Director of Children and Young People’s Futures

Job description

Job description

Permanent

Full Time 37 hours per week

Salary: £164,904 per annum

Location: County Hall, Devon

Do it for Devon. Do it for every child's future.

At Devon County Council, our vision is to build a positive future for Devon where everyone thrives. For children and young people, that means creating the conditions for every child to have a safe, happy, healthy and fulfilled childhood, with access to the right support, at the right time, in the right place.

We are seeking an exceptional senior leader to join our Executive Leadership Team as Director of Children and Young People's Futures and statutory Director of Children's Services. This is one of the most significant leadership roles in the council, with responsibility for shaping, leading and improving services for children, young people and families across Devon.

This is a role with real purpose, scale and complexity. You will lead Devon's Children's Services improvement journey, strengthen partnership working across the wider system, and ensure that children and young people are at the heart of strategic decision-making across the council.

What you'll be doing

As our statutory Director of Children's Services, you will provide strategic leadership for the council's children's services functions and ensure that our statutory duties for safeguarding, education, SEND, social care and support for children, young people and families are delivered effectively.

You will lead the council's improvement journey, with a clear focus on achieving consistently good outcomes for children and families. This will include strengthening practice, improving quality and consistency across services, supporting inspection readiness, and embedding a culture of learning, accountability and continuous improvement.

You will also lead Devon's response to major national reforms, including the Family First Partnership Programme and wider children's social care reform. You will provide strategic leadership for SEND and Alternative Provision transformation, working with partners across education, health and care to improve inclusion, sufficiency, outcomes and financial sustainability.

Partnership will be central to your success. You will work closely with schools, health partners, police, district councils, the voluntary and community sector, elected Members and national bodies to deliver better outcomes for children, young people and families. You will be expected to build strong, trusted relationships and provide confident professional advice at the highest level.

As Devon continues to respond to wider public service reform, including Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), you will help ensure that the needs, voices and outcomes of children and young people remain central to future service design and delivery. Through the implementation of LGR, you will provide strong leadership to maintain statutory responsibilities, drive service transformation and secure improved outcomes for children, young people and families across the county.

What we're looking for

We are looking for a highly experienced senior leader with a strong track record in children's services, education, social care or a closely related field. You will bring the professional credibility, strategic judgement and resilience required to operate at the most senior level in a large, complex public sector organisation.

You will understand the statutory responsibilities of a Director of Children's Services and will have experience of leading improvement, transformation and partnership working across complex systems. You will be confident working with elected Members, regulators, partners and senior stakeholders, and able to translate complexity into clear direction, decisive action and measurable improvement.

You will be values-led, inclusive and collaborative, with a strong commitment to safeguarding, equality, diversity and the voice of children, young people and families. You will lead with integrity, openness and pace, creating a culture where people are supported, challenged and able to do their best work.

Why Devon?

Devon is a county of extraordinary places, strong communities and real ambition. It is also a county facing significant challenges, including rurality, inequality, demand pressures, workforce challenges and the need to improve outcomes for children and young people.

This role offers the opportunity to lead at scale in a place where your work will make a visible difference. You will help shape the future of services for children and families across Devon, working with committed colleagues and partners who are determined to improve.

Do it for Devon: Our offer to you

We offer the opportunity to take on one of the council's most important and influential leadership roles, at a pivotal point for children's services and for local government in Devon.

You will join a committed Executive Leadership Team with a shared focus on public service, improvement, partnership and delivering better outcomes for residents. You will be supported to lead with purpose, build strong relationships, and make a lasting contribution to the lives of children, young people and families across Devon.

Our Offer to You - Working for Devon | Devon County Council

If you are ready to bring your experience, judgement and ambition to Devon, we would welcome your application.

How to apply

Please ensure when completing your application form that you provide a supporting statement which demonstrates how you meet the essential and desirable criteria as described in the person specification of the job description. Applications may not be taken forwards if the supporting statement is not adequately completed.

Internal Applicants, please note: If you are an existing DCC employee, please use your iTrent Employee Self Service (ESS) details to log in and apply.

Please click here to see the Job Description

• DCC embraces the positive benefits of a diverse workforce and is committed to providing an environment that is inclusive and safe. We welcome applications from people who share our commitment to stop discrimination, challenge inequality and promote diversity across Devon. More information can be found on our Equality and Diversity webpages .
• For details on the use of AI in applications and Devon County Council's use of AI in Recruitment please see Use of AI in Our Recruitment Processes - Working for Devon | Devon County Council
• Happy to Talk Flexible Working - The Council offers flexible working arrangements in terms of when and where people work e.g. hybrid working, part-time, condensed hours etc.
• We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
• This role requires the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.
• Personal data we collect from you will be processed in accordance with the Applicant privacy notice .
• For more information about Working for Devon please visit our Working for Devon page .
• We cannot consider visa sponsorship at this time. UK Right to Work is required.For further guidance on right to work in the UK, please visit: Work in the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
• This role requires a DBS disclosure.