Somerset Council
Operations Manager - Prevention & Youth justice Service
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Operations Manager - Prevention & Youth justice Service
Operations Manager – Prevention Services – Children’s Services, Somerset Council
Closing date: 05/07/2028 | Salary: Grade 7 – £55,101 + £9,679 recruitment allowance (until 31/08/2028) | Location: Taunton
About the Role
Are you a strategic leader passionate about improving outcomes for children, young people, and families?
We are seeking a dynamic Operations Manager to lead Prevention Services within Somerset’s Children’s Services. This role is central to our Families First Partnership programme, reshaping services to ensure families receive the right support at the right time through collaborative, multi-agency working across social care, education, Police, health, and communities.
We are in an exciting phase of transformation, shifting towards a relationship-based system that enhances: ✔ Early help resilience ✔ Multi-agency partnerships ✔ Families thriving safely within their communities
What the Role Involves
This is a two-year fixed-term position, directly aligning with our transformation goals. You will: 🔹 Lead the operational delivery of prevention and youth justice services, ensuring timely and restorative support for children, young people, families, and victims to prevent escalation. 🔹 Shape and drive early help/prevention services, ensuring alignment with the Families First Partnership and strategic plans including:
- Children & Young People’s Plan
- Children’s Social Care Plan
- Youth Justice Plan 🔹 Manage a budget of £3 million with efficiency and financial acumen. 🔹 Champion multi-agency collaboration to build stronger links with statutory services, communities, and stakeholders. 🔹 Oversee Rapid Response and out-of-hours provision, fostering school outcomes, safety, and wellbeing. 🔹 Embed continuous improvement, focusing on equality, transparency, and relationship-based practices. 🔹 Support workplace development, ensuring robust supervision and performance management across teams.
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What You’ll Bring
Essential Knowledge & Experience
📌 Strategic insight: Strong grasp of performance management methodologies, including frameworks like:
- Quality assurance and planning frameworks
- Statutory, regulatory, and policy frameworks in prevention/youth justice 📌 Leadership & influence: History of contributing to strategic decision-making with elected members, practitioners, and stakeholders. 📌 Complex project experience: Proven ability to develop and lead major initiatives—from commissioning to delivering high-quality services with excellent outcomes. 📌 Legal expertise: Current knowledge of children’s social care law, youth justice standards, and HMIP criteria. 📌 Project credentials: Relevant degree/bachelor’s, diploma, or professional qualification + evidence of ongoing professional development.
Core Behaviours
For sustained success, you must: 🔸 Lead change capitalisation—embodying innovation and acting as a model for cultural transformation. 🔸 Deliver under pressure: Meet deadlines, resolve complex operational/safeguarding disputes, and drive data-informed decision-making. 🔸 Demand excellence: High levels of ** organisation, resilience, and motivational leadership**. 🔸 Promote inclusivity: Advocate for diversity in practice and employment equality. 🔸 Community-focused: Foster trust and meaningful collaboration with partners and stakeholders.
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Desirable but Not Mandatory
💡 Specific experience in early help or restorative practice frameworks, particularly:
- Youth Justice Board requirements,
- Community Safety Partnership structures,
- Multi-agency RSVP initiatives.
Why Join Us
🏆 Purpose-driven: Join a teams reshaping futures for Somerset’s most vulnerable. ✨ Career growth: Opportunities to advance skills in service innovation, policy, and system shaping. 💡 Development support: Continuous professional growth in the fast-evolving field of children’s social care. 🎁 Package: In addition to a competitive salary, enjoy: → 30 days’ annual leave + bank holidays → 2-year fixed-term contract (37 hrs/week) → Forced rankings removed—focus on fair recognition. → Wellbeing-focused benefits package.
⚠️ Note: Apologies in advance—we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role.
Next Steps
For informal discussions, contact Sam Fahey (Head of Service – Prevention & Youth Justice): 📧 Samantha.fahey@somerset.gov.uk 📅 Interviews: Tentatively scheduled for 13/07/2026.
A full job description can be provided upon request—I can also guide you to additional approved equity mentors.
Apply today if you are ready to string-tie prevention work for a brighter future!
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