Internal vacancy. Applications will only be considered from existing Leeds City Council employees.

The Capacity and Change Team are seeking to appoint a temporary Practice Improvement and Development Manager. In this role you will be responsible for providing support and oversight of quality assurance activity across services in Children and Families, as well as assisting in embedding best social work practice, and supporting inspection preparation. The Practice Improvement and Development Manager works as part of a small team supporting their project work and ensuring that we have high aspirations for the practice that we offer children and families. The post is also responsible for promoting and presenting our quality assurance training offer to raise awareness and develop confidence in learning from practice.

We need someone who is passionate about quality assurance, learning from and embedding best practice, and who wishes to build effective relationships with partner agencies and encourage others in a culture of change. You will need to be a strong communicator, an ability to think and act strategically and excellent organisational skills to manage the fast-paced work. You will be able to work under your own initiative and to ensure that processes and procedures are followed. You will be highly professional, with a comprehensive understanding of social work practices in many different areas and also have a keen eye for development in local and national policies and procedures.

This is a hybrid role which involves a balance of home and office-based working.

You will hold a social work qualification and have current registration with Social Work England. This role also requires relevant post-qualifying experience in safeguarding, and you must also have the right to live and work in the UK.

We value diversity and inclusion within the workforce and actively encourage applications from individuals from all backgrounds.

For an informal discussion, please contact Amy Walker, Service Delivery Manager for Capacity and Change.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check against the Children’s barred list will be carried out on preferred candidates. Read our recruitment of ex-offenders policy.

We promote diversity and want a workforce that reflects the population of Leeds and the communities we serve. Leeds City Council is recognised in Stonewall’s Workplace Equality Index 2024. We are also an Age-friendly Employer, a Mindful Employer and a Disability Confident Leader.

All new Leeds City Council appointments are made subject to the satisfactory completion of a six month probationary period.

This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.

If you do not have the right to work in the UK, candidates must consider their own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the 'standard' salary rate of at least £38,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. For more information visit Skilled Worker visa on the government website. Please ensure you are eligible before applying.

Job Description

Job Purpose: The leadership and management of projects to improve outcomes for children and young people by improving practice and performance within social work and safeguarding.

This will include:

• Leading and managing improvement projects on behalf of the senior leadership of Children Services
• Engaging leaders, managers and front line staff in change and improvement
• Involving children, young people and partner agencies in change and improvement
• Developing improved model processes and best/next practice
• Developing improved performance management and quality assurance
• Supporting improvement and preparation for inspection
• The role will involve contact with senior colleagues, partners and members. Success will require building and maintaining strong relationships with these stakeholders
• The postholder will need to demonstrate knowledge, commitment and experience of delivering improvement projects.

Responsibilities:

Lead on the development and delivery of the Children’s Services’ Social Work and Safeguarding improvement agenda in one or more of the following areas:

• Process and practice development
• Policy Development
• Developing quality assurance and performance management
• Partnership Development and delivery
• Business engagement and change
• Involving children and young people.

Within your area of professional lead, provide leadership, management, frameworks, support and guidance on the application of appropriate methodology, procedures, tools and techniques to all staff.

