Lead Operational Manager - Barnsley Council : Job Details

Barnsley Council have a rare opportunity for a Lead Operational Manager Vulnerable Adolescent Service (BSAFE) to join the team based in Barnsley. You will join us on a full time, permanent basis and in return, you will receive a competitive salary of £54,211- £58,049 per annum.

About the role:

• The BSAFE service is positioned in the Youth Justice and Vulnerable Adolescent Service portfolio, alongside Youth Justice, Harmful Sexual Behaviour (HSB) and Family Group Conferencing (FGC) teams.  However, the team works closely with children’s social care and there is an operational need for ongoing alignment with each social care team
• You will be operational lead for a small team, working alongside a Police sergeant, and you will have responsibility for ensuring the effective planning and oversight of children subject to a variety of plans, supporting your team to work innovatively individually and with partners
• Supporting a team who are working with a reduced caseload of young people, enabling intensive and highly flexible evidence-based practice to support the needs of the children and their families. You will advocate the ethos of the work we do, occupying multi-agency spaces and ensuring children are recognised as victims, advocated for and that plans around them include responding to risks in and outside of their homes
• You will provide supervisory support and oversight of other staff, giving you much needed experience should you seek longer-term aspirations to move into leadership positions
• You will Lead the team with confidence and act as deputy for the Strategy and Service manager across Youth Justice and Vulnerable Adolescent (BSAFE) Services, driving the development and delivery of services and strategies which safeguard children, young people and families, protect the public and promote confidence in the Criminal Justice and Contextual safeguarding responses
• This is a full-time role, that will require flexible working patterns, potentially including outside of core hours and will demand you to be willing to adapt your approach to the needs of children and families

What we will need from you:

• To work with the leadership team to develop and drive continuous professional development across the team and within wider children’s services being supported and supportive to the networks around children
• Take a lead in the operational oversight and delivery of key processes to manage this cohort, including delivery of case consultation; training and skills development for the partnership; group case supervision and quality assurance; co-ordinating mapping and sharing intelligence with police partners
• Play a key role in workforce development and development of the BSAFE offer, ensuring, under your leadership that staff are supported and encouraged to offer good and outstanding services, that meet children in their contexts and proactively safeguards and supports them

Required for the role:

• A highly dynamic approach and the ability to thrive when working in a challenging and unpredictable environment
• Strong management experience with a defined track record of developing and delivering robust management oversight to teams, who support children and families impacted by risk outside of the home. The ability to operate effectively with managers and leaders across partnerships and represent the team and local authority to protect it’s reputation
• A recognised social work qualification and registration with Social Work England
• Experience of working in or alongside multi-agency partners and the Youth Justice service is preferred but not essential
• Significant post qualification experience, within frontline social work settings, that enables you to offer coherent input into management decisions
• Experience of supporting and providing supervisory oversight to staff and commitment to supporting the learning and development of others. In addition, the skill and relevant experience to provide case consultation to internal and partnership workers on how to manage and reduce contextual risk
• Knowledge and understanding of key legislation, policy and best practice in working with vulnerable adolescent children with experience and significant knowledge of ‘what works’ in relation to single agency and partnership interventions and activity to reduce contextual safeguarding risks

How we will support you:

• You will receive regular supervision, appraisal, training and development opportunities, all aimed at promoting positive outcomes for children and supporting your career development and progression, being part of shaping the future of the service and continuing to ensure we work as dynamically and creatively as needed, with this cohort of children, elevating us as a beacon of excellence in contextual safeguarding practices. 
• We are making long-term investment in our staff to be the future of our service, so we are seeking aspiring leaders and managers who will be a key part of our journey moving forward.  If this is you, we will ensure you receive opportunity for ongoing career development in recognition of the value you add to the service in this highly demanding role!

Here at Barnsley, we live and work by four important values: honesty, teamwork, excellent service, and taking pride in what we do.

Closing date for applications: 30th May 2025

If you think this role is for you, then we would very much welcome your application. Click "apply" to submit your application.