Service Manager for Quality Assurance & Practice Learning

At Sandwell Children's Trust we strive for excellence to improve the lives of children. Our 'Sandwell Deal', brings together our new improved offering that make Sandwell Children's Trust a great place to work; it also sets out our expectations of you as a member of staff., The Quality Assurance & Practice Learning Service Manager has a central role in overseeing the Social Work Academy and strategic Quality Assurance for the Trust. The role offers a unique opportunity to drive significant impact within Sandwell Children's Trust and make a difference to the quality of services delivered to our children and families. The successful candidate will play a critical role in ensuring the highest standards of quality of practice in our service delivery, and will need an extensive background in children's social work; with a strong grasp of statutory responsibilities and a strategic, forward-thinking approach to performance management and quality assurance. The postholder will serve as the custodian of our newly revised Quality Assurance Framework, with full oversight and responsibility for its implementation and ongoing operation, as well as our successful 'growing our own' Social Work Academy.,

• Lead innovation & Quality Assurance: Spearhead innovative approaches and best practices to enhance the quality of children's services. Ensure that compliance, regulatory standards, and inspection readiness are always top priorities.
• Build partnerships: Collaborate closely with various stakeholders within and outside the council, including social care teams, external agencies, and regulatory bodies, to strengthen the quality assurance and performance functions.
• Operational oversight: Directly manage our Trust's Social Work Academy and provide guidance to ensure the effectiveness and professional growth of the service.
• Performance improvement: Identify and act on opportunities for performance enhancement, focusing on measurable outcomes and fostering an environment of continuous improvement.
• Service champion: Act as a visible leader within the council, representing and advocating for the Trust at all levels. Ensure clear communication and alignment with the Trust's strategic Transformation plans and priorities.
  
  You will be Social Work qualified and registered with Social Work England.
• Expert experience, knowledge and skills in children's services: In-depth knowledge of early intervention, child in need, child protection and safeguarding legislation, statutory guidelines, and best practices in children's services.
• Analytical skills: Ability to assess end-to-end service delivery, identify areas for improvement, and implement solutions that drive positive outcomes for children and families.
• Have experience/knowledge in quality assurance methodologies and experience of external scrutiny such as Ofsted and Peer reviews.
• Able to demonstrate an understanding of workforce development and pre and post qualification programmes for social work.
• Strong communication and collaboration Skills: Exceptional interpersonal and stakeholder engagement skills. Ability to work collaboratively with various internal departments and external partners.
This role is ideal for an innovative proactive leader who is dedicated to continuous service improvement and can inspire teams to uphold the highest standards of practice. If you're passionate about making a tangible difference in children's services and are ready to embrace this leadership challenge, this role could be an excellent fit.

When people join the team at Sandwell they say it feels like they become part of the family…they have #ComeHomeToSandwell. With the work that we have done so far and with the ambitions we have for the future, it's a really exciting time to join Sandwell Children's Trust and to become part of our Family. So, if you think your future could lie with Sandwell Children's Trust, then we'd love to hear from you., At Sandwell Children's Trust we strive for excellence to improve the lives of children. To achieve this, we know how important it is to retain and attract high performing, forward thinking and innovative people and provide them with all the support they need. With a culture of collaboration, partnership working and the child at the heart of everything we do, it really is an exciting time to join Sandwell Children's Trust. Working for us There are lots of great reasons to work with us in Sandwell Children's Trust. From a generous rewards package to a culture of learning and development. Our 12 reasons to work for Sandwell Children's Trust sets us apart as the place to grow your career and feel part of a great team. Please visit the Sandwell Deal and our 12 reasons via this hyperlink: https://sandwelldeal.co.uk, Sandwell sits in the heart of the West Midlands and has a diverse population of 341,729 people. While Sandwell is the 12^th most deprived local authority in England, it is a community where our families have high aspirations and where we pride ourselves on equality of opportunity and our adaptability and resilience.

What we can offer you:-
• Generous annual leave of up to 31 days, plus 5 additional days for long service recognition.
• Your birthday off paid in addition to annual leave entitlement and 8 Bank Holidays, plus a concessionary day at Christmas.
• You will receive a generous local government career average pension scheme with employer contributions of 21.6%.
• We recognise individual loyalty with service awards from 2, 5, 10 and every 5 years onwards.
• Flexible working patterns that suit you and all of our roles have well-defined career progression.
• We provide competitive expenses for both mileage (55p per mile) and subsistence, plus access to a comprehensive employee benefits scheme., Band J (£58,327 - £61,853 per annum), dependent on experience plus a relocation allowance of up to £6,500 and excellent benefits.
We are proud to create an environment where our employees are nurtured, caseloads are manageable and continuous professional development is encouraged. With a culture of collaborative working and the child at the heart of everything we do, there's never been a more exciting time to join the Trust.,
• Flexible working patterns that suit you and all of our roles have well-defined career progression.
• Access to our Learning & Development portal offering virtual training programmes, learning & development info bursts, learning events and much more.
• The latest technology enabling more effective and streamlined working.
• Detailed and effective appraisals to strengthen your practice.
• Access to a range of family friendly policies.
Benefits & Rewards
• Up to £6,500 re-location package
• Generous annual leave entitlement, plus 5 additional days for long service recognition.
• The opportunity to purchase up to 10 days additional holiday through our salary sacrifice scheme.
• Your birthday off paid in addition to annual leave entitlement and 8 bank holidays, plus a concessionary day at Christmas.
• Membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme, this is a nationwide career average scheme with employer contributions of 21.6%.
• We recognise individual loyalty with service awards from 2, 5, 10 and every 5 years onwards.
• Reimbursement of Social Work England registration
• 24/7 access to free and confidential employee counselling service
• Access to a range of discounts on products and services
• Salary sacrifice schemes for cars, bikes and technology.
• Refer a friend scheme
• Wellbeing initiatives and forums
• Discounted gym membership
• Eye care vouchers