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Job Description
* Suffolk County Council
* Address: West Suffolk House, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 3YU [Hybrid working]
* Salary: £48,163 per annum (pro rata for part time)
* Hours: 37 - Flexible working options available
* Contract: Permanent
As a modern, flexible and effective organisation, we're driven to make a positive difference to the environment, the communities we serve and the careers of our people. That's why, when you join us as a Practice Manager, you'll be encouraged to share your fresh thinking and empowered to explore new ideas that will shape and improve our services as well as your career.
Reimagine the possibilities.
Your role and responsibilities
As a Manager in Children and Young People's Services, you will be at the forefront of managing change, leading high-quality and effective ways of working, and overseeing staff, resources, or projects to achieve the best possible outcomes for children, young people, and their families in Suffolk.
* Lead teams to drive performance and improve outcomes for local families.
* Support and lead the team with a strong focus on family-centred service delivery.
* Build on existing strengths within the teams and lead through a period of transformation in Suffolk's Children's Services.
* Directly line manage two busy teams, including supervision and team meetings.
* Provide oversight of all aspects of the Family Support task – including casework, bespoke work, broker work, Family Time, and other duties as required.
* Lead on key service priorities, particularly around Quality and Performance.
* Liaise with partners as required, with a close working relationship with Social Care.
* Work with existing teams to develop practice and opportunities for collaborative working.
* Contribute to county-wide agendas as part of an experienced and supportive group of colleagues and peers.
You Will Need
* Enthusiasm and commitment to the role.
* Demonstrable communication and negotiation skills, with the ability to lead, inspire, and support teams.
* Understanding of the improvement journey and transformation process, with the ability to guide teams through challenges.
* Willingness to engage with learning opportunities, including statutory and role-specific training.
* Skills to drive change, analyse key areas for performance improvement, and implement remedial actions.
* A good knowledge of the Family Support agenda is beneficial.
* Motivation and alignment with shared values to contribute positively to the team and service.
You can view a full list of requirements in the Job and Person Profile. If you believe you can succeed in this role, apply. Even if you don't meet all requirements, still apply. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application.
The team
The Forest Health Family Support Team delivers a broad range of interventions to support families and holds strong expertise in serving the communities they work within.
They are committed to providing high-quality, child- and family-focused support, tailored to the needs of their local communities.
The team's work centres around the Early Help Assessment and Adolescent Early Help Assessment, aiming to improve outcomes for children and young people. Their practice is grounded in the Signs of Safety Plus (SOS+) framework, incorporating trauma-informed and restorative approaches.
Collaboration with Social Care colleagues is a key part of their role, including bespoke interventions, Family Time sessions, and duty tasks as required.
While the geographical spread of the area presents some challenges, flexible working is supported. However, regular presence in office bases is encouraged to model effective practice and support team cohesion.
Empowering Everyone
We're big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We're always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in our Workforce Equality Report.
For more information
Please contact Anne Ridley for a conversation. You can reach Anne by emailing anne.ridley@suffolk.gov.uk or by Teams message.
How to apply
Step 1 - Read the Job and Person Profile (Word).
Step 2 - Click 'Apply Now' to start your online application.
Step 3 - Upload a supporting statement answering the following questions below (no more than 400 words per question). You should use the Supporting Statement template.
1. We are looking for someone with a good knowledge of Family Support in Suffolk and the who can build on the existing team's strengths. Can you tell us about how you have driven and improved performance?
2. Working in Family Support brings a number of challenges - can you tell us how you have managed conflicting priorities to ensure you reached a positive outcome.
3. How have you ensured that you keep the child as the focus of the work?
We value authentic applications that showcase your genuine skills and experiences. Applications suspected of being generated by AI may be rejected. We ask you to present your own work and ideas throughout the application process.
Please note: Without a supporting statement, your interest will not be progressed. If you require any reasonable adjustments to the application process before the next selection stage, please contact our Recruitment Team by emailing recruitment@suffolk.gov.uk or calling 03456 014412. If you are invited to the next stage of selection, you will have another opportunity to request adjustments for the next stages of the process.
Closing date: 11.30pm, 19 October 2025
This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts. #LI-Hybrid
About Us
As a modern and effective council, we offer a wide variety of careers to suit people with a range of skills, abilities and ambitions. We offer working options that flex to reflect the way people work today and take the time to understand and support your individual needs. We're driven to make a positive difference to the world around us and encourage everyone with drive and focus to join us and build an influential and impactful career. Reimagine the possibilities.
In return, you'll enjoy:
* up to 29 days annual leave entitlement (pro rata), plus UK bank holidays and two paid volunteering days
* membership of a competitive Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
* travel, lifestyle, health and wellbeing benefits
* performance-related annual pay progression, in addition to an annual cost-of-living pay increase
* training and encouragement to expand your knowledge
* a variety of career development opportunities across our organisation
* diverse and active staff networks
* flexible working options, with the right to request flexible working from your first day
Plus lots more!
If you want to know more about our benefits, values and equality commitments please visit our Suffolk County Council careers website (careers.Suffolk.gov.uk).
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