Children Social Work Team Manager (Fostering) in Manchester

• Working Hours: 35 Hours per week
• Contract Type: Full time / Permanent
• Working Style: Onsite - Employees carry out their job primarily from a physical workplace, such as an office
• Additional Payments: Essential car user allowance
• Closing Date: 11.59pm, 16 October 2026
• Interview Method: Face to Face

We’re looking for aTeam Manager to lead and develop one of ourFostering Teams.

You’ll provide confident leadership to a skilled team, ensuring high‑quality support and supervision for our carers. Alongside day‑to‑day management, you’ll play a key role in developing practice, including our training and support offer and Mockingbird programme.

• Strong leadership experience in children’s social care
• In‑depth understanding of Fostering
• A passion for quality, learning and continuous improvement
• The confidence to influence, innovate and develop services

As aTeam Manager, you'll manage a fostering team and innovation programmes within the service

In this role you will:

• Manage a team
• Provide regular reporting and analysis of service delivery and innovation
• Lead on key areas of reform and innovation
• Work with teams, colleagues, partners and service users

Pre-employment checks

If you are successful, your appointment will be subject to completing the relevant pre-employment checks. These checks will be carried out as part of our recruitment process and includes:

• Legal right to Work: In accordance with Home Office guidance, successful candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK before commencement of employment.
• 2 References: where possible we require 3 years' history.
• Qualification: Social Work Qualification and registration with Social Work England.
• Medical Clearance: Pre-placement health assessment (PPHA)
• Essential Car Documentation: This post is a designated Essential Car User. Therefore, you must always hold a full valid driving licence and provide your own car for use at work. You will receive the Essential Car User Allowance
• DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) clearance: this post is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (amended in 2013). Appointable candidates will be required to apply an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Information provided by you or the DBS will be dealt with in a confidential manner and in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice which can be viewed here. We have a policy on the Employment of Ex-Offenders, and it is available upon request.

For more information on these checks, please visit checks page.

Relocation expenses: May be considered for this role depending on individual circumstances. Please note that approval is not guaranteed and will be assessed on a case‑base.

For queries about the role, please contact the hiring manager, Billie Walbank, at nbillie.walbank@manchester.gov.uk to arrange a convenient time to discuss the role. This route is for vacancy related enquiries only and should not be used to submit applications.

We are looking for a passionate and innovative leader who can manage a team and drive practice improvement and development.

We’ll use the following essential criteria to decide which candidates to invite to assessment. Use your personal statement to provide evidence of how you meet each one, supported by relevant examples:

• Ability to manage people
• Awareness and experience of working within fostering regulations and legislation
• Ability to evaluate service delivery and drive service development and innovation

For guidance on how to write your personal statement, please visit How to Apply – Manchester City Council.

If you’re invited to assessment, we’ll look at a wider range of the role requirements. For more detail, please see the role profile.

Use of AI

You may use AI to support your application, but all examples must be your own and based on real experience. Applications may be withdrawn if content is misleading or presents someone another's experience as your own. Internal candidates may also face disciplinary action.

Guaranteed Assessment Scheme

We guarantee progression to the assessment stage for applicants who meet the essential criteria used for shortlisting and are eligible under the scheme. Learn more.

Support and Adjustments

If you're successful in securing a role, we'll make every effort to provide the support, equipment and reasonable adjustments you need to carry out your duties. Where needed, we'll consider adapting aspects of the role. Learn more.

Working for Manchester City Council

Working for Manchester City Council is a chance to make a real difference in a diverse city. You’ll help improve lives and support our local communities. Working together, we can create better public services for everyone.

Benefits we offer

• Up to 26 days’ annual leave, rising to 31 days after five years’ service
• Buy up to two extra weeks’ leave
• Up to 3 days’ volunteering leave
• A 35-hour work week for full-time roles
• We review pay each year and recognise three trade unions
• A defined benefit pension scheme
• Enhanced parental and carers leave
• Employee discounts and perks

Learn more at Careers - Manchester City Council.

Our commitment to inclusion

At Manchester City Council, we're dedicated to creating a workplace that fully reflects the diversity of our local communities. We actively encourage applications from people of all ages and backgrounds and are particularly keen to hear from applicants from ethnic minority communities and disabled people, who remain underrepresented in parts of our workforce.

GM Elevate Programme

If you have completed the GM Elevate (Leadership Development) Programme, please indicate this within the 'Personal Statement' section or 'Supporting Statement' section of your application.

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