Performance Lead for Children and Young People’s Services in Northallerton

North Yorkshire Council is offering an exciting opportunity for a Performance Lead to join our team supporting Children’s and Young People’s Services. This is an ideal role for someone looking to step up, broaden their experience, or trial a new leadership challenge, as well as for an external candidate keen to make a meaningful impact over a defined period.

Working within the central Strategy and Performance service, you will lead a dedicated team to shape and deliver the performance framework for the Children and Young People’s Services directorate. You’ll have the opportunity to influence senior leadership through high-quality, evidence-based insight and recommendations. Covering for the temporary absence of the existing team leader, this role will manage the work coming through the team to ensure requests for information, analysis and reporting are dealt with in an efficient and timely way. You will liaise with Senior Leaders to ensure we are delivering what is required for the services. This role plays a pivotal part in driving forward a range of initiatives that make a real difference to the lives of children, young people, and families across North Yorkshire. You will also collaborate with Corporate Leads across other directorates, contributing to a strong, consistent corporate performance approach and enhancing strategy and performance capabilities across the council. This is a temporary opportunity, running until November 2026, making it perfect for someone seeking a developmental role or a chance to bring their expertise into a critical area for a fixed period.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee performance management arrangements, ensuring that performance data is accurately collected, analysed, and reported to senior management and key stakeholders to meet service and statutory timescales.
• Lead and manage a high-performing team to monitor, evaluate, and drive continuous improvements in service delivery.
• Provide expert strategic advice to senior leaders on children’s services, supporting decision-making with robust evidence and clear performance insights.
• Work with senior leaders to ensure that services for children and young people are effective, efficient, and meet statutory obligations and best practice standards.
• Monitor and evaluate service performance, identifying opportunities for innovation and improvement, and leading projects to address service gaps or areas of underperformance.
• Champion the voice and needs of children, young people, and families, ensuring they are central to strategic planning and service delivery.
• Lead on inspection-readiness preparations and exercises.
• Represent North Yorkshire Council at regional and national forums to promote best practice and share learning in children’s services.
• Act as the research lead for the directorate, identifying opportunities to use academic research to support greater insight and improvement.

Key Requirements

• Extensive experience in strategic performance management roles, with strong understanding of children’s services, statutory requirements, and national standards that affect service delivery and outcomes.
• Proven ability to lead and influence at a senior level, managing and delivering large-scale performance improvement initiatives.
• Highly developed analytical skills, with the ability to turn complex data into actionable insights and strategic recommendations.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and influencing skills, with experience working with senior leaders, elected members and external partners.
• A relevant degree or professional qualification in a related field, along with a commitment to continuous professional development.
• Knowledge of children and young people services and local government.

Why Join North Yorkshire Council?

This is an exciting opportunity to join a supportive, forward-thinking team, working in one of the most beautiful and diverse counties in the UK. As Performance Lead for Children and Young People’s Services, you will play a pivotal role in improving the lives of children and families, and you will be supported by a collaborative team that is committed to making a real difference. We offer a competitive salary, a range of benefits including a generous leave entitlement, pension scheme, and access to a range of training and development opportunities.

Contact

For further information, or to discuss the role, please contact Will Boardman (will.boardman@northyorks.gov.uk)