At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and develop a passionate team of social workers to support children and families.
- Company: Join Cambridgeshire County Council, a diverse and inclusive employer dedicated to community welfare.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, additional leave options, wellbeing packages, and paid volunteering hours.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in your community while enjoying a dynamic and supportive work environment.
- Qualifications: Must be a qualified Social Worker with registration and a passion for community service.
- Other info: Hybrid working available; commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion is paramount.
The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ per year.
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About the role
Are you an experienced Team Manager? Do you have the passion and commitment to manage, develop and motivate a team, to achieve the best possible outcomes for children? Then now is the perfect time to join us as a Team Manager in our Assessment Team! This position is based in Ely but is hybrid with a mix of home and office working. You will manage one of the five locality Assessment Teams in Cambridgeshire and will work with the Head of Service for the Integrated Front Door, Service Managers in Assessment and MASH, and the Team Managers from the other four district teams. You will be responsible for a team of 7 social workers, including a senior practitioner, plus a Child Information and Advice Officer (CIAO). The Assessment Team cover the cases of children aged 0-17 that are judged to require level 3 and 4 interventions under the Cambridgeshire Level of Need Document. We cover S17 Assessments, strategy discussions and S47 investigations; respond to court ordered reports such as S37 and S7 reports; complete SWET for court, and care plans where this is necessary and proportionate. We work closely with Targeted Support to ensure that cases are stepped down into targeted intervention to improve relationships and parenting to prevent escalating of need following a completed C&F Assessment. You will oversee the improvement of the team by ensuring that KPI's are achieved. Our Assessment Team is lively and fast-paced. We're a team who have a passion for ensuring that children, young people and families in our community receive a positive and timely service. The work is rich, varied and allows for a high level of multi-agency working, often to tight timelines. The nature of our work means that you see positive outcomes quickly. If this sounds like an environment where you would thrive, we would love to hear from you!
What will you be doing?
- Supervision and development of practitioners, identifying areas of strengths and areas to improve and implement appropriate plans to achieve this.
- Manage the delivery of the team to ensure it is a high quality and effective service that responds to the needs of children, young people and their families or carers in a timely manner within statutory guidelines or service specifications.
- Manage the planning, allocation and review of cases and ensure priorities are managed.
- Lead on customer service and stage 1 complaints.
- Manage the recruitment and staffing of the team.
- Provide expert knowledge of safeguarding processes, policy and case law.
- Lead on initiating, developing and sustaining internal and external working relationships with other professionals and partner agencies.
About you
We're looking for a confident and dynamic individual who enjoys making a difference in their local community, is curious and spots things that others might not see, enjoys building relationships and likes to explore possibilities. You must:
- Be a qualified Social Worker with a Social Work England registration
- Have the ability to work from a variety of locations and travel countywide independently
For a full list of the requirements of the role, please check out the Job Description & Person Specification.
Our benefits
- A comprehensive wellbeing package to cover all aspects of wellbeing, both in and out of work, which can also be accessed by your family
- Buy up to 4 weeks additional annual leave (pro-rata) through our salary sacrifice scheme
- Take your bank holidays flexibly to better suit your personal circumstances
- Make Additional Voluntary Contributions (Shared AVCs) to your pension with tax and National Insurance savings
- Access to development opportunities, apprenticeships and qualified coaches to support your personal and professional growth
- Paid volunteering hours each year so you can make a positive impact on our community during your normal working day
- Access to Peer Support Groups through our IDEAL staff equality, diversity and inclusion network
- Opportunities to nominate and receive Employee Recognition Awards
- An Our Cambs Rewards account, giving you access to in-store and online discounts as well as our Car Lease and Cycle to Work schemes
About us
Cambridgeshire is a great place to work and live with a diverse population, an urban centre in Cambridge, historic Isle of Ely, Huntingdon and St Ives as well as more rural landscapes. Our four values are central to our culture, driving everything we do. We are proud to serve the diverse communities of Cambridgeshire and want our workforce to be reflective of this diversity, which we firmly believe benefits our colleagues, the organisation and our communities.
If you don't meet every single requirement in the job role but think this could be you, please don't be put off. We are committed to building a workplace that is compassionate and inclusive as well as diverse, so if you think you could be a good candidate for this role please consider applying and speak to the recruiting manager if you have any questions.
Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy, along with our employee network 'IDEAL' and self-organised peer support groups help us to foster an inclusive, supportive and safe working environment where people feel valued, respected, and empowered. We collect relevant diversity data for monitoring as part of the recruitment process to understand the diversity of our applicants and monitor any trends throughout the recruitment processes so that we can take meaningful action. We are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. We fully support providing reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process, as well as when you join us, and we encourage candidates to contact the Hiring Manager, whose details can be found in the advert, to discuss any adjustment needs. Some examples of adjustments could include additional time to complete an assessment or printing a document on pastel coloured paper with larger font size and line spacing. We would value talking about what might be possible to enable you to join us and thrive, so if there is something that would help you to do your best during your journey with us, please get in touch.
Visit our jobs and careers section to find out more about our wide range of learning and development opportunities; apprenticeships; our wellbeing package; staff benefits; our commitment to equality, diversity and Inclusion.
Contact Detail:
Cambridgeshire County Council Recruiting Team
vanessa.gething@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Team Manager - East Assessment Team
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the Cambridgeshire Level of Need Document. Understanding the specific needs and interventions required for children aged 0-17 will help you demonstrate your expertise during discussions with the hiring team.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with current or former employees of the Assessment Team. They can provide valuable insights into the team dynamics and expectations, which can help you tailor your approach when discussing your management style and experience.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss your experience with multi-agency working. Highlight specific examples where you've successfully collaborated with other professionals to achieve positive outcomes for children and families, as this is a key aspect of the role.
✨Tip Number 4
Showcase your commitment to safeguarding and child welfare. Be ready to share your knowledge of relevant policies and case law, as well as any training or certifications that demonstrate your dedication to these critical areas.
We think you need these skills to ace Team Manager - East Assessment Team
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience in team management and social work. Emphasise your ability to motivate and develop a team, as well as any specific achievements that demonstrate your effectiveness in similar roles.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: In your cover letter, express your passion for working with children and families. Mention specific examples of how you've successfully managed teams and improved service delivery in previous positions. Show that you understand the unique challenges of the role.
Highlight Relevant Qualifications: Clearly state your qualifications, including your Social Work England registration. If you have additional training or certifications related to safeguarding or team leadership, make sure to include these as they are crucial for this role.
Showcase Your Soft Skills: The role requires strong interpersonal skills. Use your application to demonstrate your ability to build relationships, communicate effectively, and lead a diverse team. Provide examples of how you've navigated complex situations in the past.
How to prepare for a job interview at Cambridgeshire County Council
✨Show Your Passion for Child Welfare
Make sure to express your genuine passion for improving the lives of children and families. Share specific examples from your past experiences where you made a positive impact, as this will resonate well with the interviewers.
✨Demonstrate Leadership Skills
As a Team Manager, you'll need to showcase your leadership abilities. Prepare to discuss how you've successfully managed teams in the past, including how you motivated team members and handled challenges.
✨Familiarise Yourself with Local Policies
Research the Cambridgeshire Level of Need Document and other relevant local policies. Being knowledgeable about these will show that you're serious about the role and understand the context in which you'll be working.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect scenario-based questions that assess your problem-solving skills and decision-making processes. Think of examples where you've had to make tough decisions or manage complex cases, and be ready to explain your thought process.