Head of Social Work, Community Support and SafeguardingNHS

Job summary

The Head of Social Work, Community Support and Safeguarding will provide strategic leadership across Jewish Cares social work, community support and family carer services, alongside organisation-wide leadership for adult and childrens safeguarding. Based at Amelie House in Golders Green, this permanent senior leadership role offers £77,500 per year for 36.25 hours per week, Monday to Friday, with an expectation of three days onsite each week. The postholder will shape service strategy, drive innovation and transformation, strengthen professional social work practice, and ensure robust safeguarding governance and assurance. Working with senior leaders, multidisciplinary teams and external partners, you will use data, community insight and evidence to improve outcomes, develop integrated support pathways and promote prevention, early intervention and independence. You will also lead and develop managers, oversee budgets and resources, manage strategic risks and provide clear reports and recommendations to senior leaders, governance committees and trustees. A recognised Social Work qualification, current Social Work England registration and substantial experience in safeguarding leadership, professional practice and strategic service development are essential.

Main duties of the job

We are seeking an experienced, forward-thinking and influential Head of Social Work, Community Support and Safeguarding to shape the future of these services at Jewish Care. This is a pivotal leadership opportunity to drive service innovation, strengthen professional practice and improve outcomes for individuals, families and carers. You will lead strategic development across social work, community support and family carer services, while providing organisation-wide leadership for adult and childrens safeguarding. Working closely with senior colleagues and external partners, you will champion high standards, develop integrated and sustainable models of support, and use evidence and community insight to inform decisions. If you are a credible senior leader with a recognised Social Work qualification, current Social Work England registration and a strong track record in safeguarding, service transformation and workforce development, we would love to hear from you.

Job description

Make a lasting difference. Shape the future of social work, community support and safeguarding. We are seeking an experienced and forward-thinking senior leader to shape the future of social work, community support and safeguarding at Jewish Care, driving service innovation, strengthening professional practice and improving outcomes for the people and families we support.

This post is working 36.25 hours per week, Monday to Friday with an expectation of of 3 days onsite per week.

About the service Our Community Services help people access the support they need to live independently, maintain their wellbeing and remain connected to their communities. We work collaboratively with individuals, families, carers and partner organisations to provide person-centred support that responds to changing needs and promotes independence, resilience and choice.

About the role We are looking for an experienced and forward-thinking Head of Social Work, Community Support and Safeguarding to provide strategic leadership across our social work, community support and family carer services, alongside organisation-wide leadership for adult and childrens safeguarding.

This is a pivotal senior leadership role, combining professional social work accountability, safeguarding assurance, service development and organisational transformation. You will shape the future of our community support offer, ensuring our services respond to changing needs, address gaps in provision and help people remain independent, connected and well in their own homes and communities for longer.

Working closely with senior leaders, multidisciplinary teams and external partners, you will use data, evidence and community insight to inform strategic decisions, improve outcomes and develop innovative, sustainable models of support.

You will also act as Jewish Cares professional lead for social work, championing high standards of practice, reflective supervision and continuous professional development. As the organisations safeguarding lead, you will provide authoritative advice, constructive challenge and assurance, strengthening safeguarding culture, governance and organisational learning.

What youll be responsible for

• Strategic leadership and service development: Shape and deliver strategies for social work, community support and family carer services, driving innovation, prevention, early intervention and service improvement.
• Safeguarding leadership: Lead Jewish Cares adult and childrens safeguarding strategy, training, assurance and governance, ensuring robust processes, effective escalation and organisational learning.
• Professional social work leadership: Promote high standards of person-centred, strengths-based and anti-discriminatory practice, supporting professional development, reflective supervision and workforce planning.
• Community insight and outcomes: Use data, demographic analysis, service feedback and community intelligence to identify emerging needs, improve access and demonstrate the impact of our services.
• Integrated support and partnerships: Develop strong relationships across health, local authorities and voluntary and community organisations to create joined-up pathways and improve outcomes for individuals and family carers.
• Leadership and performance: Lead and develop managers and multidisciplinary teams, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, compassion and continuous improvement.
• Finance, governance and risk: Oversee budgets, resources, performance and strategic risks, providing clear, evidence-based reports and recommendations to senior leaders, governance committees and trustees.

About you You will be a confident and credible senior leader with significant experience in social work, safeguarding and strategic service development within health, social care, community services or the voluntary sector.

You will bring:

• A recognised professional qualification in Social Work and current registration with Social Work England.
• Substantial experience of safeguarding leadership, complex decision-making and organisational assurance.
• A track record of providing professional leadership for social work practice across teams or services.
• Experience of leading multidisciplinary services, managing managers or senior practitioners, and delivering service transformation.
• Strong knowledge of adult and childrens safeguarding legislation, statutory guidance and professional social work standards.
• The ability to interpret complex data and evidence, translate insight into action

About us

Jewish Care is the largest health and social care charity serving the Jewish community in London and the South East. Every week, our services support more than 12,000 people, delivered by over 1,200 dedicated colleagues across residential care, nursing, retirement living, community support, social work, and mental health services. We provide care that is Jewish at heart, supporting older people and their families every step of the way while welcoming colleagues from all backgrounds. Guided by our values of Excellence, Integrity, Innovation, Compassion, and Inclusiveness, we are committed to delivering high-quality services where people feel valued, respected, and able to live meaningful live