Job description

2-3 months contract with a Local Authority

Job Summary:

• The SHiFT Team Manager will provide expert social work leadership to adolescents at risk of contextual harm across Kingston and Richmond.

• Responsible for overseeing statutory social work practice, including Child in Need, Child Protection and court-related work within the Specialist Adolescent Service.

• Works collaboratively with the Senior Guide, Head of Service and Adolescent Safeguarding Manager to ensure excellent, consistent and innovative practice.

• Leads on service development, performance management, quality assurance, recruitment, learning and reflective supervision.

• Acts as a “critical friend”, providing constructive challenge, maintaining fidelity to the SHiFT model and supporting continuous improvement in practice.

• Ensures high-quality multi-agency working, risk management and safeguarding for vulnerable adolescents and their families.

Key Duties/Accountabilities (Sample):

• Provide frontline management oversight for all SHiFT adolescent social work practice.

• Chair strategy meetings, manage contacts into the service and provide case direction and supervision to practitioners.

• Work closely with the Adolescent Safeguarding Manager to ensure risk is managed effectively and duty cover is in place.

• Lead recruitment, induction, training, development and performance management of team members.

• Ensure robust quality assurance, evaluation, and reflective learning across the service.

• Maintain the integrity and fidelity of the SHiFT model, ensuring best practice is embedded across AfC and nationally.

• Support innovation, systems-thinking and solution-focused interventions for young people affected by contextual safeguarding concerns.

• Use data, intelligence and evidence to drive decision-making and improve service delivery.

• Ensure compliance with safeguarding legislation, statutory duties and organisational policy.

• Build strong, effective partnerships with multi-agency stakeholders including police, youth justice, health, education and voluntary sector services.

• Promote collaborative working, resource-sharing and a strengths-based approach across the directorate.

Skills/Experience:

• Significant experience in statutory social work with vulnerable adolescents.

• Proven ability to manage high levels of risk, including contextual safeguarding, exploitation and public protection.

• Experience managing and supervising social workers, caseworkers or practitioners delivering adolescent-focused interventions.

• Strong background in performance management, staff development and quality assurance.

• Excellent knowledge of safeguarding legislation, Children Act duties and policy relevant to adolescent services.

• Experience of delivering outcomes within integrated, multi-agency environments.

• Ability to analyse complex information, use data and apply evidence-based practice in decision-making.

• Skilled in relationship-building, influencing, de-escalation and multi-agency negotiation.

• Experience handling equality, diversity and inclusion issues in practice and addressing them proactively.

• Competent with digital systems, management information tools and professional recording.

• Excellent communication, problem-solving, organisation and leadership abilities.

• Able to work independently, with initiative, flexibility and limited oversight.

• High levels of resilience, determination and professional curiosity.

Additional Information:

• The closing date: 01/12/2025 @17:00.

• Location: Kingston and Richmond (Achieving for Children).

• Contract: Agency, full-time (36 hours).

• Requirement: Social Work England registration and Social Work qualification.

SHiFT Team Manager

Job description

Karina Nazarenko