£59,903 - £65,284 inclusive of London Weighting
Location:
Contract:
Temporary
Working Pattern:
Flexible Hours/Full Time
Hours:
37 hours per week.
DBS Check:
Closing Date:
24/06/2025 at 23:59
Reference:
People/25/314074
12-month fixed-term contract or 12-month secondment opportunity for internal candidates
We are seeking an experienced and visionary leader for the role of Regional Strategic Lead supporting Local Authority Fostering South East (LAFSE) - a newly created fostering recruitment hub, which is fully funded by the Department for Education.
Join our exciting Local Authority Fostering South East (LAFSE) Fostering South East partnership hub and make a real difference in children's lives.
At Bracknell Forest, we pride ourselves on being a council which is stable and well-managed where our employees can thrive in a supportive environment. We understand the importance of a healthy work-life balance and offer a variety of flexible working practices, including options for remote working and arrangements that allow you to work from home, dependant on the needs of the service.
About you...
As Regional Strategic Lead you will have the unique opportunity to shape and drive innovative programmes that improve outcomes for children and foster carers across the South East.
You will provide strategic oversight and leadership, ensuring the delivery of a combined approach to fostering recruitment and retention in line with regional priorities and statutory requirements.
The role of Regional Strategic Lead involves collaboration with national and local government bodies, inspection agencies, local fostering services, and foster carers. You will monitor, evaluate, and report on the impact of recruitment efforts and identify opportunities for innovative and regional collaboration.
The Regional Strategic Lead will work in partnership with 17 local authorities across the South East. You will provide leadership and direction, ensuring our initiatives align with both regional priorities and statutory requirements.
The Regional Strategic Lead role is a unique opportunity for you to build strong professional relationships across the region, influence positive change, and contribute to achieving the best possible outcomes for children. You will be supported by a passionate and experienced team committed to working together, sharing best practice, and delivering real impact through regional collaboration.
Whilst largely homebased, there is an expectation that you will work from the Bracknell Forest Council Time Square offices 2-5 days a month and visit the 17 LA partner offices in the South East on occasion.
About the team...
We are a collaborative and supportive team, committed to driving innovation in fostering recruitment. Our approach is centered on working together to create solutions that make a difference. We spearhead strategic, high-profile marketing campaigns that not only raise awareness but also drive meaningful and lasting change across the South East. Through our efforts, we aim to reshape recruitment practices, ensuring that they are effective, inclusive and impactful in addressing the needs of the region.
Key responsibilities...
* Providing visionary leadership and aligning recruitment and retention strategies with regional priorities and statutory obligations.
* Responsible for designing and delivering innovative programmes that support consistent practice, workforce development, and continuous improvement across 17 local authorities.
* Full compliance with fostering regulations, safeguarding protocols, and equality standards.
* Leading a multidisciplinary regional team, they foster a culture of high performance and accountability.
* Evaluating programme impact, representing the region in strategic forums, and championing fostering initiatives to enhance outcomes for children and carers.
* 28 days annual leave* increasing to 33 days* after 3 years’ continuous service.
* The opportunity to buy up to 10 additional days* annual leave per year and sell 5 days.
* Hybrid / Flexible working opportunities to support your wellbeing and work-life balance.
* Electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme for an electric car at a fixed monthly cost (subject to eligibility).
* An inclusive and social working environment with a variety of staff networks.
* Life insurance cover (linked to the pension scheme)
* Enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption and fostering leave.
* Recognition of continuous service attained within the NHS and UKHSA when calculating some benefits such as annual leave entitlements, occupational maternity/paternity leave, and more. (Terms and Conditions apply – please refer to candidate pack for more information.)
* Career development through internal and external training opportunities.
* A great office location next to travel links and Bracknell Forest’s thriving town centre.
* Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support your health and wellbeing.
* Sports and Social Club.
* Discounted leisure centre and gym membership.
Our values...
At Bracknell Forest Council our values define who we are and what is important to us.Our core values are inclusive, ambitious, and always learning. These values influence the way we work with each other and the way we serve our residents and engage with our communities.We make our values real by demonstrating them in how we behave every day. If you are excited about joining a diverse team that celebrates learning and strives for excellence, we would love to hear from you.
We are committed to ensuring an inclusive recruitment process for all applicants. If you require any reasonable adjustments to support your application or interview, please let us know by contacting recruitment@bracknell-forest.gov.uk .We will work with you to support you throughout the process.
Interview date
Interviews will be held on 3rd July 2025.
Interviews will be conducted in person, providing candidates with the chance to personally meet the team and experience our work environment.
We will be reviewing applications regularly and reserve the right to close the advert early if suitable candidates are identified. To avoid disappointment, you are advised to submit your application as soon as possible.
Please note AI is prohibited during the interview, any candidate using AI will be withdrawn from consideration.
Want to ask us a question?
For an informal discussion or to ask any questions about this role, please contact:
At Bracknell Forest we champion equality, diversity and inclusion. At Bracknell Forest Council, we are always learning, ambition and inclusive. Please see our candidate pack for more details.
Bracknell Forest Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect everyone employed with us to share this commitment. All successful candidates for this role will be subject to a DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) check as part of our pre-employment checks process.
Any successful internal candidate will be offered the position as a secondment and, in line with Section 8.1 of the Secondment Policy, must consult with their manager before applying.
Candidates should be able to demonstrate experience of working within the current Social Care System and Framework.
Social Work England registration fees can be claimed back from the Council.
We can only accept applications from candidates currently residing in the UK.
Candidates currently residing in the UK who require sponsorship to work are encouraged to assess their eligibility for a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) based on the relevant criteria. Please be aware that sponsorship availability varies and is subject to eligibility requirements and budget limitations. As a result, we cannot guarantee sponsorship for all roles and will evaluate sponsorship requests on a case-by-case basis.
No agencies please.
Bracknell Forest Council – Working for Equality. We welcome applications from all sections of the community.
How to apply
Please apply online via the link provided.
Please include a personal statement with your CV specifying why you are applying for this vacancy.
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