Job info	Job info details
Job title	Director of Children’s Services
Strategic team/Directorate	Joint Commissioning Team
Service	Children’s Services
Business unit	Children’s Services
Responsible to (day to day issues)	Chief Executive
Accountable to (line manager)	Chief Executive
Salary grade	HAY700

1. Key purpose of job

• Discharge the responsibilities of the Statutory Director of Children’s Services (DCS) as defined by the Department for Education and section 18 of the Childrens Act 2004, ensuring that the Council effectively meets its statutory duties as a Corporate Parent.
• Responsible for the strategic direction of the Children’s Services directorate, providing the delivery of customer-focused outcomes at every level and prioritising continuous improvement, maximum efficiency of available resources and flexibility to meet changing demands on service provision.
• As the senior professional, be directly accountable for all Children’s Services activities, ensuring robust financial plans are in place to ensure services are delivered effectively, on time and within approved resources.
• Provide clear, visible and motivational leadership to the Children’s Services workforce.

2. Anticipated outcomes of post

• The post will successfully deliver the Ofsted improvement plan, making effective step changes to improve outcomes for children.
• Individual service improvement and efficiency plans will be developed with robust, effective and challenging performance management arrangements in place.
• Children’s Services financial plans will be managed effectively, seeking at all times to reduce overspending whilst also keeping the needs of all children at the heart of decisions.
• The development and delivery of integrated services for children and young people will be clearly evident and visible across the Directorate.
• Effective relationships will be maintained with Members, the Chief Executive, Chief Officers and partnership agencies so that all parties are working as one on the improvements required to move the service forwards.
• Children’s Services senior management team will be held to account for ensuring efficient and effective service delivery at all levels.

3. List key duties and accountabilities of the post

• Responsible for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children at all times.
• Deliver agreed transformation and improvement plans for Childrens services as a whole.
• Lead on the development and delivery of effective partnership arrangements with all key partners, stakeholders and agencies.  
• Ensure that the Council’s overall vision and strategy have an appropriate focus on improving outcomes for children, young people and their families, and that senior officers and Members understand their corporate role in delivering improved outcomes for their children and young people.
• Ensure effective early intervention and prevention services to support children and their families, improving their wellbeing, outcomes and reducing the need for statutory intervention.
• Ensure there are effective child protection and safeguarding systems in place with professional leadership and practice that is robust and can be challenged appropriately on a regular basis.
• Working with the Director of Education, ensure the effective delivery of local authority functions relating to Education to support the drive for high educational standards for all children and young people, including the most disadvantaged groups.
• To ensure that the social care of children and young people is effective and has robust systems in place for monitoring and reviewing its delivery, including commissioned services.
• In conjunction with the Director for Adult Services, ensure that effective mechanisms are in place to coordinate services to vulnerable children transitioning to adulthood.
• Review the impact of local and national policies and develop appropriate strategic responses in order for the Council to consistently meet its statutory obligations.
• Provide professional responsibility and accountability for the continuous improvement in effectiveness and outcomes for children and young people in Torbay.
• Promote and develop good working relations and collaborative arrangements with other relevant third parties, including private, voluntary and other public and internal and external organisations.
• To be a member of the Council’s Senior Leadership Team providing strategic leadership to facilitate the best outcomes for Torbay by:
  • Collaborating as SLT, within teams, across departments and with partners.
  • Being future focused.
  • Being adaptable.
  • Putting people at the centre of everything we do – both our staff and customers.

To do this by:

• Working with members and overseeing the good governance of the council.
• Providing corporate direction and communicating this clearly.
• Confronting budget issues and challenging our performance.
• Supporting and challenging our colleagues in a safe environment to help tackle issues and develop opportunities.
• Getting the best out of our teams and individuals.
• Embedding our organisational values in everything we do.
• To act as the principal advisor to Elected Members on all aspects of strategy and service provision for children and young people. This will involve building a strong relationship with the Cabinet Member for Childrens Services.
• Identify and provide guidance on the political priorities of Members, with consideration for politically sensitive matters.
• Contribute to the overall corporate leadership and management of the Council by leading, planning and delivering the Council’s strategic priorities in line with the corporate plan.

