Further Information Would you like to join a transformational council that is invested in systemic practice with a permanent, dedicated senior leadership team?
Are you passionate about driving improvement in outcomes for children, young people and their families?
Do you have a proven track record in strategic leadership and directing children’s social care services?
We are looking for an innovative and ambitious individual who places children and young people at the centre of everything they do. This aspirational experienced leader will lead our safeguarding teams, including our children and families’ teams, disabled children’s team, harm outside the home, and adolescent team.
In this role you will be responsible for the strategic management and oversight of the safeguarding service improvement plan, as well as key decision-making forums such as legal gateway panel. You will need to enhance performance management and systematic oversight of our most vulnerable children to ensure their planning is timely and appropriate in line with their needs. You will manage service leads and provide high quality supervision, guidance and support to them and their teams.
You will be aspirational for children, families and workforce and be able to prioritise your work to meet competing deadlines. You will have experience in developing and shaping services to improve the outcomes for our children and families, supporting our teams through periods of change.
Our Children’s Services is focused on achieving the best possible outcomes for our children and young people. We are creating an empowering environment where social work practice can thrive, where social workers are encouraged to be innovative and creative to ensure the services we offer to children and families help improve their lives.
You will be working from our new state-of-the-art council office on the riverside in Stockton, with free parking, a great riverside café, and large modern office spaces.
To be considered for interview, you will:
1. Have a relevant social work qualification and current social work England registration
2. Substantial, recent senior management experience in leading children’s social care services
3. Successful track record of strategic planning, corporate performance and governance, and strong financial management.
4. Have the ability to build excellent relationships with staff, colleagues, partners and corporate leaders
Stockon-on- Tees provides a very attractive employment offer and excellent benefits. Alongside regular supervision, access to training and shared learning, mental health and well-being support, we offer a wider range of benefits including:
5. Salary of £82,587
6. Relocation support of up to £8,000 to assist with your move to Stockton
7. 27 days annual leave per year rising to 32 with 5 years service. Ability to purchase additional leave is also available
8. Generous Pension Scheme through the LGPS with ability to pay extra and plan for retirement
9. Your SWE Registration paid for
10. Access to a number of employee benefits including salary sacrifice Car Lease Scheme, discounts at high street and online retailers, employee assistance programme, physiotherapy and more.
For more information about working for Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, please visit the Careers section on our website:
If you would like an informal discussion about the roles before you apply, please contact Louise Hollick on 01642 528490 or louise.hollick@stockton.gov.uk
We anticipate that we will interview on 30th October 2025.
We look forward to receiving your application.
Guidance for applicants
You must ensure that anything submitted in your application is factually accurate. Plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own. Whilst we accept candidates may use AI tools within job applications; submissions must be truthful and relevant to your own experience.
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