• An exciting opportunity has arisen for a motivated and creative Children's Workforce Academy Lead (Children’s Principal Practice Lead) to support the ongoing development and delivery of workforce improvement within Children's Services.

• This role is ideal for individuals with strong experience in youth justice, family help, contextual safeguarding, or youth services, who are passionate about professional development and delivering better outcomes for children and families.

• Provide operational leadership and professional guidance to the alternatively qualified workforce (e.g. youth justice, family help practitioners).

• Champion high standards of practice and workforce development at both a regional and national level.

• Support the implementation of the Families First Programme, ensuring consistency and quality across service areas.

• Lead the planning, delivery, and evaluation of training and development programmes for children’s services practitioners.

• Conduct audits and quality assurance activity to assess effectiveness, identify areas for improvement, and raise practice standards.

• Promote a positive, supportive, and high-performing working culture that enables best practice to thrive.

• Substantial experience in children’s services, ideally within youth justice, contextual safeguarding, family help, or youth support.

• Proven ability to lead and support multidisciplinary teams or workforce development initiatives.

• Knowledge of professional development, training design, and delivery within a children’s services context.

• Confident in championing high standards of practice and applying quality assurance frameworks.

• Excellent communication and leadership skills, with the ability to inspire and motivate others.

• Experience of partnership working across services and stakeholders.

• This is a full-time post (35 hours per week), Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm.

• Initial 3-month contract, with potential extension to 6 months depending on permanent recruitment outcomes.

• The role is based on-site a minimum of 3 days per week, so candidates must be within commuting distance.