Senior Manager and Professional Lead Operations (Children’s Social Work )

Service: Health and Social Care Partnership

Closing Date:  Tuesday 16 June 2026

 

 

 

Are you a dynamic, experienced social work leader committed to improving outcomes for children, young people and families? Argyll and Bute HSCP is seeking a highly skilled Senior Manager and Professional Lead – Operations (Children’s Social Work) to provide strategic and operational leadership across community children’s social work services.

This is a pivotal role with responsibility for shaping, developing and delivering high‑quality services that reflect the needs of our communities, align with national policy, and uphold professional social work standards.

Argyll and Bute is one of Scotland’s most stunning areas. As its award-winning council, we play a vital part in the day-to-day life and long-term future of our beautiful and diverse communities. Our unwavering purpose is to make Argyll and Bute the place to be, the place where people want to live, to work and do business. And we are committed to making the council the place to have a great career, by providing excellent benefits and a friendly, dynamic working culture so that each of our 5000 colleagues can deliver services that help our corner of Scotland thrive. Join us to make a difference.

As Senior Manager and Professional Lead, you will:

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for community children’s social work and social care services across Argyll and Bute.
• Hold professional leadership accountability for the quality, safety and standards of social work practice.
• Lead key service areas including Child Protection, Looked After Children, Children in Need, Disability Services, Kinship Care, Youth Justice, and Alternatives to Care.
• Drive service improvement, redesign and innovation, ensuring alignment with GIRFEC, The Promise, and national priorities.
• Lead, motivate and support a diverse workforce across six area social work teams and associated staff.
• Oversee service governance, quality assurance, performance frameworks, and continuous improvement activity.
• Manage delegated budgets, ensuring efficient, effective and value‑for‑money service delivery.

• Represent the HSCP at local, regional and national levels, contributing to multi‑agency strategic partnerships and national developments.
• Deputise for the Chief Social Work Officer as required.

This role requires a visionary leader who can work collaboratively across agencies, inspire teams, and confidently navigate complexity in a challenging rural and dispersed context.

What We’re Looking For

Essential:

• Degree‑level professional social work qualification recognised by the SSSC, with current SSSC registration.
• Extensive experience in senior operational management within children’s social work services.
• Proven ability to lead change, improve practice, and deliver high‑quality, safe and effective services.
• In‑depth knowledge of statutory and regulatory frameworks, including child protection, The Promise, and GIRFEC.
• Strong interpersonal, communication and partnership‑working skills, with the ability to influence at senior levels.
• A commitment to professional standards, staff development, quality assurance and evidence‑based practice.
• Ability to drive and travel effectively across Argyll and Bute and beyond.
• Member of the PVG scheme

Desirable:

• Post‑qualifying learning equivalent to Master’s level in relevant children’s services.
• Leadership/management qualifications at postgraduate level.
• Experience contributing to or shaping national strategy or policy.

Our employees make good things happen in the day-to-day life and for the longer term future of Argyll and Bute. We want you to feel valued working for us. We offer various benefits to support you, such as a competitive salary, pension scheme, generous leave entitlement, cycle to work scheme, discounts on gym memberships and leisure centres, wellbeing initiatives, and opportunities for learning and career growth. We also embrace a modern approach to work, offering a flexible first approach where possible to requests from our employees to how they work.

We care about our people and the world around us and always aim to do the right thing. From employee recognition schemes to environmental policies we have many initiatives in place to help us look after the things we all care about.

Learn more here Argyll and Bute Employee Recognition Programme, Disability Confident, Armed Forces, Fair Work First Statement, Equality and Fairness, Climate Change, Hybrid and Flexible Working Policy

Argyll and Bute Council recognises the numerous benefits of a positive work-life balance to the wellbeing and productivity of our employees. We will take a flexible first approach to requests from our employees to change the way that they work. While we must balance such requests with the need to ensure the quality of the important services we deliver is not compromised, we will ensure that each request is given careful consideration with a view to achieving a positive outcome wherever possible.

Please note that this post is temporary, subject to business needs and funding for 12 months or until the requirement for the post ceases, whichever date is earlier.

Applicants should note that:-

• Happy to talk about flexible working arrangements.
• This post is not suitable for job share.
• The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exclusions and Exceptions) (Scotland) Order 2013, as amended, applies to this post.
• This post requires Protection of Vulnerable Group (PVG) Membership in relation to working with both children and adults.
• This is a temporary post which may be filled on a secondment basis by an employee wishing to gain experience/career development and will be at the discretion of the employee’s Third Tier Manager. If you wish to apply for this post as a secondment, please refer to the secondment guidance.
• You will be required to participate in standby or other out of hour's service arrangements, as appropriate.
• This post requires registration with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC).

 

To apply for this vacancy, please click on the Apply Now button at the top of this page.

If you would like clarification on any information contained within the vacancy advert and/or the job description please contact the recruiting manager, who is:

Shona Williams, Acting CSWO

Contact Telephone Number: 01631 569162

Email: shona.williams@argyll-bute.gov.uk

Please note that you cannot apply for this vacancy by contacting the recruiting manager, applications must be made by clicking on the Apply Now button at the top of this page.

Please also note that we do not accept CVs, only applications completed and submitted via the Apply Now button on this page.

We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about our commitment to this please visit Equality & Diversity Policy