Principal Social Worker

What will you be doing?

As a champion of social work, you’ll lead by example, using your skills to encourage a culture of innovation, reflection and learning within the service, using practice evaluations and learning reviews to inform this work. The experience you’ll bring with you will enable you to support others from the start of their social work journey; from student to ASYE, and then to qualified, competent and confident Social Workers. You will be an approachable, ‘can do’ person who understands what good looks like and have high ambitions for the workforce and the organisation.

As a proactive person, you’ll be able to respond to multiple requests and demands, getting to know our fabulous staff group will be imperative and supporting them as they deliver advice and guidance to citizens of West Northants. The team and your peers are all very supportive and in West Northants we are all working towards the same goal of enabling competent and confident staff to deliver great care

Your Responsibilities 

• Lead in developing and implementing a quality assurance framework for social work practice across adult social care
• Policy development and review
• Provide expert advice to front line staff, managers and elected members with regard to social work, strengths-based practice, complex case management and evidence-based practice.
• Directly engage and work with people who use services in the course of developing and refining practice and policy.
• The post holder will work alongside workforce leads across Integrated Care Northamptonshire to link into and work closely with higher education institutions and education and skills providers to ensure good social work education and continuing professional development.
• To horizon scan for new practice or legislative developments and to translate these into organisational policies, practices and procedures.
• Represent the organisation at regional and national forums taking an active part in professional networks.
• Develop and maintain a strategic relationship with key delivery partners in Northamptonshire.
• The post holder will play a key leadership and ongoing oversight role in preparing for and responding to CQC assurance.

About you

You will bring proven experience of leadership, practice development and consistent achievement in a social work environment, an understanding of working across health and social care and above all a commitment to people who use, work in and rely on social work services. You’ll need exceptional interpersonal skills, a passion for quality and inclusion and the ability to build, manage and develop effective working relationships with people and partners. 

You’ll need

• Qualification in Social Work and currently registered with Social Work England.
• Higher post qualifying training in relevant discipline or management qualification
• Management experience over a range of professional roles with significant experience of managing functions in a number of specialisms e.g. Older People, Mental Health, Learning Disability, Adult Safeguarding.

Our benefits

We offer a wide range of benefits to our employees, these include:

• Generous annual leave entitlement starting at 27 days annual leave per year, 28 days for senior managers (pro rata, depending on how many hours per week you work), plus bank holidays. An additional 5 days, linked to continuous service, and ability to purchase up to 6 weeks additional leave per year.
• Local Government Pension Scheme plus immediate life cover (3 times your annual salary from day one) and ill-health protection.
• Employee discounts with local and national retailers, days out, finance, health and beauty, travel and eating out plus lots more.
• Car Lease scheme.
• Employee Assistance Programme - We have an employee support programme run by Health Assured, an independent, external organisation. Health Assured is available for you and your immediate family members, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and includes telephone counselling, legal advice, bereavement support and medical information.
• Ongoing training and development opportunities.
• A variety of flexible working options to support your work/life balance, including full or part time, term time, 9-day fortnight, etc. (subject to business needs).
• Our West Ways of Working – We want our workforce to thrive, and we equip our employees with the right technology to support hybrid and collaborative working, on or off site, depending on the role.
• Making a difference - If you want to use your skills and experience with an organisation that are genuinely invested in making a difference, are committed to improving people's lives, and whose success has a direct impact on the wellbeing of your family, friends and people in your local area, then West Northamptonshire Council is the place for you.

The council is in the process of implementing a new pay structure and terms and conditions which will be applicable to this role.  The outcome could result in a future variation to the advertised salary, and this will be discussed at interview.

About us

We’re a new council, following one of the largest shake-ups in local government reform in recent history. As a new authority, we’re embarking on an exciting journey to deliver exceptional services for our residents, customers and communities.  

Our vision at West Northamptonshire Council is ‘to make West Northants a great place to live, work, visit and thrive’. We truly stand by this and work hard every day to make this a reality. Our corporate values, THRIVE, stand for: Trust, High Performance, Respect, Innovate and Empower, they underpin everything we do and how we deliver services. 

At West Northants Council, it’s about our people. People who thrive with ambition, bubble with new ideas, demand better ways of working, caring about every detail, and who never shy away from a challenge. Our culture is a gateway for new experiences. A place to forge new opportunities. To empower you in your career and unite you with like-minded people.

When potential is unlocked, talent thrives.

Choose a career that offers you a true sense of achievement, fills you with pride and challenges you in a positive way, every day.

West Northants Council, where careers thrive.