Service manager children in care and prro

Position Summary

Salary: Grade 14, £61,706 – £66,043 per annum.

Hours: 37 hours per week.

Employment: Permanent.

Your role

You will provide leadership and management to a team of experienced Independent Safeguarding Reviewing Officers, leading on children looked‑after processes, and pathway plan review processes. Ensuring that all children are supported through the delivery of high‑quality social care practice. This includes quality assessments, planning, intervention to ensure all children an exceptional service and are able to reach their full potential. You will lead on thematic quality assurance areas developing service delivery to improve outcomes for children.

About you

• A social work qualification with significant post‑qualification experience and registered with Social Work England.
• Evidence of successfully and effectively delivering at team manager level.
• Excellent and effective communication skills both oral and written with the ability to deliver presentations to a wide range of audiences.
• An ability to build positive working relationships with colleagues from Children’s Social Care and partner agencies.
• A thorough working knowledge of the legal framework relating to Looked‑After Children including Care Planning Regulations and the duties and responsibilities of the IRO as set out in the IRO Handbook.
• Evidence of successfully supporting a performance‑management culture and service delivery improvements and of effectively managing and developing and implementing innovative service redesign and performance improvements.
• Demonstrates the ability and experience to proactively challenge issues in other professionals’ work and where necessary to challenge and elevate concerns on behalf of the service.
• Hold a valid UK driving licence or have the ability to demonstrate the efficient use of own or public transport to travel as required.

Benefits and Working Conditions

This role offers the opportunity to lead a skilled team of Independent Reviewing Officers, driving high‑quality safeguarding practice for children in care and care‑experienced young people. You will play a key role in shaping service improvements, strengthening performance, and ensuring robust care planning and review processes. Working collaboratively with partners, you will champion the voice of the child and influence positive outcomes. Wigan supports flexible working patterns where the service can accommodate this, and offers a blended approach to where we work, depending on the work we do, which may include working from home, the office, or the community.

Additional information

This position is subject to Enhanced Disclosure Procedures plus child barred list check.

The employer is committed to safeguarding.