Service Manager - Corporate Parenting
- Exeter
- Full Time
- £63,225 per annum

Do it to make an impact where it matters the most – Children's Social Work in Devon
About Us
It’s such an exciting time to join Devon County Council’s Children’s Social Care as we continue our journey of improvement, innovation and positive change. We're continuing to embed restorative practice and relational ways of working. We believe that for most families, the family home is the best place for children to live and thrive. We're proud of our workforce and what we are achieving, our social work teams are committed to providing the best service possible and are supported by our ambitious culture.
Click HERE to find out more about our values and ways of working and why you should join us.
About the Role
As a Service Manager for Corporate Parenting, you will provide inspirational, inclusive and engaging operational management to your team, you will lead and drive forward high quality standards in the delivery of key statutory services, whilst advocating for restorative practice to achieve the best possible outcomes for our children in care. You will be instrumental in building and maintaining internal and external relationships to ensure effective communication and collaboration, particularly with multi-agency partners.
Visibility is key and therefore a minimum of 3 days per week office presence is required.
About You
You will have a wealth of experience within the Children in Care services and the knowledge to lead on improvement work and deliver against service plans. The ability to adapt, be dynamic and respond to changeable demand is important. You will build and maintain strong relationships, particularly with our multi-agency partnerships to help drive impactful change in the service. You will also have a good understanding of the Corporate Parenting Board and working with Participation services. You will confidently lead the delivery of effective social work practices aligned with our restorative approach, while driving continuous improvements and fostering positive change.
If you are ready to take on a demanding senior manager position that offers you the opportunity to shape the future for children and young people, we want to hear from you.
What we can offer you
In return for the vital contribution that you make, we have some fantastic employee benefits available, including:
- Generous annual leave
- Free onsite parking
- Employee Assistance for the times you may need some support and a variety of employee well-being services
- Membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme
- We promote a healthy work-life balance and offer flexible working arrangements wherever possible, including working from home
- Discounts at over 900 national & local high street retailers through our benefits platform
- Cycle to work scheme
- Electric Vehicle salary sacrifice scheme
If you are looking to move to Devon, subject to qualifying conditions, we offer a generous relocation allowance. There has never been a better time to make the move!
For an informal discussion about this role, please contact Julian Watkins at julian.watkins@devon.gov.uk or childsc.recruitmentchildrenssocialwork-mailbox@devon.gov.uk
Applications close on 23rd February 2025 and shortlisted applicants will be contacted to arrange interview dates promptly.
For more information about Working for Devon please visit our Working for Devon page.
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.
- This role requires a DBS disclosure
- This role requires the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English
- 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
- 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
- Personal data we collect from you will be processed in accordance with the Applicant privacy notice
REQ007428