Service Director - Children’s Services Transformation and Reforms Programme (FTC)

Service Director – Children’s Services Transformation & Reform

Midlands Local Authority

12 or 24-month Fixed-Term Contract, duration to be confirmed

Salary: £106,925–£112,748

Hybrid: 2–3 days per week on site

We are supporting a local authority in the Midlands to appoint an experienced Service Director – Children’s Services Transformation & Reform to lead a significant programme of change across children’s services.

Reporting to the Corporate Director, you will provide strategic leadership across a portfolio including:

• Families First Partnership
• SEND reform
• Best Start in Life
• Youth transformation
• Family Help and multidisciplinary teams
• Multi-agency child protection arrangements
• Early intervention and targeted support
• Development of integrated services for children and families

This is a major transformation role. You will bring these programmes together into a coherent transformation portfolio, strengthening governance, driving delivery and ensuring reform aligns with the authority’s wider improvement and financial sustainability priorities.

You will work closely with senior leaders, elected members and key partners across health, police, education and the wider safeguarding system.

We are looking for someone with:

• Significant senior leadership experience within children’s services
• A strong track record of leading transformation, improvement and reform
• Detailed understanding of the national children’s services reform agenda
• Experience of complex multi-agency programmes and partnerships
• Strong knowledge of safeguarding, Family Help, SEND and early intervention
• Excellent commissioning, performance and programme management skills
• The credibility to influence at senior officer, Member and partnership level

This is an opportunity to lead a genuinely significant programme of reform and help reshape how children, young people and families are supported across a local system.

The appointment will be offered on either a 12 or 24-month fixed-term contract, with the final duration to be confirmed.

If you would like a confidential conversation about the opportunity, please email me directly with your CV and current availability:

matthew.masters@opuspeoplesolutions.co.uk