Country Director - Scotland in Chester-le-Street

Salary: £53,836 - £59,012

Hours: 35

Location: This is a hybrid role, with travel to our Glasgow office at least once a week.

Who We Are

The Fostering Network is the UK's leading fostering charity and membership organisation, dedicated to empowering, enriching and supporting the relationships at the heart of the fostering community.

Who We Are Looking For

We are looking for someone with extensive experience of the fostering sector to assist with leading the work in one of our four nations. You will have experience of working with local authorities, key government officials and a broad range of key stakeholders. A strategic thinker, collaborative, with excellent leadership skills and a wide range of experience. You will be a member of a leadership team or looking to progress your career to this level. You will bring a track record of delivering excellent outcomes in the field of social work, specifically fostering and care experienced children, along with a desire to continue to develop your skillset. Additionally, you will have experience of managing budgets and be able to demonstrate a knowledge of sound safeguarding practice.

What You’ll Be Doing

This is an exceptional opportunity for a high‐calibre professional with leadership experience to join our fantastic organisation. This post is one of four Country Directors, working with the CEO to deliver on our organisational strategic objectives. The post will manage and lead on key initiatives in a specific country, drive forward the monitoring, impact and evaluation of our work and ensure continuous improvement through innovative models of practice. You will have responsibility for developing and maintaining key stakeholder relationships and be responsible for securing grants, fundraising and engaging in activity to promote TFN and respond to the needs of the sector. A key responsibility for the post holder is to ensure that our services and products are sector leading, evidence-based and child centred.

What We Can Offer You

• 38 days leave (including bank holidays)
• A range of family friendly and fostering friendly leave options
• Flexible and hybrid working
• Enhanced maternity and adoption pay
• Enhanced sick pay
• 24/7 Employee Assistance Helpline
• Pension and life assurance
• Contribution to eye tests and lenses
• Season ticket loans

Our commitments to you

The Fostering Network is committed to equal opportunities and welcomes applications from all sections of the community and especially those from under‐represented and minoritised backgrounds. All applications and hiring decisions will be considered on merit. If you identify as care experienced and meet the minimum criteria for the role, you will be guaranteed an interview under our commitment to the Care Leaver Covenant. If you have a disability, please tell us what reasonable adjustments would support your participation in the recruitment process. We are open to job‐sharing arrangements for all roles, please indicate this in the application form if you are applying as part of a job share.

Core Purpose

We are seeking a talented individual to join our Leadership team. You will make a vital contribution helping us to sustain and expand our programmes across Scotland. In this role you will help make a difference and improve the lives of foster families and of children and young people in foster care. You will also provide guidance and support to fostering services.

Primary Objectives

• Overall management and leadership of our work in a specific country
• To work as a collaborative team of country specific directors across the UK
• Drive forward the monitoring, impact and evaluation of our work
• Develop and maintain key external stakeholder relationships, including national and local government, inspection and registration bodies, national organisations, fostering services, foster carers and all members
• Oversee the development, delivery and roll out of sustainable, impactful programmes to improve outcomes for children and foster carers
• Secure grants, fundraising and engage in activity to promote TFN and enable us to respond to the needs of the sector
• Budget management
• Identify and act on potential for innovation and collaboration
• Engage and grow the individual and corporate membership of TFN; and maintain the organisation's position as the leading fostering charity in the UK
• Safeguarding lead for the country

