, including early help, the integrated front door and statutory social work services. The role ensures statutory responsibilities are met and that services operate to the highest professional standards, lead the development of the Family Help system, strengthening prevention, early support and approaches that enable families to stay together wherever it is safe to do so, working collaboratively with partners across education, health, police and the voluntary and community sector to ensure integrated approaches to safeguarding and family support. At all times, the Chief Officer champions a positive safeguarding culture, ensuring compliance with relevant legislation and statutory guidance, including Working Together to Safeguard Children.
Corporate Leadership Responsibilities
- As a member of the Directorate Senior Leadership Team, the Chief Officer contributes to the collective leadership of the Directorate and wider Council, supporting the delivery of the Children and Young People’s Plan and the Best City Ambition.
- Provide expert strategic advice to elected Members, senior leaders and partners on safeguarding, early help and social work practice and contributes to shaping policy and service development at local, regional and national levels.
- As a member of the Directorate’s senior leadership team be collectively responsible for supporting the Director of Children’s Services in the strategic leadership, performance and delivery of the Directorate and the wider Council.
- Operate as corporate leaders, contributing to the development and delivery of whole-council priorities and working collaboratively across services and directorates to ensure the Council operates as a single, integrated organisation.
Chief Officers will:
- Act as corporate leaders across the Council, contributing to cross-directorate initiatives, transformation programmes, organisational priorities and achieving the Leeds Ambitions.
- Work collaboratively with Directors, Chief Officers and senior leaders to ensure coherent and integrated service delivery.
- Lead and manage complex political and partnership relationships.
- Develop effective working relationships with elected Members, providing high-quality strategic advice to inform decision-making.
- Represent the Directorate and the Council in local, regional and national partnerships.
- Contribute to the collective leadership of the Directorate, supporting the Director of Children’s Services in delivering strategic priorities and statutory responsibilities.
- Deputise for the Director of Children’s Services when required, providing senior leadership on politically sensitive or high-profile issues.
System Leadership of Family Help & Social Work
- Provide system leadership within the Family Help and Social Work system across the city, ensuring services effectively safeguard children and support families to achieve positive outcomes.
- Lead the planning and development of services in line with city, regional and national priorities, ensuring the Council meets statutory responsibilities relating to safeguarding and children’s social care.
- Lead the end-to-end safeguarding system including family help, the integrated front door and statutory social work services up to the point that a child becomes looked after.
- Ensure the Leeds Practice Model is embedded across services and partner organisations, promoting strengths-based practice and high-quality professional decision-making.
- Provide strategic advice to elected Members, senior leaders and partners on safeguarding, early help and social work practice.
- Ensure that services contribute effectively to the delivery of the Children and Young People’s Plan and wider council priorities.
Family Help and Prevention
- Lead the development of the Family Help system, strengthening early intervention, prevention and support for families to stay together.
- Promote approaches that reduce the need for statutory intervention and care, supporting family resilience and community-based solutions.
- Work in partnership with the Chief Officer – Corporate Parenting & Reunification to prevent unnecessary entry to care.
- Ensure effective integration between early help, targeted services and statutory social work.
- Work with partners to strengthen whole-system approaches to prevention and early support.
Service Leadership and Delivery
- Work closely with the Chief Officer – Commissioning & Governance to ensure effective use of resources, workforce and commissioning to deliver service priorities.
- Provide leadership and oversight of early help, safeguarding and social work services delivered across the city.
- Ensure high quality services are delivered that meet or exceed statutory, regulatory and inspection standards.
- Ensure safeguarding practice across services is robust and that children’s welfare remains central to service delivery.
- Champion initiatives that strengthen early intervention, family support and effective safeguarding practice.
- Ensure services operate in line with national legislation, statutory guidance and regulatory frameworks.
- Promote effective professional practice across early help services, area social work teams and the Integrated Front Door.
Partnership and System Leadership
- Work with the Chief Officer – Commissioning & Governance in relation to safeguarding partnership arrangements.
- Develop and maintain strong partnerships with statutory partners including health, education, police and the voluntary and community sector.
- Lead collaborative approaches that deliver integrated services and improved outcomes for children and families.
