Head of Service – Adult Social Care Operations - Early Resolution (front door) and Safeguarding Service
Location: Aylesbury
Overview
Are you ready to lead change that makes a direct difference to people’s lives across Buckinghamshire? If you’re motivated by improving outcomes, strengthening safeguarding, and building confident, supported teams, we’d love to hear from you.
We’re seeking an experienced, values-led leader to provide strategic direction and strong operational grip across key Adult Social Care services at out front door.
Salary circa £80,000 per annum.
About the role
The role focuses on driving quality, safeguarding, and continuous improvement, while empowering managers and teams to deliver outstanding outcomes.
This is a senior leadership role and the you'll be required to work in collaboration with the Adult Social Care senior leadership team, health partners and the wider Council.
You'll have a proven track record of effective leadership, evidence of strong performance and high-quality governance, workforce planning, emergency planning and continuous business improvement.
Reporting to the Service Director and working closely with senior managers and operational leaders, you'll provide strategic and operational leadership alongside the ability to deliver transformation, embed change.
Using a coaching and motivational approach, you’ll ensure staff can provide flexible, efficient and high-quality services within a constantly changing environment. In a changing environment, you will be able to clearly articulate how a strength-based practice model translates with partners into improved outcomes for vulnerable adults in Buckinghamshire.
About you
- Significant leadership experience in Adult Social Care safeguarding / quality with clear impact on practice and outcomes.
- Deep knowledge of the Care Act, MCA/DoLS, and safeguarding statutory guidance, with confidence to lead complex risk management.
- Strong audit, governance, and improvement skills; ability to turn insights into coaching, standards and measurable change.
- Strong performance management skills, using data and insight to improve outcomes and service quality.
- Collaborative, values driven leadership able to inspire professional communities and build effective multi agency partnerships.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, able to build credibility across partners and communities.
- model our values: Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative and Trustworthy.
Other information
This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare:
- All unspent convictions and conditional cautions
- All spent convictions and adult cautions that are not protected (i.e. that are not filtered out) as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2020 and 2023).
For further information on filtering please refer to Nacro guidance and the guidance published by the Ministry of Justice (see, in particular, the section titled ‘Exceptions Order’).
We understand that candidates may use AI tools to assist with their applications. While we welcome innovation, we expect all submissions to reflect your own experience, skills, and achievements accurately. Please ensure your application is truthful and demonstrates your personal capabilities, as this will be assessed during the selection process.
Our values and culture
We have a set of values, which our employees have chosen, that represent what we are – Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative and Trustworthy.
By joining Buckinghamshire Council, you can expect:
- a fair and inclusive culture
- the chance to really make a difference to those around you
- health and well-being initiatives including an Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and mindfulness workshops
- a unified voice through our Employee Representative Group
- ongoing support, and the opportunity to develop and progress in your career with us
- opportunities to take part in fun activities such as fundraising and social events
At Buckinghamshire Council, we know that our biggest strength comes from the people that work for us, and that’s why we’re working hard to ensure we continue to be an accessible and inclusive organisation.
From dedicated staff networks overseen by our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group, to proudly standing as a Disability Confident employer, it’s important to us that all our colleagues feel engaged, listened to, and valued. Our offer of flexible working empowers a productive and happy workforce and allows employees to combine work with other responsibilities and commitments.
We believe our workforce should reflect the diverse communities we service in Buckinghamshire, and are looking for like-minded individuals to join us in promoting equality, fairness, and inclusion for everyone.
About the Business Unit
We recognise and reward you
Hard work and success deserves recognition. That’s why we pride ourselves on the benefits we give our people. We actively encourage a good work-life balance and promote flexible and agile working arrangements. We provide discounts on various Cafés, restaurants, shops and auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme. We also offer a salary sacrifice personal car lease scheme to those who are eligible and have passed their probation period. In addition to the opportunity to gain membership to Costco, we have discounted gym memberships, travel discounts with Arriva and much more.
https://jobs.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/working-buckinghamshire-council/
