At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a team to ensure high safeguarding standards and oversee quality assurance in Children's Services.
- Company: Join a dedicated team focused on improving outcomes for children and young people.
- Benefits: Competitive daily rate, hybrid working, and the chance to make a real difference.
- Other info: 12-week interim role starting 31st August 2026, with excellent career development opportunities.
- Why this job: Be a key player in safeguarding and quality assurance, impacting lives positively.
- Qualifications: Degree in Social Work or equivalent, with strong leadership and safeguarding experience.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 50000 £ per year.
The Service Manager - Quality Assurance & Safeguarding position in Plymouth offers a temporary, full-time contract at £356.46 per day (PAYE).
This hybrid role requires a minimum of three days on site weekly, with two days remote.
You will lead a team within Children's Services, providing direction and challenge to maintain high safeguarding standards.
Responsibilities include overseeing quality assurance, conducting audits, and managing statutory processes to secure positive outcomes for children.
Strong leadership expertise in safeguarding practice is essential for this 12-week interim assignment, inside IR35, commencing 31st August 2026.
- Service Manager – Quality Assurance & Safeguarding
- Hybrid working: Minimum 3 days per week on site, 2 days remote working
- Contract: Interim Assignment, 12-week contract, 37 hours per week, inside IR35
- Start date: 31st August 2026
- Day Rate PAYE: £356.46 per day
- Umbrella: £468.76 per day
The Role
We are recruiting for an experienced Service Manager to lead Quality Assurance and Safeguarding within a Children's Services setting.
You will provide leadership, support and challenge across safeguarding practice, ensuring high standards are maintained and positive outcomes are achieved for children and young people.
This is a key leadership role with responsibility for quality assurance, audit activity and statutory safeguarding processes.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and manage a team of Independent Child Protection Chairs and Independent Reviewing Officers.
- Oversee child protection processes and ensure statutory requirements are met.
- Drive a culture of continuous improvement and professional excellence.
- Lead quality assurance and audit programmes across Children's Services.
- Identify good practice, risks and areas requiring improvement through audit activity.
- Provide challenge and support to operational teams to improve outcomes.
- Produce meaningful analysis and recommendations from audit findings.
- Support service development through learning, performance monitoring and quality assurance.
- Promote effective safeguarding practice across services and partner agencies.
Essential Requirements
- Degree in Social Work or equivalent qualification.
- Significant experience within Children's Services.
- Detailed knowledge of safeguarding and child protection legislation.
- Strong understanding of statutory responsibilities relating to children and young people.
- Experience leading quality assurance and audit functions.
- Experience managing safeguarding and child protection processes.
- Proven leadership and team management experience.
- Ability to drive service improvement through support, challenge and performance review.
- Understanding of the wider political, social and economic factors affecting Children's Services.
- Key Skills
- Leadership and people management.
- Quality assurance and auditing.
- Performance management.
- Safeguarding expertise.
- Strategic thinking.
- Stakeholder management.
- Excellent communication skills.
- Report writing and analysis.
- Problem solving and decision making.
- Ideal Candidate
You will be an experienced Social Work leader with a strong safeguarding background and a track record of leading quality assurance activity within Children's Services.
You will be comfortable providing both support and challenge, using data, audits and performance information to improve practice and outcomes for children and families.
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Service Manager - Quality Assurance & Safeguarding in Plymouth employer: JAM Recruitment Ltd
At JAM Recruitment Ltd, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that values the growth and development of our team members. Located in Birmingham, we offer a dynamic work culture that fosters collaboration and innovation, alongside competitive salaries and hybrid working options. With a strong focus on career progression, our employees are empowered to take on leadership roles and make a meaningful impact in the field of personal injury law.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Service Manager - Quality Assurance & Safeguarding in Plymouth
✨Dive into Local Community Groups
Social work thrives on community connections, so get involved in local groups or forums specific to your interests. Whether it’s volunteering at local shelters or joining community action boards, these are great ways to boost your visibility and make direct contacts that could lead to opportunities like the one at JAM Recruitment Ltd.
✨Attend Social Work Events and Workshops
Keep an eye out for workshops, seminars, or conferences in social work. These events are fantastic for meeting professionals in the field, learning about emerging trends, and spotting job openings. Plus, you might just bump into someone from JAM Recruitment Ltd!
✨Showcase Your Passion and Expertise
Use platforms like Instagram or LinkedIn to share your journey and insights into the social work sector. Whether it’s writing about your experiences or sharing relevant articles, this helps to establish you as an engaged professional. Potential employers, like JAM Recruitment Ltd, will notice your enthusiasm!
✨Leverage Your Network
Don’t hesitate to reach out to professors, mentors, or even past colleagues who are in social work. They might have inside knowledge about openings at JAM Recruitment Ltd or be able to connect you with someone who’s hiring. Networking is key, especially in a full-time role where relationships matter.
We think you need these skills to ace Service Manager - Quality Assurance & Safeguarding in Plymouth
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.
Emphasise Relevant Qualifications:Make sure your CV highlights any relevant qualifications, like degrees in social work or certifications like a DBS check. If you've done any workshops or training, don’t forget to include those as well. We're keen to see your commitment to your professional development!
Detail Your Experience with Clients:Since this is a hands-on field, detailing any direct experience you have with clients is crucial. Whether it's internships, volunteer roles, or previous jobs, highlight those experiences in your CV to show us you've got the practical skills necessary for the job!
Tailor Your Application to JAM Recruitment Ltd:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to JAM Recruitment Ltd! Research our mission and values, and refer to them in your cover letter. This shows us that you understand our work and are genuinely interested in being a part of our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at JAM Recruitment Ltd
✨Understanding the Role of Empathy
In social work, understanding and demonstrating empathy is key. Be prepared to share personal experiences or scenarios where you effectively showed compassion and support. This helps show that you genuinely care about the well-being of others, which is crucial in social work.
✨Demonstrating Knowledge of Frameworks
Familiarise yourself with the frameworks and models used in social work, such as the Strengths-Based Approach or the Ecological Perspective. Be ready to discuss how these frameworks apply to your work, especially if you can tie them into real-world examples or case studies you've encountered.
✨Showcasing Your Multi-Disciplinary Skills
In a full-time social work role, you'll often collaborate with healthcare professionals, educators, and law enforcement. Be prepared to describe your teamwork experiences and how you've effectively communicated with other disciplines to achieve the best outcomes for clients.
✨Preparing for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that put you in hypothetical social work situations, such as dealing with a crisis or managing a complex case. Think through your thought process for these scenarios beforehand, considering how you'd assess the situation and what steps you'd take, as this demonstrates your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
