Head of Service

Description

Head of Service - Safeguarding & Care Planning (Social Care)Temporary (26 Weeks) Inside IR35

Location: South East London

Working Pattern: Hybrid (minimum 2 days onsite)

Hours: 36 per week

Rate: GBP550-GBP600 per day (Umbrella / Ltd)

Start Date: ASAP

Ribble Recruitment is assisting a London local authority with the recruitment of an experienced Interim Head of Service - Safeguarding & Care Planning to provide senior leadership within Children's Services while permanent recruitment is underway.

This is a senior statutory leadership role and applications are invited only from experienced Heads of Service. Aspiring candidates will not be considered.

The RoleAs Interim Head of Service, you will be a key member of the Senior Management Team, providing strategic and operational leadership across the Safeguarding West service, including oversight of two Contact Centres as part of the authority's Front Door arrangements.

You will lead services that ensure timely, proportionate, and effective decision-making for children and families, working closely with multi-agency partners to deliver positive outcomes and support ongoing service transformation.

Key ResponsibilitiesProvide strategic and operational leadership across Safeguarding & Care Planning servicesLead and manage multiple teams, including oversight of Contact CentresEnsure strong Front Door decision-making and timely service deliveryDrive performance, quality assurance, and continuous improvementAct as a senior professional lead, embedding statutory responsibilities and best practiceWork collaboratively with partners across health, police, education, and voluntary sectorsSupport and contribute to the council's wider transformation and improvement agendaCandidate RequirementsTo be considered, you must have:

A Social Work qualificationCurrent Social Work England registrationSubstantial senior leadership experience at Head of Service level within Children's Social CareStrong knowledge of safeguarding, care planning, and statutory frameworksProven experience of leading complex services and multi-agency partnershipsEligibility to work in the UKWorking ArrangementsHybrid workingMinimum two days per week onsite, with one day aligned to the service's designated office dayRecruitment ProcessIn-person interviewInterview dates: late January 2026 (TBC)One-stage processHow to ApplyRibble Recruitment is supporting the hiring organisation by managing candidate sourcing, screening, and the initial stages of the recruitment process.

Lewis Ashcroft

Ad ID: 5417714141