Service Manager - Multi Agency Child Protection

Job Introduction

Working for the Bradford Children and Families Trust offers the opportunity to work with some great people who are passionate about delivering change in a city whose culture offers as much diversity as it’s geography. You can make a real difference to families and children and be an active part in delivering the service Bradford families should receive.

We are fully committed to equal opportunities, and we welcome applications from all backgrounds.

About the Role

This is an exciting opportunity to lead the Multi-Agency Child Protection Team (MACPT), a specialist safeguarding service at the heart of Bradford's child protection arrangements. As Service Manager, you will provide both strategic and operational leadership, ensuring effective multi-agency responses where children are at risk of significant harm.

Working within the Safeguarding and Reviewing Unit, you will lead a high-performing multidisciplinary team, driving excellent child protection practice, strong partnership working, and continuous service improvement. You will work closely with Children's Social Care, Police, Health, Education, Probation and wider safeguarding partners to strengthen collaboration, information sharing and decision-making, ensuring children and families receive timely and effective support.

This role offers the opportunity to influence safeguarding practice across the Trust, champion restorative and relational approaches, and contribute to the strategic development of services that place children, young people and families at the centre of everything we do.

Our strategic vision and values are upheld across the Trust, fostering a supportive and collaborative environment for staff and the children in our care. Our approach is rooted in restorative and relational practice, promoting trust, respect and meaningful relationships.

Our strategic vision and values are upheld across the Trust, fostering a reliable and supportive environment for both staff and the children in our care.

Our approach is rooted in restorative and relational practice, fostering trust, mutual respect, and meaningful relationships with children, families, and professionals.

You’ll also:

• Lead the strategic development and continuous improvement of the Multi-Agency Child Protection Team.
• Provide professional leadership and oversight of child protection activity, ensuring statutory responsibilities are met.
• Strengthen partnership working and influence safeguarding practice across agencies.
• Lead service planning, transformation programmes and implementation of strategic priorities.
• Monitor service performance, demand and resource utilisation to ensure effective service delivery.
• Lead audits, practice reviews and learning activities, embedding learning into service improvement.
• Oversee quality assurance arrangements and promote evidence-informed decision-making.
• Lead, motivate and develop staff through effective supervision, coaching and mentoring.
• Manage delegated budgets and resources, ensuring value for money and compliance with financial procedures.
• Oversee the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) function and support its continued development and effectiveness.
• Represent the Trust at partnership boards, regional networks, inspections and external reviews.

To be successful in this role you will need:

• A recognised Social Work qualification and current registration with Social Work England.
• Significant post-qualifying experience within statutory children's safeguarding services.
• Substantial leadership and management experience at Team Manager level or above.
• Experience of leading and developing professional teams within complex safeguarding environments.
• Experience of leading service improvement, organisational change and performance management.
• Experience of managing budgets, resources and workforce planning.
• Strong knowledge of child protection legislation, statutory guidance and safeguarding frameworks.
• Excellent decision-making, analytical and risk management skills.
• Strong communication, negotiation and influencing skills, with the ability to build effective partnerships.
• A commitment to restorative, relational, strengths-based and inclusive practice.
• The ability to inspire, motivate and support staff while maintaining accountability for quality and performance outcomes.
• A full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle for business use

You’ll also be joining an organisation that truly values its people, offering a range of benefits designed to support your wellbeing, growth, and work-life balance, including:

• Retention Payment: You will be eligible for our annual retention payment, paid in 12 monthly instalments. This is non contractual (reviewed annually)
• Generous annual leave - 31 days rising to 34 with service, plus bank holidays
• Excellent Local Government pension
• Family-friendly policies and enhanced parental leave
• Health & wellbeing support, including Occupational Health and counselling
• Professional development and career progression opportunities
• we are a National Living Wage employer

For full details of our benefits, please see the attached ‘Our Benefits’ brochure.

Bradford Children and Families Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all employees to share this commitment.

If shortlisted, you will be required to disclose relevant information regarding criminal history prior to interview.

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check including a check against the Children’s barred list, will be carried out on preferred candidates.

To arrange an informal discussion, please contact Amandip Johal, email Amandip.Johal@bradfordcft.org.uk

Closing Date: 18th October

Interviews: 22nd October

Internal candidates: If you wish to for this secondment, you must obtain explicit consent from your line manager. A secondment does not affect your permanent role, and you will retain your permanent employee status throughout.