2 - 3 Month Contract With A Local Authority

As a SHiFT Team Manager, you will be an expert practitioner committed to radically improving outcomes for children and young people. You will lead, manage, and support social work staff to deliver consistently excellent practice within complex systems. You will ensure statutory responsibilities are met, provide high-quality supervision and case direction, and contribute to service development, quality assurance, and performance management.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic leadership and operational management for the SHiFT team, ensuring delivery of high-quality social care services.
  

• Lead by example as an expert practitioner, demonstrating best practice in all aspects of social work with children and young people.
  

• Act as a ‘critical friend’ to staff, providing support, guidance, and constructive challenge.
  

• Ensure fidelity to SHiFT core commitments and concepts across all team activity.
  

• Collaborate with Senior Guide, Head of Service, and Adolescent Safeguarding Manager to drive continuous improvement.
  

• Oversee all children in the SHiFT practice, ensuring statutory responsibilities are met.
  

• Chair strategy meetings and manage complex cases, providing professional supervision and direction.
  

• Work closely with Adolescent Safeguarding Manager to ensure timely and effective responses to contacts into the service.
  

• Ensure duty coverage is planned, coordinated, and maintained across the team, including during absences.
  

• Lead initiatives in recruitment, training, and professional development for the SHiFT team.
  

• Promote and embed best practice, including trauma-informed and strengths-based approaches.
  

• Monitor, evaluate, and report on performance metrics to maintain and improve service quality.
  

• Share learning and innovative practices across both AfC Kingston and Richmond, and with SHiFT nationally.
  

• Act as a conduit between the local SHiFT team and national SHiFT network.
  

• Build strong partnerships across social care, youth justice, education, and community services to improve outcomes for children and young people.
  

• Provide expert guidance to colleagues, partner agencies, and senior leadership.
  

Requirements

• Social Work qualification and registration with [relevant body, e.g., HCPC].
  

• Extensive experience in social work practice with children and young people.
  

• Proven leadership and management experience in a complex social care environment.
  

• Knowledge of safeguarding, child protection, and youth justice processes.
  

• Expert practitioner with a passion for practice and improving outcomes.
  

• Ability to influence, challenge, and inspire others.
  

• Strong communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.
  

• Experience in service development, quality assurance, and performance management.
  

• Capacity to work strategically and operationally within complex systems.
  

• Experience of SHiFT or similar innovative practice models.
  

• Familiarity with national SHiFT initiatives and best practice networks.