Service Director

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Civic Office/Hybrid

11/01/2026

Service Director - Children's Social Care (CDC)

The job requirements are detailed below. Where applicable the skills, qualifications and memberships required for this job have also been included.

Job details

Salary

Chief Officer Grade, £108,164 per annum

Contractual hours

37

Basis

Full time

Region

Doncaster

Job category/type

Management

Date posted

18/12/2025

Job reference

REQ21891

Job description

Based at: Civic Office, Doncaster/Hybrid Working

Salary details: Chief Officer Grade, £108,164 per annum

Contract Type: Permanent

Hours: Full time, 37 hours per week

Closing date: 11th January 2026

Enhanced Level DBS Disclosure is required for appointment to this post

The City of Doncaster Council is a confident, ambitious organisation which puts improving the life of its residents at the centre of everything we do. You have an opportunity to be part of this in the role of Service Director - Children's Social Care.

As Service Director - Children's Social Care, you will provide strategic leadership for all aspects of children's social care, safeguarding, and statutory services. You will champion high standards, drive continuous improvement, and ensure that the voice of children, young people, and families is at the heart of everything we do. You will lead a talented and committed workforce, fostering a culture of learning, ambition, and pride. Your leadership will be crucial in shaping our services, building strong partnerships, and delivering the best possible outcomes for those who need us most.

What We're Looking For

We are seeking a senior leader with a passion for making a difference, a track record of delivering impact through collaboration, and a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities in children's services. You will be innovative, values-driven, and committed to inclusion and excellence. You will bring strategic vision, strong partnership skills, and the ability to inspire and motivate others.

Why Join Us?

At Doncaster, you will find a supportive, collegiate leadership team and a culture that values initiative, innovation, and continuous improvement. You will have the opportunity to shape services at a city-wide level, work with dedicated professionals, and make a lasting impact on the lives of children, young people, and families. We recognise the challenges ahead, but we are confident in our direction and proud of our progress. If you share our ambition and are ready to lead with purpose and passion, we would love to hear from you.

Please note that we are currently working with Faerfield to support us with this appointment and they will be in touch if your application is short listed to the next stage.

For further information, please visit:

In return for your hard work and dedication, we can offer you the chance to be part of a great team dedicated to ensuring that all people in Doncaster thrive. You will also have access to a variety of attractive employee benefits including competitive leave entitlement, a generous local government pension scheme, a wide range of well-being support and development opportunities. You will also have access to a range of staff discount and benefits schemes. More information on the benefits available to you as a City of Doncaster Council employee can be found in the attached benefits book.

Please ensure you view the job summary and job profile as you will need to demonstrate in your application form how you meet the required criteria.

If you would like to discuss the role in more detail, please contact Riana Nelson, Director of Children, Young People and Families Service on or email

Over reliance on AI-generated content is discouraged and may diminish the applicant's chances of success.

If you require support with completing the application or with interview skills in general, please contact the Advance team via email or visit their website for further details.

This post involves working with children and therefore if successful you will be required to apply for a Disclosure and Barring Service records check at an enhanced level. Further information about the Disclosure Scheme can be found at

This post is classed as 'politically restricted' under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 (as amended). The full details of the restrictions are set out in the Statutory Instrument, but broadly the restrictions prohibit candidature from public elected office; holding office in a political party; as well as involvement in political activities such as canvassing or public speaking/writing.

Doncaster Council is committed to meeting the needs of our diverse community where we strive to improve the quality of life for all. We are also committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults and expect all staff to share these commitments.

City of Doncaster Council is a disability confident employer committed to a fully inclusive and accessible recruitment process. We offer interviews to disabled people who meet the minimum criteria for the job, are flexible when assessing people so disabled applicants have the best opportunity to demonstrate they can do the job and make reasonable adjustments as required.

Our organisation is committed to safe and fair recruitment, safeguarding and protecting those we care for and serve. We make sure all our staff are vetted, selected, trained and supervised fairly and to a high standard so that they can provide safe, effective and compassionate care.

Service Director - Children's Social Care (CDC)