At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and innovate in Children’s Services to improve lives of children and families.
- Company: Carmarthenshire County Council, committed to community-focused leadership.
- Benefits: Generous leave, pension scheme, health support, and flexible working options.
- Other info: Opportunity for personal development and career progression in a supportive environment.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in the lives of children and young people in your community.
- Qualifications: Visionary leadership and experience in children's services required.
The predicted salary is between 55.22 - 58.84 £ per hour.
We adopt an ‘anonymous recruitment’ approach to shortlisting. Recruiting managers will not have access to personal information, including your name and contact details, until a shortlisting decision has been made. We are committed to recruiting, retaining, and developing a workforce that reflects the communities we serve. Sharing your equality monitoring data allows us to assess the impact our recruitment and employment policies and practices have and gives us the opportunity to improve them where possible. Equality monitoring information is not accessible by recruiting managers at any stage.
About the vacancy:
- Vacancy ID: 3637
- Organisation: Carmarthenshire County Council
- Number of vacancies: 1
- Contract type: Permanent Full Time
- Location: Carmarthen
- Grade: Heads of Service (1)
- Hourly Rate: £55.22 - £58.84
- Contract Hours: 37:00
Are you a compassionate, value-driven and visionary leader with a passion for improving the lives of children and young people? Carmarthenshire County Council is seeking an exceptional and dynamic leader to take on the pivotal role of Head of Children and Families, a key strategic leadership position at the heart of our organisation. This is a rare opportunity to shape the future of Children’s Services across one of the largest and most ambitious authorities in Wales.
Leading a high-profile service with a strong improvement agenda, you will play a critical role in ensuring the best possible outcomes for children, young people, and their families across the county. As Head of Children and Families, you will provide strategic leadership and direction for all Children’s Services within the Authority, ensuring that services are effective, innovative and performance managed. You will lead the effective delivery of all statutory responsibilities, including safeguarding and corporate parenting. You will also be an inspirational leader who can engage, motivate, and develop a large, multi-disciplinary workforce. Critically, you will champion the voice of children, young people, and families, ensuring they are at the centre of everything we do.
Driving forward our commitment to early intervention and prevention, ensuring services are designed to deliver and be sustainable long‑term, along with an ambitious programme of accommodation and support for children and young people are key accountabilities. Above all, you will share our determination to make Carmarthenshire a place where every child is safe, supported, and able to thrive. If you are ready to take on this influential and rewarding leadership role, we would love to hear from you.
The Welsh language is integral to the identity of Carmarthenshire and its people. Support will be provided to develop Welsh language skills where required.
An Enhanced with Barred List Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be requested for this job. It is an offence to apply for the role if the applicant is barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children or adults at risk. Level 3 - You will need a good level of conversational Welsh. Reasonable support can be provided on appointment to reach this level.
The Rewards:
- Automatic enrolment into the Local Government Pension Scheme
- Generous annual leave entitlement with the option of purchasing additional annual leave
- Access to staff health and wellbeing support
- Personal development and career progression
- Staff discount schemes and other benefits (e.g., cycle-to-work scheme)
- Flexible working and family friendly policies
We are committed to safe and fair recruitment, safeguarding, and protecting those we care for and serve. We make sure all our staff are vetted, selected, trained, and supervised fairly and to a high standard so that they can provide safe, effective, and compassionate care.
Please note, we have a legal obligation to consider employees for suitable alternative employment if their posts are at risk; prior consideration will be given to existing employees who meet the essential criteria and are registered on our redeployment pool.
You will be asked about your nationality and if you are legally allowed to work in the United Kingdom. This is to find out if you are eligible to apply for this vacancy. This is a requirement for working within the Council or partner organisations.
If you do not meet the eligibility criteria your application will not progress. If it becomes clear at a later stage in the process that you are not eligible to apply, your application may be withdrawn, or the offer retracted.
How to Apply:
All applications for this vacancy must be made using our online application system. If you have an impairment which prevents you from applying online, please email jobs@carmarthenshire.gov.uk or contact 01267 234567 and ask for ‘Recruitment’ to discuss alternative arrangements to support you in the process. Please see the ‘How we Recruit’ guidance on the Careers Page for more information on the recruitment process.
Head of Children & Families in Carmarthen employer: Delta Wellbeing Ltd
Delta Wellbeing Ltd is an excellent employer, offering a supportive work culture that values enthusiasm and dedication. Located in the vibrant heart of Carmarthen, employees benefit from diverse opportunities for career progression while contributing to vital financial services in the public sector.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Children & Families in Carmarthen
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We think you need these skills to ace Head of Children & Families in Carmarthen
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Social Work:In your cover letter, let us see your passion for social work shine through! Talk about the experiences that made you want to pursue this career—whether it’s volunteering, personal experiences, or academic projects. We want to know why this field matters to you.
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How to prepare for a job interview at Delta Wellbeing Ltd
✨Understanding the Role of Empathy
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