Head of Performance and Improvement and Principal Social Worker (Children's Services) LBHF621117

Job Details:

Salary range: £69,537 - £92,772 per annum 
Work location: 145 King Street, Hammersmith, London W6 9XY
Hours per week: 36 
Contract type: Permanent
Vetting requirements: Enhanced DBS Check
Closing date:  11 June 2025
Interview date: Week commencing 23 June 2025

About the role

In H&F, we are on a successful journey of improvement with an Outstanding Youth Justice Services, and Children’s Social Care Services whose Ofsted report praised our ‘highly effective and committed leaders that have continued to make improvements. We are in a positive place with a strong and skilled Children and Young People’s management team, outstanding practitioners and a culture of care, openness and aspiration.

We are seeking to appoint a passionate, experienced, and committed permanent Head of Performance and Improvement with a strong focus on outcomes for children and young people, high practice standards and excellent service delivery
As Head of Performance and Improvement, you will ensure outstanding services are provided both to the department and to our partners that help us improve performance and secure quality and value for money in service delivery.  Working as a key member of the Children’s Services senior team, you will be instrumental in the design and delivery of new policy and strategy that achieves the ambition that H&F is an outstanding borough for children to go to school and grow up.

You will provide professional leadership to staff, setting and embedding consistently high standards of practice through the Principal Social Work Role. You will be the first point of contact for children’s services policy, strategic planning, and performance management, providing advice to the Director, Assistant Directors and Heads of Service. 

You will:

Lead on the development and delivery of a robust Children’s Services performance management framework

Develop and champion our approach to continuous improvement

Lead on the development and maintenance of departmental strategies, policies, and procedures

Ensure that children and families’ voices are heard across all our policies, strategies, and emerging initiatives.

Work with the Director, Operational and Assistant Directors lead on service planning, needs analyses and innovative practice.

Ensure the most appropriate configuration of data and performance functions across the department.

You will bring in depth knowledge of the legislative and policy context for children’s services and a track record in leading performance, policy and strategy teams, working closely with senior managers, stakeholders, partners, and Elected Members.  You will possess excellent analytical skills as well as the ability to lead successful projects and change programmes.

Your track record will include demonstrable improvement in outcomes based on delivering effective quality assurance and performance management.  You will be able to evidence leadership, negotiation, and relationship management skills appropriate to delivering high profile, complex services that have a profound impact on the effectiveness, availability and value for money of services to the department and to children and their families.

Please refer to the Role Profile for more information

Role Specific Qualifications:

Professional Social Work qualification CQSW, DipSW, CCETSW and registered with Social Work England.

Our People Values:

We are caring
We care about our borough and doing things well. We focus on standards and continuous improvement; learning from our mistakes and celebrating success.

We are collaborators
We work together for a better society. We work with our residents, businesses, schools, third sector and others for better outcomes for everyone.

We are driven
We will only settle for the very best. We seek to continually improve and put our residents, customers and businesses at the heart of everything we do.

Our commitment to you:

At H&F you will have access to a comprehensive total reward package as well as joining a flexible working employer and as such all staff can request flexible working Click HERE to find out more.

We believe an inclusive workplace is about the visibility and representation of our local diverse community - it is about open and transparent decision making co-produced with staff and residents.

It is about respect for diversity and a shared identity that seeks to encourage fair and transparent recruitment, retention, and career progression. We take a proactive approach to equity, diversity, and inclusion so that it is part of the fabric of the Council with a shared understanding of the role all colleagues play in realising the inclusivity of the workplace. At H&F, our workplace ensures that everybody has equitable access to opportunities.

In order to combat discrimination, no unnecessary conditions or requirements will be applied which could have a disproportionately adverse effect on any one group. All sections of the population will have equitable access to jobs. No applicant or employee will receive less favourable treatment because of their age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage or civil partnership and pregnancy or maternity, unless a Genuine Occupational Qualification (GOQ) applies.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. We expect all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment.

To explore more about the work we do towards being an inclusive employer and our commitments to achieve this please click HERE.

Asking for Adjustments

We are committed to removing barriers in the workplace and this includes adjustments throughout the recruitment process.

If you would like to discuss any adjustments or request the application form in a different format, please contact us at resourcing-peopleandtalent@lbhf.gov.uk or by post to The Town Hall, King Street, Hammersmith W6 9JU