5. Supervision/Line Management Responsibilities of the post

• Responsible for the supervision and management of 2 Assistant Directors with a link to the Director of Education.
• Children’s Services encompasses circa 400 staff.

6. Working environment and conditions of the post

• Office based – normal working environment

7. Physical demands of the post

• Normal Physical Effort

8. Specific resources used by the post

• Standard office equipment (agile/ IT network devices/phone etc)

9. Key contacts and relationships

• External - Central Government, Ofsted, DFE, NHS, Adults Social Care, LGA, Other Local Authorities, Other public sector organisations and Bodies, Auditors – Devon Audit Partnership, Private and Voluntary organisations, employers and other key Stakeholders.
• Internal - Elected Members, Chief Executive, Directors, Assistant Directors, Head’s of Service, Service Managers, Officers (including agency and volunteers) and Employees at all levels across the Council.

10. Other duties

• Any other reasonable duties and responsibilities in line with the grading, level of responsibility and leadership role of this post

Other Information

• All staff must commit to Equal Opportunities and Anti-Discriminatory Practice.
• The Council operates a Smoke-Free Policy and the post-holder is prohibited from smoking in any of the Council's buildings (including Council owned and Council leased buildings, but excluding designated areas in residential schemes), enclosed spaces within the curtilage of buildings, and Council vehicles. The Council does not permit smoking breaks within work time, however, in services where the flexi-scheme is in operation, employees may take reasonable break times outside of core hours, in accordance with flexi-time arrangements. Employees should follow the flexi-scheme procedure for agreeing time away from their duties in the normal manner with their immediate colleagues and line manager, with break start and finish times being recorded, as with any other break-time arrangement. 
• The post-holder is expected to familiarise themselves with and adhere to all relevant Council Policies and Procedures.
• The post-holder must comply with the Council’s Health and Safety requirements as outlined in the H&S policy appropriate to the role.
• This post is based at but the post holder may be required to move their base to any other location within the Council at a future date.
• The post-holder must be committed to the Council’s Core Values for employees – “Torbay Council employees are committed to being forward thinking, people orientated and adaptable - always with integrity”. Evidence will be sought during the probation and appraisal processes.
• If you are required to use your own vehicle on Council business or drive a council vehicle you will be asked to provide information on any driving endorsements by accessing gov.uk/view-driving-licence and providing a code to your Line Manager in order to share your driving licence information with the Council.
• As this post meets the requirements in respect of exempted questions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, all applicants who are offered employment will be subject to a criminal record check (Disclosure) from the Disclosure & Barring Service before the appointment is confirmed. This will include details of ALL cautions, reprimands or final warnings as well as convictions, whether “spent” or “unspent”.  Criminal convictions will only be taken into account when they are relevant to the post.
• Torbay Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo the checks appropriate to the post applied for.
• The post holder is expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures.
• As this post meets the requirements of the Immigration Act 2017 (part 7) the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.

Person Specification

Note for Candidate

All Candidates

The supporting statement on your application form will be used to assess ability to meet the essential requirements of the role, so you should explain how you meet each of the numbered essential requirements within your supporting statement. In a competitive situation, the desirable criteria may be taken into consideration, so you are encouraged to show how you also meet each of the desirable criteria.

Candidates who consider that they have a disability

Reasonable adjustments will be made to the job, job requirements or recruitment process for candidates with a disability.

If you consider yourself to have a disability you should indicate this on your application form, providing any information you would like us to take into account with regard to your disability in order to offer a fair selection interview.

Where ever possible and reasonable we will make adjustments and offer alternatives to help you through the application and selection process.

If you have indicated that you have a disability on your application form you will be guaranteed an interview if you clearly demonstrate in your supporting evidence how you broadly meet the essential requirements of the role.

