Southend-on-Sea City Council Team Manager – Fostering Kinship & Recruitment Team Salary: £53,460–£58,959 £7,500 R&R payment after 3 years and 1 day | Permanent | Full-time Intro paragraph: Southend-on-Sea City Council is recruiting an experienced Team Manager – Fostering Kinship & Recruitment Team to lead the day-to-day delivery of fostering, kinship and recruitment services within Children & Learning Specialist Services. What’s on Offer Permanent management role within Specialist Services Salary range of £53,460–£58,959 £7,500 recruitment and retention payment after 3 years and 1 day Opportunities for professional development and management training Supportive senior leadership and collaborative working environmentKey Responsibilities Provide operational leadership and direction for the fostering, kinship and recruitment service Manage a team including Advanced Practitioners, supervising social workers and support staff Ensure recruitment, assessment, training and supervision of foster carers and kinship carers meet statutory requirements Deliver high-quality supervision, performance management and appraisals, identifying training and development needs Ensure compliance with Fostering National Minimum Standards, legislation and local procedures Monitor performance, quality and outcomes, embedding a culture of continuous improvement Oversee complex and high-risk cases where required and support care planning for children Work in partnership with internal teams, external agencies and multi-disciplinary forums Manage complaints appropriately and escalate where necessary Oversee team budgets and authorise expenditure within agreed limits Chair meetings, conferences and reviews, ensuring children’s needs remain central Contribute to senior management decision-making and deputise for the Service Manager when required As Team Manager – Fostering Kinship & Recruitment Team, ensure services contribute effectively to the Council’s strategic objectivesRequirements Recognised social work qualification (CQSW, DipSW, CSS or equivalent) with current professional registration Minimum 4 years’ post-qualifying statutory experience in children’s services Proven experience working as an Advanced Practitioner within fostering services Demonstrable experience in fostering and/or kinship assessment and recruitment Strong knowledge of fostering legislation, National Minimum Standards and safeguarding practice Experience of supervising staff and contributing to service development Ability to manage performance, resources and budgets effectively Excellent communication, leadership and decision-making skills The Team Manager – Fostering Kinship & Recruitment Team must be able to travel within and outside the borough as requiredWhy Ackerman Pierce? Dedicated permanent recruitment support Interview and offer guidance Long-term career advice Ready to Apply? Contact Phil at Ackerman Pierce on (phone number removed) or email (url removed) to apply or find out more