Social Work Workforce Development Manager

Job Title: Social Work Workforce Development Manager
Starting Salary: £52,138 progressing to £57,652 per annum pay award pending
Hours: 37 hours per week
Base Location: Farnham House or Apsley with countywide travel required
Contract Type: Fixed Term End Date/secondment for 12 months
Directorate: Childrens Services

About the team

We are looking for an experienced, social work qualified and registered, Workforce Development Manager to serve our Children’s Services as a champion to lead, co-ordinate and deliver the social work element of a social worker retention programme.

About the role

Being a passionate brand ambassador for our services advocating why it’s great to work for Hertfordshire externally, and become a single point of contact (SPOC) within the service for all Hertfordshire CS Social Worker vacancies, opportunities, strategies & data, communicating outputs to key stakeholders in our Social Work Recruitment & Retention Group to inform the strategic direction of the Group as well as align with the objectives of the wider CS priorities (‘To have a skilled and flexible workforce who are proud to work for Hertfordshire’ and ‘Excellent Council services for all: investing in our staff’).

Key aspects of the role are:

• To lead the operationalisation of the Retention Strategy and provision of expert QSW advice, support, and mentoring to QSWs and managers.
• To work closely with and support the Recruitment Team’s strategy to fill vacancies with experienced qualified permanent Social Workers.
• Guide & Support Successful Candidates (in tandem with CS Learning & Development)
• To offer expert by experience guidance to HR and managers regarding retention and recruitment priorities from a Social Work perspective.
• Working collaboratively with HR & Recruitment to drive & lead the “Social Work Recruitment & Retention Group” agenda, meetings, discussions & activities
• Link and work in collaboration with the Diversity & Inclusion team to strengthen the ongoing work to ensure that all applications & interview panels conducted are inclusive, representative, fair & unbiased.

Reporting directly to a Head of service, with no case holding or line management responsibility.

About you

Essential:

• Qualified and Social Work England Registered.
• Significant experience in frontline social work as a Senior Practitioner level or above.
• Existing network of SW relationships.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Knowledge of legislation, guidance, policy, and procedures.
• Experience of analysing data in order to produce and present recommendations in the form of reports.
• Strong understanding of the pressures and challenges faced by Childrens Social Workers.
• Proven track record of developing and implementing plans and strategies across teams and services.
• Experience of using HR policies to support social workers’ performance and retention.
• Experience in mentoring and supporting social workers through critical career episodes.
• Experience of leading collaborative work across services and functions to deliver projects and change, influencing and facilitating engagement from services and key stakeholders to deliver measurable outcomes against strategies and plans.
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft IT package.
• Full UK Driving Licence and regular Access to a vehicle.

We welcome applications from candidates who currently reside in the UK with established proof of right to work documentation. We are not able to offer sponsorship at this time for this role.

This job role is within the Health and Social Care Services, level HSC13 job profile. Please locate this via: Job profiles - Health and social care

To hear more about this opportunity please contact Sarah Baker (sarah.baker@hertfordshire.gov.uk) for an informal discussion about the role.

Interview Date: week commencing 7th July (face to face at Farnham House, Stevenage)

Benefits of working for us

How to apply

As part of your application, please upload your most recent CV. Ensure your CV is up to date with your employment history (including any employment gaps), and including any training/qualifications. We encourage you to include examples of where you have demonstrated the requirements/criteria in the advert / job profile to allow the panel to fully recognise your skills and abilities. You will have the opportunity to include a short covering paragraph within your application to give us a little more information about your skills, knowledge, and experiences.

Secondment
This position is open to secondments. If you work for HCC or any other Local Authority and would like to be considered as a Secondment contract, please ensure you complete the Secondment Form as part of your application. If you do not, your application will be considered as a Fixed Term Contract only.

Additional information

Disability Confident
We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and guarantee an interview to anyone disclosing a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.

Safeguarding
This role has been identified as requiring a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check.

Driving required
You’ll need to have the ability to drive and/or travel around Hertfordshire, either using your own mode of transport or a company car to travel to other locations.

English Fluency
The ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post (for those whose language is a signed language the provision of a sign language interpreter who speaks English to the necessary standard of fluency will be required). Further information about the legal requirement can be found here.