• Lead the development, delivery and management of an appropriate quality and performance framework within your area of professional lead that is in line with legislation and/or best practice.
• Lead, manage and advise on the research and analysis required to inform or drive the delivery of the city and Children’s services plans; ensuring that priorities are delivered in line with legislation and/or best practice.
• Lead colleagues across the organisation to manage change in an engaging way which mitigates the risks and delivers the business benefits and sustains improvement. 
• Where appropriate within your area of professional lead, provide leadership to colleagues across the Directorate and Partners in the development and delivery of appropriate solutions and systems which support delivery of the policy and performance agenda. 
• Promote, demonstrate and evidence the Council’s values and expected behaviours through your own role and through the work of the service.
• Lead the delivery of key areas of work ensuring that strategic priorities are delivered successfully to a high standard.
• Build strong, dynamic relationships and networks, positively engaging with individuals, members and partners as appropriate in the delivery of better outcomes.  
• Undertake development and management of staff within the service, including agreement of responsibilities and objectives, ascertaining training and development needs, work planning, monitoring performance, assessment and appraisal.
• Manage and control delegated budgets, resources and assets effectively and efficiently and in line with the councils Procedures Rules to deliver on agreed priorities. 
• Where directed, work flexibly across Partnership, Governance and Leadership Support and within the respective teams, matching your skills and experience to meet the needs of the Directorate and exploiting opportunities for personal development.
• Work with officers, members and partners to achieve service performance and deliver outcomes, targets and objectives in line with the city and the directorate’s plans.
• Maintain knowledge of local, regional and national issues as they relate to the issues governed and managed within the safeguarding, specialist and targeted service.
• Prepare and deliver briefings, reports and presentations where required at a senior manager level both within and outside of the Council.
• Implement, manage and adhere to effective governance and risk management arrangements to assure successful delivery of work within your remit.
• Manage and handle information and data in line with the Council's agreed policies on Information Governance.
• Ensure compliance with legislation, national standards, best practice and all council policies in pursuit of excellence in service delivery.
• Respond effectively to customer enquiries in an appropriate way.
• Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
• To participate in appraisal, training and development activities as necessary to ensure up to date knowledge and skills.
• To improve own practice through observation, evaluation, discussion with colleagues and development programmes.
• Contribute to the overall ethos, work, and aims of the service by attending relevant meetings, training days/events as requested.
• Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures e.g. child protection, health, safety and security, confidentiality and data protection, reporting all concerns to an appropriate person.
• Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding and promoting the values, standards and equal opportunities of Leeds City Council.
• Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment or victimisation and any form of abuse of equal opportunities, ensuring compliance with relevant policies and procedures.
• The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and this role will be expected to work within these parameters.

The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post.

Qualifications

Appropriate professional qualification (DipSW, CQSW or equivalent) Registration with Social Work England (SWE) upon commencement of the post and maintain registration.

PERSONAL SPECIFICATION

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS: It is essential that the Candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post within the context of the specific role duties and responsibilities:  Candidates will only be shortlisted for interview if they can demonstrate on the application form that they meet all the essential requirements

Method of Assessment will be through one or more of the following Application Form, Test, Interview, and Certificate

Skills Required

• Able to work flexibly across different work locations and areas as appropriate. 
• Ability to lead cross service teams.
• Ability to give appropriate professional advice at a senior management level
• Ability to grasp and work within the council's Governance framework.
• Ability to manage projects and work within a programme/project environment.
• Ability to develop productive working relationships that command respect, trust and confidence.
• Able to work on own initiative and make effective decisions and judgements
• Ability to promote and manage change

Knowledge Required

• Demonstrates an effective understanding of the Council values and actively promotes them through their behaviours.
• An understanding of the pressures facing public services in their drive to improve outcomes and service delivery.
• Understanding of a Manager's corporate responsibilities (e.g. Health and Safety).
• Evidence of maintaining and applying up-to-date knowledge of current thinking and developments within area of expertise.
• Understanding of children’s services, quality assurance and how this relates to best practice and improving outcomes

Experience Required

• Of managing and monitoring performance, setting clear objectives for the review of individual service, locality and outcome level performance.
• Management experience in a relevant service or organisation.
• Of writing reports, carrying out presentations and communicating at all levels to promote engagement by others.
• Of managing competing priorities and risks and adapting to changing circumstances and priorities.
• Of managing and contributing to delivery within complex environments involving various stakeholders to achieve positive outcomes.
• Of the engagement of appropriate stakeholders in decision making processes and delivery.
• Of promoting, leading and implementing improvement activity that improves outcomes and service quality and supports a culture that drives up standards and performance and delivers sustainable change.
• Of challenging existing ways of working and driving through change.

Behavioural & other Characteristics required

• Committed to continuous improvement.
• Ability to understand and observe Leeds City Council Equal Opportunities Policy.
• To carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health & Safety Policies.
• Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities to ensure up to date knowledge, skills and continuous professional development
• High degree of personal integrity with a record of promoting fairness, equality of opportunity and diversity.

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