Job Title: Principal Social Worker
Location: Walsall
Salary: £62,199 – £74,774 per annum plus relocation package of up to 25% of starting salary (conditions apply)
Job Type: Full Time, Permanent
Closing date: 8th Sep 2019
The Council is seeking an exceptional social worker with a proven track record of leading and developing social work practice.
They are on an exciting transformational journey, designed to improve the experience of the children and families they work with. They offer excellent management support, a recently formed senior leadership team with enthusiasm and ambition to deliver the highest standard of service delivery and excellent, flexible working conditions.
In return they are looking for a social worker with substantial social work practice experience. An outstanding communicator and demonstrable evidence of supporting and improving social work practice. Evidence of post qualifying professional development is also required.
Job Duties:
Horizon Scanning
- To keep abreast of the latest research and evidence based social work practice providing feedback on national developments to the whole workforce
- To represent Childrens Social Care at local and national fora as required including the PSW network
- To seek out best practice, both locally and nationally
- Explore opportunities for collaborative working with other service providers and HEIs
- Communicate practice intelligence about the effectiveness of protection and safeguarding services to the Office of the Chief Social Worker
Leading People
- In conjunction with the management team establish a cohesive and high functioning Social Work workforce through sound support, recruitment, retention and L&D arrangements
- To manage the L&D staff group
- Create communication channels which provide social workers with advice, guidance, support and challenge
- To be responsible for an annual “health check” within the service
- Champion and advise on evidence based practice
- Develop a learning and development offer for social workers underpinned by Knowledge and Skills Statement
- Working collaboratively as part of the senior leadership team to drive service delivery and improvement
- Ensure partner agencies are aware of and deliver on their shared responsibility to safeguard vulnerable children
- To ensure consultation and partnership with children, young people and their families and other stakeholders
- Work directly with partners through the safeguarding partnership
Managing Resources
- Ensure effective management and deployment of financial, human and physical resources under the control of the Council
- To be accountable for specific budgets, including the setting and control of expenditure in line with the council financial regulations
- Direct responsibility for the supervision, support, direction, coordination and development of employees
Managing Performance
- Lead on preparation for external scrutiny and inspection
- Ensure regulatory functions are effectively exercised
- Ensure active compliance with all relevant Council policies and procedures in the fulfilling off duties and responsibilities of the post
- To respond to user complaints within the service within timescales
Managing Self
- Maintain up to date professional knowledge, relevant professional accreditation and ensure awareness of all strategic service and legislative developments
- Participate as required to any out of hours, corporate resilience, emergency planning and business continuity arrangements
- To play a leading role in ensuring close working relationships with statutory and other providers of services to children in Walsall, creating a culture of mutual respect and understanding
Key Requirements:
- Education to degree level or equivalent
- Social Work Qualification and HCPC Registered
- Extensive knowledge and experience of statutory social work
- Management or supervisory experience in a complex organisational context
- Evidence of continuous professional development
- Thinks strategically, views events, issue or proposals from different perspectives to find creative solutions
- Manage information and intelligence to inform strategy and service delivery
- Communicates effectively to a variety of audiences
- Relevant, current technical knowledge
- Extensive knowledge and experience of statutory social work
- Management or supervisory experience in a complex organisational context
- Evidence of continuous professional development
For this role the successful candidates must undergo a Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) check. BPSS is the minimum standard to ensure the identity and integrity of an employee who has access to official information using secure networks linking central government and local authorities. A BPSS check involves four main elements; Identity Check, National and Immigration Status, Employment History (last 3 years) and Verification of Criminal Record (unspent convictions only).
Please click on the APPLY button to complete your application at the Company’s careers page.
Candidates with experience of: Senior Support Worker, Carer, Health Care Assistant, Home Care Worker, Care Support Worker, Residential Care Worker, Carer, Care Assistant, Healthcare Assistant, Recovery Social Worker, Recovery Support Worker, Enabler, Care Worker, Senior Support Assistant, Care Helper, Care Assist, Healthcare Assistant, Residential Care Support, Social Care may also be considered for this role.
