Service Lead

Wigan

Full Time

£74,122

Permanent

Expires 04/12/2025

Priority Candidates will be considered in the first instance

Wigan Life Centre South

College Avenue

Wigan

WN1 1NJ

Salary: Grade 16, £74,122 per annum

37 hours per week

We're on a journey to build a workforce reflective of our Borough.

We are committed to fostering diverse teams where everybody can bring their authentic selves to work and feel that they belong. If you want to work for a Council where everybody is encouraged to meet their full potential and make a difference in our neighbourhoods, we would love to hear from you

Your role:

Our current Service Lead for Children in Care, Care Leavers, and Adoption is retiring If you are ready to build on a legacy of compassion, determination, and outstanding impactand lead a service that truly makes a differencewe would love to hear from you.

This is a pivotal leadership role, we are seeking an exceptional individual to take the service forward into its next chapter. The successful candidate will bring strategic vision, operational expertise, and a commitment to trauma-informed, child-centred practice. They will lead a passionate and skilled team, ensuring that children and care leavers receive the support they need to thrive.

About you:

Compassionate, resilient, approachable, nurturing, fun are some words that spring to mind, to describe who we are looking for. Let's not forget you will have a contagious energy and leadership style that makes our teams feel safe and well looked after, because our social workers are just as important to us as our children and families.

We are seeking a visionary leader with a proven track record in children's social care, particularly in supporting children in care and care leavers. You will bring the ability to inspire and empower teams to deliver high-quality, child-centred practice. With strategic insight and operational expertise, you will lead transformation, champion corporate parenting and drive high quality practice across the service.

About us:

Wigan Council has been voted 'Overall Council of the Year' at the APSE (Association for Public Service Excellence) Awards. We are signed up to the Greater Manchester Continuous Service Commitment ensuring that your service will be continuous or 'unbroken' between the supporting organisations.

The Progress with Unity plan is a place movement for change for the next decade, bringing a new era for Wigan Borough. It draws on the strengths of our individual organisations, recognising that together we can achieve much more for our communities by delivering on our 2 place missions; create fair opportunities for all children, families, residents and businesses and make our towns and neighbourhoods flourish for those who live and work in them.

We have a culture that fosters positivity, courage, accountability, and kindness, rooted in asset-based ways of working, that make a difference for our children and families.

Here at Wigan, we are proud to support flexible working patterns, when the service can accommodate this. We also take a blended approach to where we work, depending on the work we do. This may include working from home, the office, or the community. We like to thank our employees for their hard work and commitment by giving them the opportunity to access a range of exclusive rewards and benefits

To be appointed to this role you must be able to prove your right to work in the UK. Please visit the link below to check you qualify to apply. Please note, at present we are not a licenced sponsor. Prove your right to work to an employer: Overview - GOV.UK )

Prove your right to work to an employer

If you like the sound of this role and would like to know more our Practice Director, Sandie Hayes, is more than happy to speak to you. You can contact at to arrange a chat.

Interview date: 17th December 2025

This is a politically restricted role

This position is subject to Enhanced Disclosure Procedures plus child and adult barred list check

The employer is committed to safeguarding

If you have completed the GM Elevate (Leadership Development) Programme, please indicate this within the 'About You' or 'Supporting Statement' section of your application.

To view the details relating to this position, please click the links below:

• Job Specification
• DBS Applicant Information
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