About the service

AfC Early Help includes a range of universal, targeted and statutory services alongside of commissioned services. The following services form AfC Early Help: Youth Services, Children's Centres, Parenting programmes, Strengthening Families plus team, Family Support Service, Education Welfare Service and Youth Resilience Services that include edge of care, Youth Offending and Health and Well Being Services. AfC Early Help offer is based on a strong evidence best practice and underpinned by the assessment of need and locality model of working. Our ambition is to have a strong localised Early Help system that is well designed and led, enabled by effective partnership working, evidence based, aligned to our practice model and local investment and commissioning across partnership.

About the role

The role of the Associate Director Family and Youth Support is to lead the service in pursuing the best possible outcomes for children and young people through providing strategic management of services receiving referrals and providing entry points to children and young people into universal and targeted early help. The role includes management of:

• Family and Youth Support (including children's centres and youth centres)
• Education welfare
• Strengthening Families plus
• Youth Resilience Service (youth justice, substance misuse and edge of care)

The post holder will work with colleagues to formulate, develop and implement the organisational strategic direction and priorities relating to areas of operational control. In doing so they will contribute to wider strategic planning and policy development across AfC. In all senior management roles across AfC the post holders will be expected to develop and support a culture of partnership and innovation, so that services are child focussed, flexible and adaptable. The whole organisation should learn from mistakes, share knowledge and challenge existing practice.

About you: our role specification

Qualifications

• Educated to a degree level with a relevant professional qualification i.e. youth or social work
• Postgraduate qualification in a relevant field i.e. leadership and management
• Proven evidence of continuing professional development

Skills and experience

• A proven track record as a successful strategic leader; leading, managing and improving frontline statutory children's services
• Significant and demonstrable knowledge of statutory legislation, policy, guidance and procedures in relation to functional responsibilities
• Direct experience of managing resources and people, delivering good value for money, including the management of complex and substantial budgets and the commissioning and procurement of services for children and young people
• Experience of building strong partnerships, maintaining relationships and co-producing solutions to challenges across a diverse set of stakeholders, including children, young people and their families. Advocating the voices of those we are working with.
• Expert knowledge of relevant theory that informs practice delivery within this field.
• Proven ability to effectively use data, intelligence and evidence to create meaningful insight to inform own decision making and strategic direction of services.
• High verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to use different communication styles, ICT and techniques to present ideas and influence others.
• Proven experience of providing line management and professional support and supervision.

Personal attributes

• A passion to demonstrate and promote our values (Trust, Respect and Empower) through leadership behaviours and relationships with all stakeholders.
• To deliver Achieving for Children's vision, mission and values to support children and young people to live safe, happy, healthy and successful lives.
• Strong organisational abilities including: time management, creative-thinking, problem-solving and multitasking.
• Able to work flexibly and independently with a commitment to the organisation culture.
• Personal determination, drive, energy and ambition to overcome obstacles, achieve challenging objectives, celebrate success and deliver excellent outcomes for children. Taking a strength based approach to managing situations.
• Commitment to resource-sharing and collaborative working within Achieving for Children and across organisational boundaries in the best interests of children and families.
• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills that are open, honest, persuasive and pragmatic, including excellent negotiation and influencing skills.

If you are interested in this role please send your updated CV in the first instance.