Kinship Team Manager

We’re looking for an experienced, confident social work leader to manage and inspire a team working at the heart of statutory child protection — supporting children in need, on child protection plans, in care, and in kinship or special guardianship arrangements. This is a pivotal leadership role in a fast-paced, high-stakes environment where sound judgement, strong supervision, and decisive risk management make a real difference to children’s lives. You will shape practice, develop people, and lead a team that protects children and changes lives every day. Please refer to the Job Description attached for the full details of the role. This is a 3 year fixed-term contract For an informal discussion about the role please contact Kelly Goodwin - Service Manager kelly.goodwin@bexley.gov.uk

Location: Bexley Civic Offices

Candidate Profile

Essential requirements:

• A recognised social work qualification (DipSW, CQSW, or Degree in Social Work)
• Significant experience in statutory child protection services
• Strong leadership experience, including supervision and management of practitioners

For the full list of essential and desirable criteria for this role then please refer to the Person Specification within the Job Description attached. Please upload your personal statement under the Relevant Experience and Skills section and ensure this fully aligns to the role criteria. This should not be more than two sides of A4. Appointment to this post will be subject to the outcome of an Enhanced Disclosure obtained through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Interviews are scheduled to be held on 18th May 2026

Bexley is a vibrant and diverse outer London Borough nestled in the Thames Gateway between London and Kent which means it combines the perfect blend of city vibe and the tranquillity of Kent. It's got award-winning parks, open spaces, and heritage sites. The borough has excellent transport connections, including the Elizabeth Line and proximity to the M25. Bexley offers fantastic amenities such as libraries, leisure centres, and shopping areas. Our borough is also home to numerous primary and secondary schools, as well as further education institutions.

Our Offer to you

We will offer you in return a package that includes a competitive salary, coaching and mentoring programmes, an excellent pension scheme and generous annual leave plus bank holidays. For more information on the benefits package on offer please refer to the Candidate Information document attached.

Recruitment Information

As a disability confident employer Bexley welcomes applications from people with all disabilities, including hidden disabilities and mental health conditions. We will interview any disabled applicant who meets the minimum criteria. If you require reasonable adjustments to be made to any part of the recruitment process due to your disability, please contact us on recruitment@bexley.gov.uk

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This role may be available as a development opportunity through secondment for the Council’s existing employees. The Council’s Secondment Scheme can be found here. If this option is of interest, please contact the recruiting manager. We reserve the right to close adverts earlier than the closing date.