Operations Manager – Children’s Services – Mendip

About the job

Key information

• Salary: Grade 6- £65,090
• 33 days’ annual leave, plus bank holidays
• 2-year fixed term contracts – 37 hours per week
• A generous benefits package that supports your wellbeing, work-life balance and ongoing development
• Based in the Mendip area

At Somerset Council, we are proud to be on an ambitious journey to transform how we support children and families across the county. As part of our Families First Partnership programme, we are reshaping services to ensure families receive the right help, at the right time, in the right way—working together with partners across social care, education, Police, health, and communities.

This is a significant and exciting period of change. We are developing a more connected, relationship-based system that puts children, young people and families at the centre—strengthening early help, enhancing multi-agency working, and supporting more children to grow up safely within their families and communities.

To help us deliver this transformation, we are recruiting to several roles across Children’s Services, offering a unique opportunity to contribute to meaningful, long-term change and be part of a workforce committed to improving outcomes for Somerset’s children and families.

This role is offered on a fixed-term basis for two years, aligned to the delivery of our transformation programme. During this time, you will play a key part in shaping new ways of working, embedding innovation, and helping us build a sustainable system that makes a lasting difference.

If you are motivated by improving outcomes, thrive in a collaborative environment, and want to be part of a service that is evolving and forward-thinking, we would love to hear from you.

Role Summary

The Operations Manager plays a critical senior leadership role in delivering high-quality children’s social care services across Somerset. The role exists to translate strategic priorities into effective front-line practice, ensuring that children, young people and families receive timely, proportionate and impactful support that safeguards wellbeing and improves outcomes.

By providing operational oversight of assessment, safeguarding and care planning services, you will drive performance, ensures statutory compliance, and embeds consistent, relationship-based practice across teams. The role is pivotal in shaping service delivery, leading workforce development, and influencing continuous improvement and transformation activity.

Working collaboratively with senior leaders, elected Members and partner agencies, this role contributes directly to the Council’s ambition to build a sustainable, high-performing system that meets current and future needs, ensuring that services are effective, efficient and centred on the needs of children and families.

What will I be doing?

• Create, agree and deliver service plans and prioritise activities and projects.
• Identify and deliver opportunities for service change and improvement and scope, plan and manage change in corporate and professional activities.
• Review performance outcomes and customer feedback to meet customer requirements and to increase operational efficiency and effectiveness.
• Develop and maintain effective customer relations and feedback channels and work to improve levels of customer service and satisfaction.
• Resolve complex operational and service-based problems and conflicts raised through the service escalation process and ensure positive outcomes.
• Optimise the use of financial and other resources to commission and deliver services on time, to budget and to required quality standards.
• Lead and manage staff including recruitment, development, supervision and performance management.
• Promote a relationship-based, learning culture and drive continuous improvement through quality assurance.
• Lead the delivery of safeguarding, assessment and care planning services within a designated area.
• Use performance data to drive improvement and ensure alignment with strategic plans.
• Ensure statutory responsibilities are met, including care planning, permanence and transitions to adulthood.
• Work collaboratively with partners to improve outcomes and strengthen service delivery.
• Manage budgets and ensure effective use of resources.
• Lead transformation and embed new ways of working across Children’s Services.

What kind of experience or qualifications do I need?

• Performance and statutory knowledge: Good understanding and ability to develop and implement effective performance management and quality assurance frameworks; Demonstrable knowledge of the statutory and policy framework within the service.
• Strategic leadership and influence: Working successfully with Members/Directors on complex issues and developing strategic direction; Leadership and proven ability to lead improvement in services.
• Project delivery and commissioning: Track record of working and delivering on projects giving clear advice on options and policy developments; Proven ability in delivering and commissioning complex services to a high-quality standard.
• Professional standards and qualifications: Social Work or equivalent Professional Qualification and registration with appropriate professional and regulatory body; Evidence of continuing professional development in their specialist field; Commitment to the HCPC Standards and promoting and developing these standards in others.
• Change and improvement: Promotes the need for positive change and acts as a role model for change; Innovative and creative approach to service improvement, quality and value.
• Leadership behaviours and approach: Ability to demonstrate personal achievements against each of the 9 SC Management behaviours and Competences; Positive, committed, adaptable, thorough and confident approach; Drive and self-motivation and ability to motivate others to achieve excellence.
• Performance and delivery: Ability to work to deadlines in delivering a high-quality service and to motivate others to work effectively and demonstrate a duty of care; Sound Analysis and decision making in dealing with complex service delivery and/or policy development matters.
• Values and ethics: Committed to diversity in service delivery and employment; Focussed on customers and communities; Personal integrity.
• You will need to be Social Work Qualified and registered with Social Work England.

Supporting documents and information

Interview will take place on Monday 6 July

Regretfully, we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role.

For an informal chat about the role, you can contact Kelly Brewer, Head of Service Help & Protect at kelly.brewer@somerset.gov.uk

Job pack

PDF,

Apply on the Somerset Council website