Job Description
2-3 months contract with a Local Authority
Job Summary:
• The SHiFT Team Manager will provide expert social work leadership to adolescents at risk of contextual harm across Kingston and Richmond.
• Responsible for overseeing statutory social work practice, including Child in Need, Child Protection and court-related work within the Specialist Adolescent Service.
• Works collaboratively with the Senior Guide, Head of Service and Adolescent Safeguarding Manager to ensure excellent, consistent and innovative practice.
• Leads on service development, performance management, quality assurance, recruitment, learning and reflective supervision.
• Acts as a “critical friend”, providing constructive challenge, maintaining fidelity to the SHiFT model and supporting continuous improvement in practice.
• Ensures high-quality multi-agency working, risk management and safeguarding for vulnerable adolescents and their families.
Key Duties/Accountabilities (Sample):
• Provide frontline management oversight for all SHiFT adolescent social work practice.
• Chair strategy meetings, manage contacts into the service and provide case direction and supervision to practitioners.
• Work closely with the Adolescent Safeguarding Manager to ensure risk is managed effectively and duty cover is in place.
• Lead recruitment, induction, training, development and performance management of team members.
• Ensure robust quality assurance, evaluation, and reflective learning across the service.
• Maintain the integrity and fidelity of the SHiFT model, ensuring best practice is embedded across AfC and nationally.
• Support innovation, systems-thinking and solution-focused interventions for young people affected by contextual safeguarding concerns.
• Use data, intelligence and evidence to drive decision-making and improve service delivery.
• Ensure compliance with safeguarding legislation, statutory duties and organisational policy.
• Build strong, effective partnerships with multi-agency stakeholders including police, youth justice, health, education and voluntary sector services.
• Promote collaborative working, resource-sharing and a strengths-based approach across the directorate.
Skills/Experience:
• Significant experience in statutory social work with vulnerable adolescents.
• Proven ability to manage high levels of risk, including contextual safeguarding, exploitation and public protection.
• Experience managing and supervising social workers, caseworkers or practitioners delivering adolescent-focused interventions.
• Strong background in performance management, staff development and quality assurance.
• Excellent knowledge of safeguarding legislation, Children Act duties and policy relevant to adolescent services.
• Experience of delivering outcomes within integrated, multi-agency environments.
• Ability to analyse complex information, use data and apply evidence-based practice in decision-making.
• Skilled in relationship-building, influencing, de-escalation and multi-agency negotiation.
• Experience handling equality, diversity and inclusion issues in practice and addressing them proactively.
• Competent with digital systems, management information tools and professional recording.
• Excellent communication, problem-solving, organisation and leadership abilities.
• Able to work independently, with initiative, flexibility and limited oversight.
• High levels of resilience, determination and professional curiosity.
Additional Information:
• The closing date: 01/12/2025 @17:00.
• Location: Kingston and Richmond (Achieving for Children).
• Contract: Agency, full-time (36 hours).
• Requirement: Social Work England registration and Social Work qualification.
Requirements
• Significant experience in statutory social work with vulnerable adolescents. • Proven ability to manage high levels of risk, including contextual safeguarding, exploitation and public protection. • Experience managing and supervising social workers, caseworkers or practitioners delivering adolescent-focused interventions. • Strong background in performance management, staff development and quality assurance. • Excellent knowledge of safeguarding legislation, Children Act duties and policy relevant to adolescent services. • Experience of delivering outcomes within integrated, multi-agency environments. • Ability to analyse complex information, use data and apply evidence-based practice in decision-making. • Skilled in relationship-building, influencing, de-escalation and multi-agency negotiation. • Experience handling equality, diversity and inclusion issues in practice and addressing them proactively. • Competent with digital systems, management information tools and professional recording. • Excellent communication, problem-solving, organisation and leadership abilities. • Able to work independently, with initiative, flexibility and limited oversight. • High levels of resilience, determination and professional curiosity.