Job Description

Employer:

Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council

Salary:

HAY 4 - 85,125

Location:

Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council

Contract:

Permanent

Working Pattern:

Full Time

Hours:

36 hours.

DBS Check:

No

Closing Date:

09/07/2025 at 23:59

Reference:

CSC/25/316383

Head of Service - Children's Social Care x4 - salary: 85,125

Happy. Heard. Healthy. Achieving.

At Sefton Council, we are on a bold and ambitious journey to transform outcomes for our children and young people. We've already made significant progress through a number of initiatives, including our newly restructured front door, approach to reunification of families, and our systemic and trauma-informed practice models. With transformative reforms also on the horizon, the future of social care is being redefined and we are leading the way, ready to embrace the change and shape what comes next.



We hold a firm commitment to sustainable, long-term improvement. That means working closely with our partners across health, education, the voluntary sector, and the wider community. Together, we are creating the right conditions for vulnerable children and young people to thrive and live well. To support this, we are remodelling our teams, creating new leadership roles, and increasing strategic capacity at every level.



As Head of Service, you will bring strategic insight, operational expertise, and a relentless focus on impact, leading a designated service area with clarity and purpose. As a key member of our senior leadership team, you will shape and implement policy, drive performance, and ensure our services are inspection-ready and continuously improving. You'll work closely with partners, boards, and frontline teams to embed a culture of accountability, innovation, and excellence, using data and insight to inform decisions and deliver meaningful change.



We are therefore looking for passionate, values-driven, experienced social care leaders who want to genuinely create and embed a culture of ownership and accountability that drives service improvements. In return, you will play a key role in working across the full organisation to shape the future of children's services here in Sefton, driving forward our improvement journey, and ensuring that our children and families receive the support they need; when they need it.



We care deeply about our children and young people, and care just as much about our people. Our teams feel valued, supported, and inspired. We are building a culture where staff are empowered to do their best work, where professional development is a priority, and where everyone feels proud to be part of the journey.



If you are a dynamic, collaborative leader with a strong track record in children's social care, we want to hear from you. These are enviable leadership opportunities to join an authority with energy, ambition, that is absolutely committed to placing children and young people at the heart of all they do.



For further information click Apply or speak to our executive search partners GatenbySanderson: Rebecca Hopkin (07827 098173), Louise Bickley (07586 715 788) or Alfred Leigh (07881 824 205)

Closing Date: Wednesday 9th July (midnight)

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Equal Opportunities

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

Sefton Council strives to ensure that our workforce is inclusive and representative of our communities. A diverse workforce is important to us, our staff bring with them a wide range of experiences, views, ideas, and innovations, and we are committed to providing an environment that recognises, respects, and values everybody's identity, where individual differences are strengths and where everyone can thrive and maximise their potential. We are always open to learning and growing as an organisation, and we welcome new ideas and initiatives that promote equality, diversity and inclusion.



We are an Equal Opportunities Employer; all candidates will receive equal treatment. Our decision to appoint will be based upon whether an individual's skills, experience, qualifications, and abilities make them the most suitable candidate for the role.

GUARANTEED INTERVIEW SCHEME

Please note that all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for these jobs (as given in the Person Specification) and who want to apply under the Disability Confident Scheme will be invited to interview.



If you are currently in care or have previously been in care, we provide a guaranteed interview scheme for care experienced people if you meet the essential requirements for the role.



Please apply via the link provided: Link -> Job - GatenbySanderson