Responsibilities

• Overall management and leadership of our work in a specific country
• Lead, develop and manage The Fostering Network's work in Scotland in collaboration with other Country Directors, UK Directors, and Lead Managers.
• Ensure that our work in Scotland aligns to local and national policy directives, legislation, regulation, and good practice guidance.
• Demonstrate sound leadership and management of our staff members, volunteers and associates in Scotland, in accordance with TFN policies and procedures.
• Develop Scotland‐specific strategies and plans in line with our organisational strategy.
• Initiate, develop and increase opportunities to enhance our national reach through working closely and collaboratively with all country specific deputy directors.
• Share good practice, resources, programmes, toolkits and relevant documents.
• Create and agree a programme of areas for development related to our work and research findings.
• Share the learning and resources from country‐specific pilots, pathfinders and programmes, liaising with funders to agree consent for wider roll out if applicable.
• Drive forward the monitoring, impact and evaluation of our work.
• Ensure impact monitoring is central to all work undertaken in the country and contribute to the organisational capture, analysis and reporting of this work.
• Ensure that new concepts or programmes have clear monitoring processes in place to demonstrate impact.
• Ensure systems are in place to evaluate our work in the specific country and aligned to wider organisational evaluation plans and processes.
• Overall responsibility for reporting requirements internally to trustees and SLT and externally, including governments and funders.
• Develop and maintain key external stakeholder relationships, including national and local government, inspection and registration bodies, national organisations, fostering services, foster carers and all members.
• Act as a spokesperson and represent the organisation in Scotland.
• Support and advise the CEO or other visiting directors when undertaking public duties in Scotland.
• Develop and sustain a wide range of relationships to promote The Fostering Network's work and ensure that The Fostering Network is in productive dialogue with its members.
• Build and grow our stakeholders in Scotland, building on all opportunities to develop productive, professional relationships which enhance our mission and vision.
• Oversee the development, delivery and roll out of sustainable, impactful programmes to improve outcomes for children and foster carers.
• Oversight of all current programme delivery, ensuring objectives are met or exceeded.
• Identify challenges and opportunities for sector improvement, work with others to translate these into future programmes, or concepts for change.
• Prepare proposals for projects, ensuring they meet sustainable, impactful outcomes for children and foster carers.
• Secure grants, fundraising and engage in activity to promote TFN and enable us to respond to the needs of the sector.
• Identify opportunities for project development based on the needs of the sector.
• Complete high quality funding applications and respond to tenders.
• Work in collaboration with UK directors, country directors and lead managers to create joint applications for funding as and when required.
• Maintain local oversight of funding opportunities and build local fundraising relationships.
• Budget management.
• Hold, manage and be responsible for budgets, approving and authorising expenditure in accordance with budgetary constraints and delegated authority.
• Responsible for setting, monitoring and meeting budget requirements.
• Uphold and adhere to organisational policies and procedures in relation to financial matters.
• Identify and act on potential for innovation and collaboration.
• Create opportunities for scoping out innovative and creative developments.
• Ensure space for regular team building, collaboration and creative thinking.
• Work closely and collaboratively with Lead Managers across the organisation to ensure successful delivery of our services and translation of innovative programmes at local level.
• Engage and grow the individual and corporate membership of TFN; and maintain the organisation's position as the leading fostering charity in the UK.
• Maintain and grow individual, organisational and associate membership in Scotland.
• Ensure high engagement and promotion of membership services and benefits at local and national level.
• Participate in and promote at a country specifically level all national engagement campaigns, such as Foster Care Fortnight and other related activity.
• Facilitate and ensure effective methods for feedback between members and our UK‐wide membership services. Identify and address any gaps in provision or opportunities for improvements.
• Safeguarding lead for the country.
• Fulfil the role of safeguarding lead for all aspects of work in Scotland.
• Ensure compliance with policy and procedures.
• Work closely with wider safeguarding leads, taking collective responsibility for the improvement of our safeguarding oversight.
• Contribute to safeguarding reports, updates and the annual safeguarding trustee audit process.

Main Stakeholders

• Senior Leadership Team
• Scotland Team
• Fundraising
• Policy & Campaigns
• Local authority Fostering Services
• Independent Fostering Services
• Foster carers
• Stakeholders

Essential Knowledge & Experience

• Ability to work as a collaborative leader to meet wider corporate objectives of TFN.
• In‐depth, current knowledge and understanding of foster care practice and children's social care across the UK.
• Experience of working within statutory local authority social services department(s).
• Experience of strategic planning and programme management including managing budgets.
• Experience of effective working with key government officials and a broad range of key stakeholders.
• Experience of effective leadership, line management and supervision.
• Experience of delivering effective, successful change management.
• Commitment and understanding of devolution and working across the UK to maximise consistency and parity for the fostering community.

Essential Skills & Attitudes

• Excellent interpersonal and relationship management skills.
• Excellent communication skills with ability to engage foster carers, young people and staff at all levels.
• Ability to problem solve and apply sound judgement at all times.
• Ability to work independently and as a member of a team.
• Highly organised with an ability to prioritise, plan and work in a systematic way.
• Excellent IT skills including confidence with video conferencing platforms (particularly Microsoft Teams and Office 365).
• Ability to inspire trust and gain credibility with senior managers, practitioners, foster carers, young people and a diverse range of stakeholders.
• Self‐starter with ability to work flexibly, travel and work evenings and weekends if necessary.
• Commitment to maintaining the confidentiality of information held by The Fostering Network.
• Commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.
• Commitment to The Fostering Network's core mission, vision and values.

Desirable

• Experience of working within or closely with the independent or third sector.
• Experience of working across a national remit.
• Care experienced or lived experience of foster care.
• Experience of delivering foster care as a practitioner in local government or the independent sector.

Qualifications & Minimum Requirements For The Role

• Degree level or equivalent in a related field.
• Management qualification or evidence of effective management and leadership skills.
• Significant knowledge and understanding the fostering sector.
• Safeguarding qualification or evidence of sound safeguarding practice and knowledge base.