Connect2Kent are proud to be working in partnership with Kent County Council to recruit an outstanding leader for the role of Assistant Director - Adult Social Care. This is an exciting opportunity to take on a senior leadership position within one of the UK's largest and most dynamic local authorities. Purpose of the Job: A senior and highly visible member of Adult Social Care and Health (ASCH), this role undertakes the statutory duties of the Principal Social Worker and works alongside the Senior Leadership Team and is responsible for leading professional practice. Provide leadership and direction to the strategic development and implementation of the authorities approach to policy development, quality assurance and best practice across Adult Social Care and Health. Lead on the quality assurance framework to improve practice and performance across the directorate and be instrumental in building and maintaining a high practice performance culture across adult social care. The unit supports KCC's organisational development priorities in facilitating learning within the ASCH workforce and partner agencies, promoting professional practice improvement and development through championing best practice across adult social care statutory duties. Main duties and responsibilities Undertakes the statutory duties of the Principal Social Worker, giving professional advice to the Corporate Director of Adult Social Care and Health (DASS), Senior Leadership Team, and Members on complex issues. Ensure high standard of social work practice is imbedded across the department by providing skilled and experienced leadership and practice knowledge to social workers, social care practitioners, the organisation and its partners. Accountable for the development and implementation of the authority's strategic approach to quality assurance and practice development and co-ordinate this approach with partners to ensure improved service delivery. Responsible for raising quality across all areas of provision in adult social care ensuring those services are delivered in accordance with statute, national and local standards, targets, regulations and legislative requirements. Develop and embed a listening and learning culture across Adult Social Care and Health that encourages and embraces people who draw on care and support to shape and develop services. Ensure that complaints and concerns are considered in the context of opportunities to improve the quality of care. Ensure that voice of people with lived experience is integral to service development and practice improvement Lead on the development of aligned and integrated Adult Social Care and Health service's strategies, policy and practice guidance building, developing and maintaining effective strategic partnership working and internal and external relationships, to ensure an integrated and collaborative approach. Working with the directorate management team and senior management team to advise and take forward effective models of delivering statutory responsibilities across different locations and settings in Kent, ensuring we retain the required capability and capacity. Work with the Assistant Director for Strategic Safeguarding and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) to ensure findings of Safeguarding Adult Reviews are disseminated across the service, with resulting best practice being embedded in the strategic direction of the service. Use insight and experience in Safeguarding audit work and quality monitoring to drive improvement. Accountable for providing strategic leadership and operational direction in the development and delivery of effective services within the legislative framework, reflecting and developing national themes to promote independence, manage demand and maximise opportunities from the local health and social care economy including engagement with the Integrated Care Partnerships. Lead, develop and inspire a staff group to deliver integrated Ensure robust workforce development and succession planning for the social care service. Promote a culture of highly effective support and supervision to enable the delivery of high quality and consistent standards across the Directorate, thereby fulfilling the changing demands of the person-centred service. Work closely with the Strategic Commissioning function to ensure the development of services meet the assessed needs of the population and use market oversight and analytics for market shaping Support the Directors of Adult Social Care and Health, working collaboratively as part of the senior management team, deputising for the Director as and when required Connect2Kent is a trading style of Commercial Services Kent LTD - A company wholly owned by Kent County Council. Connect2Kent is an equal opportunities Employment Agency & Business. It positively encourages applications from all suitably qualified and eligible candidates