At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead workforce development in Children's Social Care and drive transformational change.
- Company: Essex County Council, a dynamic local authority committed to innovation.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible working, and support for career development.
- Other info: Join a supportive team focused on collaboration and community impact.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on children's services and shape the future of social care.
- Qualifications: Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in workforce development.
The predicted salary is between 44747 - 44747 £ per year.
Fixed Term, Full Time
£38,035.00 to £44,747 Per Annum
Location: Chelmsford
Working Style: Fixed-base worker
Closing Date: 27th July 2026
Please note this vacancy is available as a fixed term contract or secondment opportunity for up to 12 months.
The Role
Workforce development is an essential part of maintaining our outstanding OFSTED rating in Children’s Social Care. It is a critical time in the service with more change than we have seen in a generation. This role provides the opportunity to contribute to that change journey ensuring our staff are prepared for the future.
The Opportunity
Essex County Council (ECC) is achieving transformational change across Adult Social Care and Children and Families Services, underpinned by delivery of high quality practice and a culture of collaboration, integrity and compassion. The development of a professional, knowledgeable and skilled workforce is central to achieving practice improvement and driving change; delivered by a joint Essex Social Care Academy (ESCA) service which meets the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) needs of both professional areas.
The ESCA Workforce Development Lead will oversee key areas of strategic and practice importance, to enable ESCA to deliver against its vision. Supporting the development of a cohesive service across social care, responsible for providing, developing and commissioning a high quality training offer across complex and specialist programmes. The role requires a thorough and in-depth understanding of adult learning theories and evidence of successful delivery and development of workforce projects and initiatives, that support workforce strategies. Excellent communication skills, with strong negotiation and influencing abilities will be key to success.
Accountabilities
- Responsible for developing a Workforce Development strategy, related to specific areas of Social Care Practice, equipped to deliver consistently high quality, customer focussed services.
- Identify opportunities for development of the Social Care Academy to improve performance and promote best practice.
- Lead on and manage the delivery of initiatives, ensuring that internal Continuing Professional Development programmes (either function specific or broader) and development planning, commissioning and delivery processes are integrated, to reflect commissioned outcomes and align with Partner programmes.
- Develop and commission a range of blended learning and training opportunities, tailored to the individual needs of staff groups.
- Implement processes to ensure the commissioning of training providers support excellence in practice, represent value for money, work to agreed standards and include safeguarding practices.
- Work collaboratively with external operational partners/stakeholders to ensure potential opportunities are maximised, through development of innovative approaches to implement an agreed and consistent framework of impact measures.
- Responsible for ensuring compliance with National Minimum standards, regulations and statutory guidance, maintaining effective links with regulatory bodies to achieve requisite standards.
- Raise and address any issues in a timely and effective manner.
- Measure and evaluate the impact of training and training transfer, on improving outcomes and developments in practice across social care.
- Deliver regular monitoring, reflection and review to ensure continued progress.
- Use accurate data and evidence to set and monitor priorities, which inform strategic planning of training and development initiatives.
- Undertake financial monitoring and budgetary review of programmes of work undertaken.
- Contribute to building capacity for workforce planning, to ensure effective developmental support is available through the creation of a range of initiatives including training opportunities, career development and flexible career pathways.
- Review, analyse and evaluate workforce intelligence, establish robust processes for the sharing of data analysis and recommendations.
- Working closely with operational partners to support effective evidence based workforce planning.
- Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.
The Experience You Will Bring
- Educated to RQF level 6 (bachelor’s degree) or equivalent by experience.
- Evidence of continuing professional development and knowledge, aligned to any relevant Professional Competency/Capability frameworks or Knowledge and Skills Statements where required.
- Evidence of successful delivery and development of workforce projects and initiatives that support the workforce strategy and capacity to work autonomously to achieve outcomes.
- Experience of leading the development of strong relationships which are collaborative in nature, with partners, other agencies and the local community to achieve joint objectives.
- Good leadership and behavioural skills with the ability to focus on results, supporting a highly performing and motivated team from diverse backgrounds to achieve strategic objectives.
- An in-depth understanding of adult learning theories and how to apply them in practice to support the workforce to deliver more effective outcomes.
- Excellent communication skills, with strong negotiation, influencing and problem-solving ability.
- Ability to analyse, understand and present complex information effectively.
Why Essex?
As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities, Essex offers a stimulating public service environment. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we’re committed to transformational change and delivering better quality at lower cost. Recognised in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity, we ensure everyone matters in Everyone's Essex. With flexible working options and a focus on innovation, whether you are looking to develop your career or contribute to the local community, Essex is the ideal place for you.
In March 2026, the Government announced that councils in Greater Essex will be reorganised into five new unitary authorities from April 2028. In addition to this, Greater Essex has been accepted on to the devolution priority programme, where we will work towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority. You can read more about these changes, and what this may mean for this role, on our careers site.
Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process. We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.
Once you’ve secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs. At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles, including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.
A driving licence and car or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means is essential. Please note that the job role requires you to be mobile throughout an operational area. Therefore, the post holder will need to have a driving licence and access to a vehicle, or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means.
As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained.
Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.
If you would like to be kept up to date on other relevant opportunities, blogs, news, events and industry related news at Essex County Council, please join The Essex Talent Community.
If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email resourcing.team@essex.gov.uk.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. Further details can be found on our careers page.
ESCA Workforce Development Lead - Childrens in Chelmsford employer: Working for Essex
Essex County Council is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic public service environment that prioritises transformational change and employee development. With a strong commitment to collaboration, integrity, and compassion, ECC provides flexible working options, comprehensive support for unpaid carers, and numerous opportunities for professional growth within a diverse and inclusive workplace. Located in Chelmsford, employees can contribute meaningfully to the local community while enjoying a supportive culture that values every individual.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land ESCA Workforce Development Lead - Childrens in Chelmsford
✨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 Working for Essex.
✨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 Working for Essex!
✨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 Working for Essex, 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 Working for Essex 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 ESCA Workforce Development Lead - Childrens in Chelmsford
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 Working for Essex:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to Working for Essex! 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 Working for Essex
✨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.
