Suffolk County Council
Team Manager
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- Suffolk County Council
- Address: Beacon House, Ipswich IP1 5PB or Riverside, Lowestoft NR33 0EQ with hybrid working
- Salary: £55,563 per annum (pro rata for part-time working)
- Hours: 37 hours per week, flexible working options available
- Contract: Fixed term or secondment for 6 months to support the implementation of the Families First model
At Suffolk County Council, every role is a chance to create positive change. As Team Manager within our temporary High Demand Team, you will see the direct impact of your work on children, families and the services that support them.
You will lead a flexible and responsive team that provides additional capacity to Family Help services experiencing increased demand. This is an opportunity to apply your professional leadership and social work expertise in a role that supports service resilience and helps children and families receive timely, effective support.
The role will provide additional management capacity within the High Demand Team to ensure service resilience, effective demand management and the successful embedding of new practice approaches during the transition period.
Reimagine the possibilities.
Your role and responsibilities
The High Demand Team provides flexible countywide support to Family Help services, helping to manage periods of increased demand and ensuring children and families receive the right support at the right time.
As Team Manager, you will lead a skilled and dedicated team, providing professional leadership, oversight and support across Suffolk. Working closely with colleagues and partners, you will help manage demand, maintain high standards of practice and drive positive outcomes for children and families.
You will:
- lead and develop the High Demand Team, providing flexible support where demand is greatest
- oversee safeguarding, risk, workload management and service performance
- provide reflective supervision, practice leadership and professional challenge
- embed psychologically informed, strengths-based and relationship-led practice
- build strong partnerships across Family Help and wider children's services
- support staff development, service improvement and positive outcomes for children and families.
We're looking for an experienced and confident social work leader who can inspire others, respond effectively to changing priorities and maintain a strong focus on achieving the best outcomes for children and families.
This role can be based in either Beacon House, Ipswich or Riverside, Lowestoft, but regular travel between these locations is an essential requirement of the post. Due to the travel requirements of the role, you will need a driving licence and access to personal transport. If you can meet these requirements through other suitable means, please contact the Hiring Manager to discuss.
You will need:
- a relevant Social Work qualification and current Social Work England registration
- significant experience within Children's Services, including Social Care Fieldwork, Family Help, safeguarding, assessment, child protection or other frontline children's services teams
- substantial experience of leading, managing and developing staff within a children's social care setting
- a strong understanding of legislation, safeguarding, assessment, risk management and child protection practice
- the ability to provide reflective supervision, professional challenge and clear practice leadership
- experience of managing competing priorities, resources and service pressures to achieve positive outcomes
- strong partnership-working, analytical, communication and decision-making skills
- experience of managing risk, performance and service improvement within a complex environment.
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It would be beneficial if you also have:
- experience of leading change and service transformation
- an understanding of Signs of Safety, strengths-based and solution-focused approaches
- knowledge of psychologically informed and evidence-based intervention models
- experience of working effectively with partner agencies and multidisciplinary teams.
You can view the full list of requirements in the Job and Person Profile, which you will find in the ‘How to apply’ section towards the bottom of this advert.
The team
Our Family Help teams are multidisciplinary, bringing together social workers and practitioners to provide early help, safeguarding and support to children and families.
The High Demand team is a flexible countywide resource that provides additional support where service demand is greatest. It responds to fluctuations in caseload volume across Family Help services, helping teams maintain timely and effective support for children and families.
Through a strengths-based, relationship-led and psychologically informed approach, the team supports service resilience, contributes to the delivery of the Family First model and promotes positive outcomes for children and families.
You will join a supportive and collaborative service that values learning, professional development and continuous improvement.
Take a look at what makes our Ideal Worker, shaped by the voices of young people: find out more [https://sccrecruit.blob.core.windows.net/assets/SCC/Other-Docs/The-Ideal-Worker.pdf].
Empowering Everyone
We’re big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We’re always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in our Workforce Equality Report [https://www.suffolk.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/our-aims-and-transformation-programmes/the-councils-equality-and-inclusion-commitment-to-you].
For more information
Please contact Nathalie Rich for a casual conversation. You can reach them by calling 01473 263515 or emailing Nathalie.Rich@suffolk.gov.uk
If you want to apply for a secondment, read the secondment policy first. Make sure you get permission from your current manager before submitting your application.
How to apply
Step 1 - Read the Job and Person Profile (JPP) [https://sccrecruit.blob.core.windows.net/assets/SCC/24803.Team.Manager.Grade.7.SWQ.High.Demand.JPP.docx]
Step 2 - Click ‘Apply Now’ to start your online application.
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Step 3 - Upload a supporting statement answering the following questions below (no more than 400 words per question). You should use the Supporting Statement template (Word) [https://sccrecruit.blob.core.windows.net/assets/SCC/Other-Docs/SupportingStatementTemplate.docx].
- This role leads a High Demand Team that provides additional capacity across Family Help services. How would you ensure consistent standards of practice while deploying staff flexibly across different localities and responding to changing service pressures?
- Describe how you have used supervision, coaching or professional challenge to improve practitioner performance, strengthen decision-making and promote high-quality practice.
- Please describe your experience of leading a children's social care or Family Help service through a period of increased demand. How did you manage capacity, maintain service performance and ensure positive outcomes for children and families?
Please note: Without a supporting statement, your interest will not be progressed. Any supporting documents must be in either PDF or MS Word format.
For guidance on completing your application, please see our How to Apply page [https://www.suffolkjobsdirect.org/#en/sites/CX_3001/pages/657088].
Planning to use Artificial Intelligence (AI)? Please ensure your application still reflects your own skills, experience and ideas. If used inappropriately, your application may not be processed. Please read our guidance for using AI [https://www.suffolkjobsdirect.org/#en/sites/CX_3001/pages/764097] to understand what’s acceptable.
Do you need any reasonable adjustments to help you to apply? If you are disabled and/or have additional support needs, you can request reasonable adjustments. You can do this by contacting our Recruitment Team at recruitment@suffolk.gov.uk or 03456 014412. You can find examples of possible adjustments on our Reasonable Adjustment pages [https://www.suffolkjobsdirect.org/#en/sites/CX_3001/pages/757078].
Closing date: 11.30pm, 27 September 2026
This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts.
As a modern and effective council, we offer a wide variety of careers to suit people with a range of skills, abilities and ambitions. We offer working options that flex to reflect the way people work today and take the time to understand and support your individual needs. We’re driven to make a positive difference to the world around us and encourage everyone with drive and focus to join us and build an influential and impactful career. Reimagine the possibilities.
In return, you’ll enjoy:
- up to 29 days annual leave entitlement (pro rata), plus UK bank holidays and two paid volunteering days
- membership of a competitive Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
- travel, lifestyle, health and wellbeing benefits
- performance-related annual pay progression, in addition to an annual cost-of-
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