General information Reference 004961 Closing Date 18/01/2026 Service Area Directorate Children's Services Service Area Safeguarding & QA Category Social Care - Children's Social Care Job Title Improvement Delivery Lead Grade BBU14 Salary Range (£ pro rata for part time roles) BBU14 58,490 - 62,133 Contract Type Full time fixed term Contract Hours 37.00 Contract duration Fixed term for 2 Years Job Advert Bedford Borough Council are seeking an experienced professional to lead and coordinate the delivery of our post-Ofsted improvement programme for Children’s Services. You will manage complex projects, drive progress against clear milestones, and ensure statutory compliance. Strong programme and project management skills are essential, along with the ability to analyse data, produce high-quality reports, and present findings to senior leaders and partners. Educated to degree level (or equivalent), the role requires strategic thinking, stakeholder engagement across multi-agency settings, and a commitment to continuous improvement. If you have proven experience in managing change and delivering measurable outcomes, we want to hear from you. Experience of successful improvement work within Children's Services or Education is essential. How to apply When you are ready to apply, click on ‘Apply for Vacancy’; you will be asked to upload a CV and answer some application questions. The application questions require a yes/no response. Please make sure your CV shows how you meet the requirements for the role you are applying for, the job profile below will show the essential selection criteria. An optional CV template is provided below. Closing Date: 18th January 2026 Interviews will be held on the 27th January at Borough Hall, Bedford. Please note: The Council will not normally re-employ ex-employees in receipt of: · a severance payment (within 12 months of leaving) · a local government pension (applies to Senior Officers only) unless the appointment is business critical For further information, please email recruitment.team@bedford.gov.uk Guaranteed Interview Schemes Bedford Borough Council is proud to be a member of the Armed Forces Covenant and the Care Leavers Covenant, we pledge to interview any eligible job applicant who meets the minimum criteria for the job they are applying for. Bedford Borough Council is also a Level 2 Disability Confident employer and guarantees to interview anyone with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the role they are applying for. Visa Sponsorship Bedford Borough Council is unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role. Additional Vacancy Information Allowance (pro rata for part time roles) None Work Pattern Full Time Is this an enhanced DBS role? Yes Is this a politically restricted role? No Is this a customer facing role which requires a fluent English Speaker? Yes Location Bedfordshire Location Borough Hall Bedford Is this a designated car user position? No