Job Introduction
Job Title: Team Manager
Starting Salary: £53,806.08 progressing to £59,497 per annum + Market Enhanced Payment
Hours: 37
Location: Stevenage, Farnham House
Contract Type: Permanent
Directorate: Children's Services
Join us at Hertfordshire County Council and help shape the future for young people leaving care in a service proudly rated Good by Ofsted. We’re looking for a dynamic, forward‑thinking Care Leaver Team Manager who’s ready to lead with passion, creativity, and purpose. This is an exciting opportunity to drive a high‑performing team supporting our Care Leavers, championing their rights, amplifying their voices, and empowering them to thrive as they step into independence. If you’re motivated by making a real difference and want to be part of an ambitious, forward thinking & positive service—this is your moment.
About the role
The purpose of this role is to lead, inspire, and drive a high‑performing team within Hertfordshire’s Ofsted‑rated Good Care Leaver Service, ensuring our Care Leavers—receive the support, guidance, and opportunities they need to achieve positive futures. As Team Manager, you will provide clear leadership, expert oversight, and a strong safeguarding focus, ensuring the team delivers consistently high‑quality, strengths‑based practice that empowers young people on their journey to independence.
You will be responsible for shaping service delivery, monitoring performance, and ensuring statutory responsibilities are met to the highest standard. Working collaboratively with multi-agency partners, you’ll champion young people’s voices, remove barriers, and drive continuous improvement across the team. This is a pivotal leadership role with a real opportunity to influence outcomes and contribute to the ongoing development of an ambitious, supportive, and forward‑looking service.
As a Care Leaver Team Manager, each day brings a mix of fast‑paced decision‑making, meaningful relationship‑building, and opportunities to shape an evolving service. You may be leading reflective supervision sessions in the morning, reviewing complex safeguarding matters by lunchtime, and collaborating with housing, education, or health partners in the afternoon to unblock barriers for young people who need urgent support. The role demands resilience and confidence in navigating competing priorities, especially when managing high‑risk situations or supporting teams through emotionally challenging work.
You’ll also be at the forefront of exciting service development opportunities. This may include leading projects to strengthen pathway planning, improving transitions for Care Leavers, enhancing participation and co‑production with young people, or driving forward new approaches to independence work. You may help shape partnership initiatives with community organisations, pilot innovative practice models, or use performance data to identify areas for improvement and implement change. It’s a role where you can influence both day‑to‑day practice and long‑term strategic development—making a tangible difference for young people and shaping the future direction of an ambitious service.
About you
Essential:
- Qualified Social Worker registered with Social Work England
- Line management experience & reflective supervision
- Knowledge of legislation, guidance, policy, and procedures
- Ability to support teams to complete robust assessments & to manage assess risk
- Ability to work in a relationship-based way
- Understanding of equality and diversity in Social Work
- Ability to input and maintain accurate computerised information and records
- Ability to work on own initiative managing and prioritising own workload under pressure
- Full Driving Licence and regular access to a vehicle
Desirable:
- Knowledge/experience of working with Care Leavers & young people with disabilities
- Knowledge of legislation, guidance, policy, and procedure specific to Care Leavers
- Knowledge/experience of working with children and young people subject to or at risk of exploitation, trauma and lived experience of care
- Knowledge/experience of working with Care Leavers
We welcome applications from candidates who currently reside in the UK with established proof of right to work documentation. We are not able to offer sponsorship at this time for this role.
This job role is within the Health and Social Care , level 13 job profile. Please locate this via: Job profiles - Health and social care
If you’re someone who wants to lead with purpose, influence real change, and work where your ideas are genuinely valued, then this is a role where you will thrive. Hertfordshire’s Care Leaver Service is full of passionate, committed people—and as Team Manager, you’ll have the chance to shape how we support young people at one of the most important moments in their lives. You’ll be trusted to lead, encouraged to innovate, and supported to grow.
The work can be challenging, but it’s deeply meaningful, and you’ll see the impact of your leadership every single day—in the confidence, progress, and independence of the young people we serve. If you want a role that stretches you, inspires you, and allows you to leave a legacy of positive change, we would absolutely love to hear from you.
To hear more about this opportunity please contact Sam Jeffery on 01707 292494 or email samantha.jeffery@hertfordshire.gov.uk for an informal discussion about the role.
Interview Date: 24th March - In person; Farnham House, Stevenage
How to apply
As part of your application, please upload your most recent CV. Ensure your CV is up to date with your employment history (including any employment gaps), and including any training/qualifications. We encourage you to include examples of where you have demonstrated the requirements/criteria in the advert / job profile to allow the panel to fully recognise your skills and abilities. You will have the opportunity to include a short covering paragraph within your application to give us a little more information about your skills, knowledge, and experiences.
Disability Confident
We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and guarantee an interview to anyone disclosing a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.
Safeguarding
This role has been identified as requiring a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check.
Driving required
You’ll need to have the ability to drive and/or travel around Hertfordshire, either using your own mode of transport or a company car to travel to other locations.
English Fluency
The ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post (for those whose language is a signed language the provision of a sign language interpreter who speaks English to the necessary standard of fluency will be required). Further information about the legal requirement can be found here.