Head of Residential Services

Head of Residential Services

Location: Aylesbury

Overview

Buckinghamshire Council is seeking a dynamic and experienced individual to lead our Residential Services. This role is a key post to delivering our ambitious new programme of investment in in-house provision for our looked after children. Over the next three years, we plan to increase our residential provisions from nine to twenty-four and bring an additional 75 foster carer placements on board to achieve the best outcomes for our children and young people.

We are looking for a candidate who is not only qualified and experienced but also passionate about commitment to equality and positive outcomes for all children and young people.

About us

Buckinghamshire Council is a relatively new organisation that combines the strengths and expertise of the previous five councils in the county to create positive change for local people, communities, and businesses. We are firmly focused on the future and have made a clear commitment to serve residents better and to provide stronger representation for Buckinghamshire, both locally and nationally.

Buckinghamshire is an ambitious, rapidly growing county, and our economy is one of the strongest in the country. It is an area of outstanding natural beauty and ranks as one of the top rural areas to live in the UK and yet it is incredibly well connected- only an hour from London on the train. The county has a rich history and heritage and is the birthplace of the international Paralympic movement.

We are looking for motivated, ambitious and inspiring people to join us on our journey. You will be entitled to a range of different benefits to make sure you are happy both at work and at home.

About the role

The role of the Head of Residential Services is a key post to this new residential offer. This includes the operational management and leadership of the current and new Children’s Homes provisions, acting as the Ofsted Responsible Individual for the Council’s residential portfolio, and leading the operational set-up, including recruitment and Ofsted registration. Some of the key responsibilities are below;

• Operational management and leadership of the current and new Children’s Homes provisions.
• Act as the Ofsted Responsible Individual for the Council’s residential portfolio.
• Guide the identification of suitable properties, set standards for renovation, and lead the operational set-up, including recruitment and Ofsted registration.
• Develop an Academy model to support staff recruitment and retention.
• Ensure high standards of care and compliance with regulatory expectations.
• Manage budgets and ensure financial compliance.
• Lead a high-performing team of Operational Managers and Heads of Home.

For further information refer to the job summary.

Any-Desk:

As an ‘any-desk’ worker, you’ll need to be connected to our network to access digital folders and resources, but this can either be from home or an office location when required. You will be required to work from the office a couple of times a week, depending on your role and team requirements.

About you

We are looking for a candidate who is not only qualified and experienced in the below but also passionate about commitment to equality and positive outcomes for all children and young people.

Managerial Experience: Substantial experience in a managerial role within a children’s residential setting, including experience from a Local Authority, Voluntary, or Privately owned Children’s Residential provision.

Ofsted Knowledge: A minimum of 3 years’ experience of being an Ofsted Registered Manager/Responsible Individual, with extensive knowledge of the Children’s Home Regulations 2015 and the Guide to Children’s Homes.

Service Planning and Delivery: Proven experience in service planning and delivery, including relevant project management experience of setting up children’s homes in line with the Children’s Homes Regulations.

Legislative Knowledge: Expert knowledge of all statutory, procedural, and legislative frameworks, systems, and initiatives relevant to residential provision.

Strategic Experience: Relevant strategic experience, including the ability to work alongside the senior leadership team and provide regular updates in respect of Ofsted inspections.

People Management: Proven people management skills within a residential setting, including motivating, directing, delegating, and performance management.

Relationship Building: Authority and credibility to build relationships, influence, and engage successfully with colleagues, partners, and clients at all levels in complex situations.

For further information refer to the job summary.

Other information

Salary – £85,000 up to £87,150.

If you would like to have an informal conversation to find out more about this role, please contact Joanne Parker at

Closing date: 8th December 2024

We reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so please be advised to submit your application as early as possible.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare:

• All unspent convictions and conditional cautions
• All spent convictions and adult cautions that are not protected (i.e. that are not filtered out) as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2020 and 2023).

For further information on filtering please refer to Nacro guidance and the guidance published by the Ministry of Justice (see, in particular, the section titled ‘Exceptions Order’).

Our values and culture

We have a set of values, which our employees have chosen, that represent what we are – Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative and Trustworthy.

By joining Buckinghamshire Council, you can expect:

• a fair and inclusive culture
• the chance to really make a difference to those around you
• health and well-being initiatives including an Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and mindfulness workshops
• a unified voice through our Employee Representative Group
• ongoing support, and the opportunity to develop and progress in your career with us
• opportunities to take part in fun activities such as fundraising and social events

At Buckinghamshire Council, we know that our biggest strength comes from the people that work for us, and that’s why we’re working hard to ensure we continue to be an accessible and inclusive organisation.

From dedicated staff networks overseen by our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group, to proudly standing as a Disability Confident employer, it’s important to us that all our colleagues feel engaged, listened to, and valued. Our offer of flexible working empowers a productive and happy workforce and allows employees to combine work with other responsibilities and commitments.

We believe our workforce should reflect the diverse communities we service in Buckinghamshire, and are looking for like-minded individuals to join us in promoting equality, fairness, and inclusion for everyone.

About the Business Unit

Buckinghamshire is a successful, growing place with fantastic natural assets, a highly productive economy and many resourceful and thriving communities. However, we are far from complacent and our new and ambitious unitary authority is well placed to tackle the challenges associated with growth, an aging population, climate change and inequalities in both opportunities and outcomes – particularly for our children and young people.

Children’s Services is on an improvement journey and as our very recent Ofsted report shows, we have continued to improve despite the pressures of the pandemic and have built solid foundations for future success. Relationships with partners are strong and our collective response to the pandemic has strengthened and deepened our work together.

We have a big, ambitious agenda for Buckinghamshire, and our teams work collaboratively and at pace to make a positive difference to the lives of children and young people across the county.

We are looking for talented and driven individuals to help us achieve the best outcomes for our children, young people and families in Buckinghamshire. Our key priorities include continuing to protect vulnerable children and young people from harm, whilst sustaining an environment where social work practice can thrive. Through our vital work with our partners, including The Buckinghamshire Safeguarding Childrens Partnership, we continue to improve our collective response to children and young people who have been exposed to domestic abuse, exploitation, substance misuse and mental health issues.

No matter what role you take on in our Children’s services, you will be part of a team who is dedicated to supporting children and their families to achieve their full potential.

We recognise and reward you

Hard work and success deserves recognition. That’s why we pride ourselves on the benefits we give our people. We actively encourage a good work-life balance and promote flexible and agile working arrangements. We provide discounts on various Cafés, restaurants, shops and auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme. In addition to the opportunity to gain membership to Costco . click apply for full job details