Head of Service – Long Term

Are you a strategic, compassionate, and dynamic leader ready to shape the future of adult social care? We are seeking an inspiring Head of Service – Long Term Support to lead and transform our adult social care provision for residents with long-term needs. Ealing Adults Social Care are on an improvement journey so that we can enable the very best outcomes for residents, we’d love you to join us.

Our transformation is driven by a relentless focus on delivering a person-centred, community connected resident journey supported by effective governance, high quality practice, risk management all delivered within our resources. A key part of our improvement journey is creating a leadership team that can deliver on our ambition to create connected communities that lead to better lives. We have made excellent progress, but there is still much more we want to achieve.

Our vision

As a council our guiding vision is Connected Communities, the understanding that communities and the connections within help everyone to fulfil their potential and live healthy lives drives our work day in day out. In adult social care we also know that there will always be a need for a caring, effective and responsive service to meet the needs of our most vulnerable residents.

About Ealing

Ealing is home to over 375,000 people, and the population size has grown by 8.5% in the last decade. It is the third most diverse borough in London and the eighth most diverse borough in England and Wales – with over 1703 languages spoken and 56.8% of residents identifying as ethnically diverse. As our seven towns are different, residents in each town face different challenges and there is a wide variation in socio-economic outcomes. That’s why our policy is underscored by a seven town approach, which enables us to better understand the needs, inequalities and aspirations of our communities.

Adult Social Care in Ealing

Ealing provides funded social care to just under 4,000 residents using a budget of just over £120m per annum. Our service aspires to outcome focused support plans that maximise the enormous strengths and assets that residents and communities have. We are not resting on our laurels and as our CQC assurance report indicates there is still more to do. Our delivery plan continues to focus on choice and control with excellent practice at its heart. Specifically, we are focusing on person centred practice, technology enable lives, modernised day opportunities – through our Better Days project, increasing the uptake of Direct Payments, developing accommodation based solutions and a real focus on working age adults. We are looking for exceptional managers and leaders to continue our journey, if this is you then please look at the roles we have created.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the operational and strategic delivery of long-term adult social care services for all ages and care groups.
• Embed strengths-based approaches and promote independence-focused practice.
• Deliver effective, empowering and dynamic safeguarding responses and risk management.
• Oversee budget management and ensure effective commissioning of services.
• Drive workforce development, performance, and innovation.
• Build strong relationships with partners across health, care, and the voluntary sector.
• Represent the authority regionally and nationally to influence policy and best practice.

About You

We’re looking for a confident and collaborative leader who:

• Has a proven track record of strategic leadership in adult social care.
• Understands the legal and policy framework of adult social care, including the Care Act.
• Champions personalisation, safeguarding, and co-production.
• Demonstrates financial acumen and strong commissioning skills.
• Brings experience of service transformation and quality assurance.
• Leads with integrity, empathy, and a commitment to social justice.
• A professional qualification in social work or equivalent (e.g. CQSW, DipSW).
• Registered with Social Work England.
• Management qualification or evidence of continued professional leadership development.

How To Apply

To apply, please submit your CV along with a Supporting Statement addressing how your skills, knowledge and experience meet the essential criteria on the person specification for the role. Your CV should be tailored and include detail of your education, qualifications, full employment history, and membership of professional bodies. Please aim to keep your CV and supporting statement to two pages each and include your name at the top of both documents on all pages used.

If you require any reasonable adjustments, please let us know about anything that would help you to demonstrate evidence that you meet the essential criteria for the role. To apply, please email your documents to seniorrecruitment@ealing.gov.uk by no later than 01 July.

For an informal chat about the Senior Business Manager Role please contact Stuart Outterside on 07581 078 246 or email outtersides@ealing.gov.uk.

This post is subject to Ealing Council’s enhanced vetting process. Ealing Council is committed to creating good jobs and delivering on its connected communities agenda. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive. Please note all applications will be determined on merit. Ealing council is committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff to share this commitment. Ealing follows safer recruitment practices to protect children and vulnerable adults. The post holder will be subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.