Project Co-Ordinator – Recruitment (Fostering)

About the job

Key information

• We offer great learning and development opportunities, along with a very supportive leadership team
• Permanent role
• 30 days annual leave

What will I be doing?

We’re looking for a dynamic and motivated individual to lead and support our team of Senior Social Work Assistants in managing and progressing fostering enquiries across Somerset. The key purpose of this role is to ensure that every customer receives an outstanding experience throughout their journey—ultimately helping to improve outcomes for some of our most vulnerable children, young people, and families.

What You’ll Be Doing
As the central point of contact for fostering enquiries, you’ll play a pivotal role in coordinating relationships with prospective foster carers, families, internal teams, and external partners. You’ll lead by example, championing excellent customer service and ensuring that all enquiries are handled efficiently and compassionately.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Leading and supporting the team to manage incoming enquiries and initial contacts.
• Overseeing the tracking and progression of enquiries, including initial home visits.
• Managing and analysing customer data to inform service planning and performance.
• Contributing to resource planning, service delivery, and continuous improvement.

This is an exciting opportunity to make a real difference by shaping the first impressions of our fostering service and supporting the journey of future foster carers from the very beginning.

What kind of experience or qualifications do I need?

Ideally, you’ll bring experience from a supervisory or management role in recruitment, or from a children’s services setting. A solid understanding of fostering and fostering regulations is highly desirable, as is knowledge of social work practices and working with children and young people.

You’ll be passionate about leading a team that’s committed to delivering the highest standard of service to every customer. With a proven track record in scoping and managing projects, you’ll be confident in interpreting analytical data, producing reports, and presenting key insights to senior managers and stakeholders.

This role requires travel across Somerset, so flexibility and the ability to work across different locations is essential.

What is in it for me?

We are proud to offer an environment that is supportive and rewarding, working as part of a team who are passionate about the work they do to improve the lives of people in Somerset.

We offer great training and development opportunities, with supportive management. As well as this, we have some fantastic employee benefits available:

• We promote a healthy work-life balance and offer flexible working arrangements wherever possible, including working from home.
• Generous annual leave allowance, with the opportunity to purchase additional leave
• Staff discounts in gyms.
• Employee Assistance for the times you may need some support and a variety of employee wellbeing services.
• Auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme and optional pension enhancement through our Additional Voluntary Contribution scheme.
• A Flexible Benefits Scheme via salary sacrifice to obtain a cycle for work and health screenings.
• My Staff Shop offering discounts in shops, online shopping, restaurants, cinema tickets, insurance benefits and more

DBS check

This post requires a criminal background check via the Disclosure procedure.

Supporting documents and information

We have two main bases in Bridgwater and Taunton and as well as offering flexible working you can chose either as your main base.

We would love to hear from you if you think this pivotal new role is of interest to you so for an informal chat please contact Elaine O’Dwyer-Gill via email elaine.odwyergill@somerset.gov.uk

Due to the importance of the role we recommend applying as soon as possible. Depending on the level of response, we anticipate conducting interviews ahead of the closing date.

Salary £32,597 to £36,363 per annum.

Apply on the Somerset Council website

Apply now