At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead quality assurance across Children’s Services to improve social work outcomes.
- Company: Bolton Council, dedicated to safeguarding and promoting welfare.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, professional development, and a supportive work environment.
- Other info: Join a learning culture focused on continuous development and high standards.
- Why this job: Make a meaningful difference in the lives of children and families.
- Qualifications: Registered social worker with experience in quality assurance and service improvement.
The predicted salary is between 50269 - 54495 £ per year.
Position Details Grade K SCP 39 £50,269- SCP 43 £54,495
Contract: Permanent
Essential Requirement: DBS, Registered with SW England.
Essential Qualification: Must have a Social Work Qualification and registered with Social Work England.
Interview date: 19th June 2026. We do not offer sponsorship for this role.
The Role
As Quality Assurance Manager, you will lead the quality assurance framework across Children’s Services, playing a critical role in understanding and improving the quality, impact and outcomes of social work and social care practice. Reporting to the Principal Social Worker, you will provide professional leadership, insight and challenge to ensure practice is effective, reflective and focused on making a meaningful difference for children, young people and families.
You will oversee and develop a comprehensive quality assurance programme, using a range of methodologies including audits, practice observation, feedback from children and families, data analysis, complaints and compliments. You will ensure that quality assurance activity meets statutory, regulatory and inspection requirements, and provides a clear, accurate and honest picture of practice.
Working closely with senior leaders, managers and partners, you will analyse themes, identify strengths and risks, and translate learning into clear improvement actions. You will track learning points and service action plans, reporting progress to senior management and contributing directly to Bolton’s Assurance and Performance Board.
You will play a key role in developing a learning culture, ensuring that findings from quality assurance activity are fed back effectively to practitioners and managers through briefings, learning forums and training. Through constructive challenge and collaboration, you will support improvement, consistency and high standards across the service.
As a senior professional within Children’s Services, you will also represent Bolton in internal and multi-agency forums, influence strategic decision making, and help ensure the service is confident, self-aware and continuously improving.
About You
You are an experienced, registered social worker ideally with a strong track record in quality assurance, service improvement and/or practice development within children’s social work. You have extensive knowledge of statutory children’s services, safeguarding, looked after children processes, and current legislation and national guidance, and a clear understanding of what good practice looks like.
You bring strong analytical skills and experience of using data, audits and qualitative insight to evaluate practice and identify improvement priorities. You are able to design, adapt and deliver quality assurance frameworks and audit tools that are robust, meaningful and rooted in social work values and ethics.
You are confident in providing professional challenge and influence at all levels, including senior leadership, while maintaining positive, trusting working relationships. You communicate complex findings clearly and effectively, through high quality reports, presentations and feedback that support learning and improvement rather than compliance alone.
Self-directed, organised and resilient, you are able to manage multiple priorities and work independently. You are committed to equality, inclusion and anti-discriminatory practice, and you actively promote a learning culture that supports reflection, curiosity and continuous development.
Above all, you share Bolton’s values and are motivated by making a difference, ensuring that quality assurance activity leads to better practice and better outcomes for children and families.
Legal & Compliance
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable adults and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) clearance – this post is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (amended in 2013). Employment offers are conditional on satisfactory clearances. For roles where a criminal records check from the DBS is required, this includes satisfactory clearance of this check. The possession of a criminal record will not necessarily bar an individual from working with us. This will depend on the nature of the position and the circumstances and background of an individual’s offence/s. Information provided by you or the DBS will be dealt with in a confidential manner and in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice.
Bolton Council’s policy on the Employment of Ex-Offenders is available here. This post is a designated customer facing role under the fluency duty and requires a specified level of spoken English as per the person specification.
Quality Assurance Manager in Bolton employer: Career Choices Dewis Gyrfa Ltd
Bolton Council is an exceptional employer, dedicated to fostering a supportive and inclusive work culture that prioritises the well-being of its employees while making a meaningful impact on the lives of children and families. As a Quality Assurance Manager, you will benefit from professional development opportunities, collaborative teamwork, and the chance to influence strategic decisions within a forward-thinking organisation committed to continuous improvement and high standards in social work practice.
Contact Details:
Career Choices Dewis Gyrfa Ltd Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Quality Assurance Manager in Bolton
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the social work field and let them know you're on the lookout for a Quality Assurance Manager role. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews! Research common questions for Quality Assurance Manager roles and practice your responses. Make sure you can articulate your experience with quality assurance frameworks and how you've made a difference in previous roles.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your analytical skills! Be ready to discuss specific examples of how you've used data and audits to improve practice. Highlighting your ability to translate findings into actionable improvements will set you apart from other candidates.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! We make it easy for you to submit your application directly, ensuring it gets seen by the right people. Plus, you'll be one step closer to landing that Quality Assurance Manager position with us!
We think you need these skills to ace Quality Assurance Manager in Bolton
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your application to highlight how your experience aligns with the role of Quality Assurance Manager. Use keywords from the job description to show that you understand what we're looking for.
Showcase Your Skills:Don’t just list your qualifications; demonstrate how your skills in quality assurance and social work can make a real difference. Share specific examples of how you've improved practice or outcomes in previous roles.
Be Clear and Concise:When writing your application, keep it clear and to the point. We appreciate well-structured responses that are easy to read. Avoid jargon unless it's relevant to the role, and make sure your passion for making a difference shines through.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. This ensures your application is received properly and gives you the best chance to showcase your fit for the role. Plus, it’s super easy!
How to prepare for a job interview at Career Choices Dewis Gyrfa Ltd
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of statutory children's services, safeguarding, and current legislation. Being able to discuss these topics confidently will show that you're not just familiar with the role but also passionate about making a difference.
✨Showcase Your Analytical Skills
Prepare examples of how you've used data and audits to improve practice in previous roles. Be ready to discuss specific methodologies you've implemented and the outcomes they achieved. This will demonstrate your ability to lead quality assurance effectively.
✨Communicate Clearly
Practice explaining complex findings in a straightforward manner. You might be asked to present your ideas or feedback during the interview, so being able to articulate your thoughts clearly will set you apart from other candidates.
✨Emphasise Collaboration
Highlight your experience working with senior leaders and multi-agency teams. Discuss how you've fostered positive relationships and influenced strategic decisions in the past. This will show that you can work well within the team and contribute to a learning culture.
