Service Manager (Public Protection)

Job Summary

Interview Date: 28/09/2026

We may conduct our interviews in person or using Microsoft Teams for video calling. All you need is a device with a camera and access to the internet. We will provide guidance and instructions on how to use this method if your interview is being held virtually.

We are a disability confident leader and we support reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process - for more information click important-information-for-applicants (north-ayrshire.gov.uk)

North Ayrshire Health & Social Care Partnership Professional Standards is seeking an exceptional Social Work leader for a newly created Service Manager (Public Protection) role. This is a unique opportunity to strengthen public protection, safeguarding and professional assurance arrangements across children's and adult services during a period of significant national scrutiny, learning and improvement. Reporting directly to the Chief Social Work Officer, you will provide leadership and oversight across key assurance and protection functions, ensuring North Ayrshire continues to deliver effective, person-centred and rights-based safeguarding services. You will provide line management and professional leadership to Senior Officers within Children's and Adult Services and the Child Protection and Adult Protection Lead Officers. The role will strengthen professional governance, quality assurance and scrutiny arrangements, support learning from inspections, audits, reviews, significant case reviews and inquiries, and drive continuous improvement across Social Work services. Working closely with senior leaders, operational teams, partner agencies and national bodies, you will promote accountability, consistency and professional challenge while improving outcomes for vulnerable children, adults and families. We are looking for a qualified Social Work professional with a post-qualifying award in Child Protection or Mental Health Officer qualification. You will have substantial leadership experience within Social Work, safeguarding or public protection services, alongside extensive knowledge of child protection, adult support and protection, public protection and Social Work governance. You will collaborate effectively within complex multi-agency environments, demonstrate a strong track record of service improvement, and bring credibility, professional curiosity and the confidence to provide constructive challenge. Above all, you will be committed to protecting vulnerable people and achieving the highest standards of practice. This role represents a significant investment in safeguarding, professional standards and organisational learning, offering the opportunity to influence strategic developments, strengthen assurance systems and help shape the future of public protection services across North Ayrshire. In return, we offer a high-profile leadership role with strategic influence, a strong commitment to professional development, flexible and agile working arrangements, and the opportunity to make a lasting difference to our communities as part of a supportive and ambitious Social Work leadership community. For an informal discussion, please contact Scott Hunter, Chief Social Work Officer, at scotthunter@north-ayrshire.gov.uk. Join us in strengthening public protection and delivering better outcomes for the people of North Ayrshire. For more details see the attached Role Profile below.

Before you apply, find out a little bit about us and why we are a Great Place to Work.

Staff Values & Behaviours

North Ayrshire Council uses behavioural based approach throughout the recruitment process. Our staff values of Focus, Passion & Inspiration will be explored for this vacancy.

Further information on our Staff Values and how to complete behaviour based application form questions is available on the Staff values and behaviours (north-ayrshire.gov.uk).

Additional Information

References

For your information if this post requires references you will be notified of further details if you are successful in gaining an interview. Not providing relevant references when requested may delay the outcome of the interview process.

PVG (both)

This post is considered Regulated Work with Children and Protected Adults, under the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act, 2007. Therefore, it is an offence to apply if you are barred from working with children or protected adults

Preferred candidates will be required to join the PVG Scheme, or undergo a PVG Scheme Update check, prior to confirmation of employment being made by North Ayrshire Council. Please note, successful candidates will be expected to meet the cost of the relevant PVG check (£59 or £18), which will be deducted from your salary following commencement of employment. For further information on the PVG Scheme please visit https://www.mygov.scot/organisations/disclosure-scotland/. For further details on North Ayrshire Council’s policy please visit Pre-employment checks (north-ayrshire.gov.uk).

Please note if you are the successful candidate your name and email address will be entered into the Disclosure Scotland PVG system to generate your PVG form which will be issued to your email with an enclosed link to complete.

Our Workstyles

As an employer of choice, North Ayrshire Council has identified four different Workstyles. Each post in the council has been allocated one of these styles:

Agile – 100% of time spent working agile (flexibly) and interacting with others. Able to work at home, office or multiple locations. May be required to attend office on set days/rota basis as the role requires.

This post has been allocated the workstyle: Agile

More information on our workstyles can be found in our HR Guide - Workstyles (north-ayrshire.gov.uk). If you have any questions on the allocated Workstyle for this post, please ask at interview.

Use of AI in Applications

Applicants may use AI tools to assist with drafting or refining their application. However, AI should only be used to enhance an application and must not replace personal experience or be used to generate content wholly on the applicant’s behalf. Where it is identified that AI has been used to create an application in full or to falsify responses, this will be taken into account within the scoring, and your application may not be progressed.