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Head of service

Oversee, lead and motivate social work teams to ensure effective service delivery.

You'll oversee the day-to-day operations of services, manage staff and work closely with other agencies to promote best practice in social work.

Heads of service are also referred to as service managers or practice leads.

What you'll do

As a head of service you’ll:

  • oversee, lead and motivate social work teams to ensure effective service delivery 
  • set the strategic direction of the service and identify areas of improvement 
  • develop and oversee relationships with statutory partners such as police and health services 
  • make strategic decisions around risk, crisis intervention and resource allocation 
  • set a culture of continuous improvement to ensure positive outcomes for children and families 
  • manage budgets, make decisions on staffing levels and agree funding for recruitment 
  • set performance objectives, conduct reviews and address issues within social work teams 
  • help foster an inclusive work culture that proactively addresses discrimination 

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

  • leadership skills to guide and inspire social work teams, set strategic direction and drive positive change 
  • good problem-solving skills and the ability to make decisions while under pressure 
  • strong written and verbal communication skills to engage with teams and external partners 
  • the ability to collaborate with external partners to improve outcomes for children and families 
  • knowledge of policies and legislation relating to child and family social work 
  • an understanding of case management principles, risk assessment and safeguarding 
  • analytical and critical thinking skills to assess risk and resolve complex issues 
  • resilience and emotional intelligence to manage high-pressure situations and support staff well-being

How to become one

To become a head of service you must:

  • have completed a degree, apprenticeship or graduate training scheme in social work 
  • be registered with Social Work England
  • ideally have at least 3 years’ experience in a service manager role 
  • have a proven track record of improving outcomes for children in a leadership or management role 

You can develop your practice and leadership skills through the Social work leadership pathways programme.

Career paths and progression

With experience you could:

  • progress to a higher-level leadership position such as assistant director or director of children’s services
  • move into a training and consultancy role and deliver training programmes to social workers 
  • become an expert in your specialist area of social work practice 

The upon: aspirant directors programme can help prepare you to progress to an assistant director or director of children's services role.

Current opportunities

The Find a job service can help you with your search for jobs and send alerts when new jobs become available.