At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the creation of a new fostering hub to improve recruitment and support for foster carers.
- Company: Join a collaborative team dedicated to transforming fostering services in South-East London.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, opportunity to shape a new service, and make a real difference in children's lives.
- Other info: Dynamic role with a focus on innovation and collaboration across local authorities.
- Why this job: Be a key player in building a supportive community for foster families and children.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership skills, experience in fostering recruitment, and a passion for service improvement.
The predicted salary is between 84042 - 89274 £ per year.
South-East London has secured Department for Education funding to create a new sub-regional foster recruitment and retention hub, joining a network of five Fostering Hubs across London. Foster South-East London is looking for an exceptional Head of Service to lead this exciting new service development and improve the way we recruit, engage, and support prospective foster carers across the region.
This is a unique opportunity for an experienced leader who combines a strong understanding of foster carer recruitment and the fostering landscape with significant expertise in transformation, service improvement, and partnership working. The Hub will bring together expertise, resources, data, and innovative approaches across the sub-region, creating a more coordinated and effective approach to attracting and converting new foster carers. Your leadership will be central to making this ambition a reality.
About the role
As Head of Service, you will provide strategic and operational leadership for Foster South-East London; a new sub-regional approach to fostering recruitment and retention. You will be responsible for establishing and embedding a high-performing service offer that delivers measurable improvements in foster carer recruitment across participating partners.
You will lead a programme of transformation that challenges traditional approaches, uses evidence and data to drive decision-making, and ensures that prospective foster carers experience a clear, consistent, and compelling journey from initial enquiry through to approval. Working across organisational boundaries, you will build strong relationships with senior leaders, fostering services, communications and marketing teams, and other key stakeholders. You will bring people together around a shared vision and ensure that the Hub delivers value for each of the participating authorities.
You will also have a strong focus on continuous improvement - identifying what works, understanding where recruitment journeys are being lost, using insight to target activity, and developing innovative approaches to reach people who could make a difference to the lives of children and young people. The role is offered for an initial term until 31 March 2028 and the Royal Borough of Greenwich will serve as the host authority for employment.
About you
We are looking for a confident, innovative, and collaborative leader who can operate comfortably at both strategic and operational levels. You will have:
- Strategic leadership and influencing skills across organisational boundaries.
- Ability to communicate complex issues clearly to senior stakeholders and partners.
- Ability to use data and insight to drive improvement and decision-making.
- Resilience, sound judgement, and a collaborative leadership style.
- Commitment to improving outcomes for children and foster families.
- Strong leadership and management abilities, including experience in team coordination, performance management, and fostering best practices.
You will be comfortable working in an environment where the service is new, ambitious, and evolving. You will bring energy, curiosity, and pragmatism, alongside the ability to challenge established ways of working constructively.
Why join us?
This is much more than a recruitment role. It is an opportunity to build something new - creating a service that brings partners together around a shared ambition and developing a different, highly effective model for foster carer recruitment. You will have the scope to shape the Hub's strategy, culture, operating model, and approach to ensure service improvement from the outset. Most importantly, your work will contribute directly to ensuring that more children and young people can grow up in safe, stable, and nurturing family environments, close to the communities they know.
If you are an ambitious leader who understands fostering recruitment, thrives on transformation, and wants to make a tangible difference at regional level, we would love to hear from you.
Our commitment
Foster South-East London will be made up of several local partners who are committed to working collaboratively to improve outcomes for children and young people. We welcome applications from people who reflect the diversity of the communities we serve and are committed to creating an inclusive working environment where everyone can thrive.
Please note partner local authorities are subject to confirmation.
For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Ishara Tewary, Strategic Lead - Corporate Parenting, Royal Greenwich Children's Services or alternatively email.
Royal Borough of Greenwich values the diversity of its community and aims to have a workforce that reflects this. We therefore encourage applications from all sections of the community.
Salary: Salaries advertised are for a standard working week of 35 hours unless otherwise stated. Salary PO10 (£84,042 - £89,274) Frequency Annual.
Contract Type: Permanent, 18 Month Fixed Term Contract, Working Hours 35 hours per week Monday to Friday.
Closing Date: 11 October, 2026.
Location: The Woolwich Centre, United Kingdom.
South-East London Fostering Hub Head of Service employer: Royal Greenwich
The Royal Borough of Greenwich is an excellent employer for a Legal Assistant, offering a diverse and challenging caseload that fosters professional development and career progression. With a supportive and collaborative team environment, flexible working arrangements, and a generous local government pension scheme, employees can thrive both personally and professionally while contributing to a community-focused organisation.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land South-East London Fostering Hub Head of Service
✨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 Royal Greenwich.
✨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 Royal Greenwich!
✨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 Royal Greenwich, 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 Royal Greenwich 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 South-East London Fostering Hub Head of Service
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 Royal Greenwich:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to Royal Greenwich! 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 Royal Greenwich
✨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.
