Summary: The Service Manager for Adult Social Care is responsible for overseeing staff, budgets, and operations within the social care sector in Gateshead. The role requires a qualified social worker with management experience and a strong understanding of adult social care legislation and safeguarding. The ideal candidate will lead teams, manage budgets, and drive service improvements while collaborating with multi-agency partners. This position demands strategic thinking, excellent communication skills, and a commitment to achieving positive outcomes for adults in need of care and support.

Key Responsibilities:

• Act as the budget holder for designated assessment services, ensuring efficient and effective financial management.
• Implement legislative, statutory, and regulatory requirements while managing the quality assurance framework to maintain a safe and effective service.
• Lead preparation for peer challenges and other relevant inspection regimes within the assessment service.
• Develop annual service and improvement plans focused on achieving outcomes for adults, aligned with performance indicators.
• Contribute to strategic planning as a senior member of the Adults’ management team, shaping policies and initiatives for improved user and carer outcomes.
• Foster strong collaborative working practices across the workforce and multi-agency partners.
• Champion the Council’s commitment to service users and carers by ensuring responsive and effective service planning and delivery.
• Conduct capability and disciplinary investigations where required and handle service user complaints, acting as an adjudicating officer when necessary to drive continuous improvement.
• Participate in the out-of-hours senior management rota, providing oversight, advice, and making immediate safeguarding decisions when necessary.

Key Skills:

• Social Work qualification or equivalent (e.g., MA/BA in Social Work, DipSW, CQSW, CSS).
• Management qualification and/or significant management experience.
• Current registration with Social Work England.
• Leadership within complex organisational environments.
• Health and social care systems knowledge.
• Adults’ legislation, practice, and procedures knowledge.
• Safeguarding and regulatory frameworks knowledge.
• Significant experience as a Team Manager or equivalent within the relevant assessment function.
• Managing, motivating, and leading frontline managers and teams in a complex setting.
• Meeting deadlines and achieving performance targets.
• Change and performance management experience.
• Budget management and financial competence.
• Partnership working with statutory and voluntary agencies.
• Performance review and strategic planning experience.

Salary (Rate): £27.37

City: Gateshead

Country: United Kingdom

Working Arrangements: undetermined

IR35 Status: undetermined

Seniority Level: undetermined

Industry: Other