Team Manager - Assessment Service

Ready to lead at the front door of children's services? We're looking for a confident, driven and inspiring Team Manager to lead one of our Assessment Teams-a critical service that sits at the front of Dudley Children's Services, making timely decisions that shape the journey of children and families from the outset. This is a fast-paced and influential leadership role where your decisions and oversight will directly impact how we safeguard children and support families at the earliest point of intervention. You will lead a team managing high levels of demand, ensuring assessments are robust, timely and focused on achieving the right outcomes. If you thrive in a dynamic environment, enjoy leading under pressure, and are passionate about high-quality practice-this could be the role for you. As Team Manager, you will:

• Lead and support a team of social workers delivering high-quality assessments
• Oversee timely decision-making at the front door, ensuring children receive the right response at the right time
• Provide clear direction on complex and high-risk cases, ensuring effective risk management
• Drive strong performance and quality of practice across a busy and demanding service
• Support your team to work effectively under pressure, maintaining high professional standards
• Ensure assessments are analytical, child-centred, and outcome-focused
• Work closely with partners to ensure a coordinated multi-agency response
• Collaborate with senior leaders to manage demand, improve services, and embed best practice, supporting young people with problems
• providing a chance to talk about any problems
• giving information, advice, practical help and support in your home
• helping people to share concerns about a child or adult's safety or welfare with the right people
• helping with information about local nurseries, childminders, playgroups, parent and toddler groups, and short breaks for children with special needs
In addition to supporting families we have a duty to protect children and young people who are at risk of neglect or abuse and support them if a court decides they can no longer remain with their own family. Jobs and careers We are incredibly proud of our council and the borough it serves; it's a unique and very special place. We know that if you come and join us you'll receive a warm welcome, work with some very loyal and committed colleagues and contribute positively to making life better for our residents, businesses and visitors.

You're someone who:
• Is a qualified, experienced social worker with a strong track record in children's services
• Has a sound understanding of front-line services, thresholds, and assessment processes
• Brings strong skills in risk assessment, decision-making, and service leadership
• Is confident leading in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment
• Can motivate, support and develop staff to achieve high standards
• Is organised, resilient and able to manage competing priorities effectively
• Is committed to delivering timely, high-quality interventions that improve outcomes for children
  
  At Dudley Children's Services, we are committed to innovation, improvement, and putting children first.
In this role, you'll have the opportunity to:
• Lead at a critical point in the child's journey, shaping outcomes from the start
• Develop your leadership in a challenging and rewarding front-line service
• Be part of a supportive and collaborative leadership team
• Play a key role in driving service improvements and managing demand effectively
• Benefit from hybrid working, with an expectation of 3 in-person office-based days per week
This is more than a management role This is your opportunity to lead at the front line of safeguarding, ensuring children and families receive the right help at the right time, and setting the standard for high-quality assessment practice across the service. If you're ready to lead with confidence, make critical decisions, and drive meaningful change-we'd love to hear from you.