- Work closely with the Chief Officer – Corporate Parenting & Reunification to support transitions into and out of care.
- Represent the Council in regional and national forums relating to children’s social care, safeguarding and early help.
- Promote shared accountability across partners for improving outcomes for children and families.
Transformation and Continuous Improvement
- Lead service transformation programmes that strengthen safeguarding, early help and family support services.
- Drive continuous improvement through performance management, evidence-based practice and learning from inspection and feedback.
- Maintain and develop an effective assurance system for areas of direct responsibility.
- Ensure services maintain readiness for inspection and operate to high regulatory standards.
- Embed learning from inspection outcomes, audits and feedback to support sustainable improvement.
- Develop strategic initiatives that strengthen workforce capability and professional practice in partnership with workforce development functions.
- Work with the Chief Officer – Corporate Parenting & Reunification to ensure consistent practice standards across the Directorate.
Financial and Resource Leadership
- Provide strategic oversight of financial resources across Family Help and Social Work services.
- Ensure resources are used effectively to deliver best value and improve outcomes for children and families.
- Work within the Council’s Budget Management Accountability Framework to ensure sound financial planning and management.
- Develop sustainable financial strategies that support effective safeguarding and early help provision.
- Ensure efficient and effective use of resources across services.
Leadership of People
- Provide leadership and oversight of Heads of Service and senior managers.
- Develop a high-performing workforce that delivers excellent outcomes for children and families.
- Promote a culture of collaboration, accountability and continuous improvement.
- Ensure effective workforce planning, leadership development and performance management.
- The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate to the grade.
Qualifications Professional social work qualification (degree, DipSW, CQSW or equivalent) and registration with Social Work England.
Working Context- Post holders will work flexibly both at home and at various locations across the city and region. All colleagues should work in line with our hybrid working principles and spend regular time in the workplace to support service delivery, meeting the needs of the team and the requirements of their individual role. The hours are worked mainly Monday to Friday. However, the post holder will be expected to work outside normal working hours, including attendance at evening/weekend meetings or events if required to meet the needs of the service.
Essential requirements Candidates will only be shortlisted if they can demonstrate that they meet all the essential requirements.
- Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the current local, regional, and national issues and the legislative and political context relating to children’s social care and corporate parenting services.
- Demonstrate knowledge of applicable legislation, regulations, policies, inspections and performance information and relevant strategic functions e.g. health, safety and security, confidentiality, and data protection.
- Detailed knowledge and understanding of economic strategy and policy, understanding of local government political systems and experience of working on politically sensitive issues including significant experience of developing productive working relationships with Council Members, trade unions, and Corporate Leadership Team.
- Strong understanding of the legislative, policy and strategic context relating to safeguarding, early help, and children’s social care.
- Evidence of working with partners and key stakeholders and of forging and driving successful partnership programmes to deliver cross sector priorities and outcomes.
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence, negotiate and establish credibility across sectors to enhance reputation and form positive relationships.
- Experience of successful leadership and management of large-scale complex change programmes with an understanding of the strategic issues that face integrated work.
- Evidence of ability to make reasoned and logical decisions allied with high level organisational skills.
- Significant successful senior leadership experience.
- Substantial experience of operating in a political environment and of managing politically sensitive issues.
- Extensive experience of exercising sound judgement and providing clear advice at senior level.
- Experience of developing and implementing highly complex strategies leading to successful outcomes
- Extensive experience of leading services within complex regulatory and inspection frameworks including Ofsted.
- Experience of working effectively with partners across education, health, police, and the voluntary sector.
- Experience of leading large-scale complex change programmes.
- Excellent communication and influencing skills.
- Experience of managing politically sensitive issues.
Behavioural & other Characteristics required.
- Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct.
- Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Leeds Ambitions of health and wellbeing, inclusive growth, thriving strong communities and a resilient sustainable city.
- Be aware of promote and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures e.g., health, safety and security, confidentiality, and data protection.
- Be aware of and support difference ensuring equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, and promoting the behaviours, values, and standards of Leeds City Council.
- Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, ensuring compliance with relevant policies and procedures.
- Understand and observe Leeds City Council approach to equality, diversity, and inclusion.
- Perform all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health and Safety Policies.