Job info	Job info details
Job Title	Director of Children’s Services
Strategic team/Directorate	Joint Commissioning Team
Service	Children’s Services
Business unit	Children’s Services

Skills and effectiveness

Essential skills and effectiveness

• Proven ability to innovate, design and implement safe and effective services for the Children in Torbay.
• Ability to design services around the needs of the child.
• Ability to lead a service through rapid improvement, ensuring that children remain safe and staff are engaged at all levels.
• Ability to create an inclusive culture of trust, fairness and openness.
• Ability to foster a climate of determination and creativity in a workforce to address challenges, achieve continuous improvement and resolve problems.
• High level of financial acumen and ability to manage budgets and control costs.
• Ability to motivate and demonstrate leadership, to influence and win the confidence of a wide cross sector of people both externally and internally.
• Able to think creatively and develop organisation wide innovation for the Council.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to maintain effective relationships with all members of staff, elected Members, external agencies and statutory bodies.
• Ability to work collaboratively and effectively with partners to deliver key objectives.
• A high degree of political awareness, sensitivity and commitment to working closely with all councillors, local organisations and communities.
• As this post meets the requirements of the Immigration Act 2016 (part 7), the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.
• Ability to manage conflicting priorities.
• Achievement and performance driven.
• Ability to use judgement, tact and sensitivity.
• High degree of personal integrity and political awareness and sensitivity.
• Able to develop and negotiate challenging outcomes and goals, and make complex decisions based on facts and complete tasks to a high standard.
• Proven effective presentation and report writing skills

 

Desirable skills and effectiveness

N/A

Knowledge

Essential knowledge

• Detailed knowledge and understanding of the full range of services for children and young people, including education, health and social care services.
• Excellent understanding of the Social Care Framework and how best to achieve outcomes for Children and Young People. 
• Detailed knowledge and understanding of the Ofsted framework and DFE requirements in relation to improving Children’s Social Care and Education.
• Thorough understanding of legislation and recent developments in Social Care, Education and Local Government
• Understanding of key issues and challenges affecting the long-term delivery of effective services for Children and Young People in Torbay.
• Understanding of wider local government issues and the political context and environment in which it operates.

Desirable knowledge

• Detailed knowledge of Torbay’s demographic and issues affecting Children and Young People.

Experience and achievements

Essential experience and achievements

• Proven and recent experience of working as a Director of Children’s Services with a Local Authority setting.
• Proven ability to lead significant improvements in the service that deliver positive outcomes for Children and Young People.
• Effective and demonstrable experience of empowering and leading colleagues to achieve significant sustainable service improvements and outstanding results including where there are significant areas of deprivation.
• Experience of effectively managing financial resources to reduce budgetary overspend whilst maintaining high quality provision for Children and Young People.
• Evidence of highly successful leadership and project managing multi-disciplinary teams.
• Demonstrable experience in developing and leading strategic initiatives and policies in a local authority environment or public sector setting.
• Experience of working with internal and external senior and political stakeholders with different and challenging interests or priorities.

Desirable experience and achievements

• Experience of successfully bringing Children’s Services out of intervention to a Good or Outstanding Authority.

Qualifications/professional memberships

Essential qualifications/professional memberships

• Relevant degree or equivalent by experience in an appropriate field.
• Management qualification or completion of a recognised management development/leadership programme

Desirable qualifications/professional memberships

• Qualified Social Worker
• Qualified Teacher Status
• NPQH / NPQSL
• Accounting Qualification

Other requirements

Other requirements of the job role

• Demonstrates a commitment to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people
• Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, with a clear understanding of how this applies within the remit of the role
• A principled commitment to public service, local democracy, and the highest standards of integrity and probity
• Promote and embed the Council’s core values of Integrity, Adaptable, Forward thinking and People orientated
• Ability to attend regular evening meetings and other weekend meetings
• Ability to carry out the physical requirements of the role (i.e. manual handling)
• Ability to travel efficiently around the UK in order to carry out duties
• Ability to accommodate unsociable hours
• Ability to accommodate on-call working
• Ability to accommodate occasional home-working