Principal Manager - Children's Social Care

Principal Manager - Children's Social Care

Location:

Location:

Civic Centre

Job Type:

Job Type: Full Time, Permanent

Category:

Category:
City Council (External Vacancy)

Closing Date:

Closing Date: 08/23/2026

Reference:

Reference:

Directorate:
Children and Familes

Hours: 37

This advert is open to both Internal and External applicants.

About us:

We are a city of strengths, with a proud heritage and bright future. Working for Stoke-on Trent City Council is more than just a job, it's about making, protecting and improving the services for the local population, reducing inequalities and improving independence for the people who live and work in the city. And that’s where you come in. We are always looking for people of the highest calibre with skills, knowledge and experience to help us deliver our compelling vision.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s diverse and talented workforce is its greatest asset and most valuable resource. The skills, knowledge and experience of our c.4,600 employees are essential to delivering our ambitions and vision for our organisation and Stoke-on-Trent. We want to be an employer that people are proud to work for, and where our staff are supported, developed and rewarded in an inclusive way that helps them to excel and to deliver the high-quality services that our residents need.

We are growing and developing our Children and Families workforce as part of an ambitious programme of service transformation, and we are looking for talented, committed and values-led professionals to join us.

We have a wide range of opportunities across Children’s Social Care. These roles will play a vital part in supporting children, young people and families across Stoke-on-Trent.

As a Principal Manager within Children’s Social Care, you will provide strong operational and professional leadership to your team.

You will be responsible for leading and developing the delivery of high-quality, cost-effective services that meet the needs of children, young people and their families. You will provide clear management oversight, support staff with complex cases and ensure practice is purposeful, timely and focused on achieving positive outcomes.

You will manage the team’s performance, resources and caseloads, promoting a culture of high support and high challenge. You will also ensure that statutory duties, council policies and professional standards are consistently met.

Working closely with the Head of Service, colleagues across Children and Families Services and partner agencies, you will contribute to service improvement, policy development and the delivery of the wider Children’s Improvement Plan.

• Lead, manage and motivate the team, providing regular supervision, management oversight, coaching and professional development.
• Manage the allocation and oversight of work, ensuring risks are effectively managed and children and families receive timely and purposeful interventions.
• Monitor and improve team performance through quality assurance, audits, performance data and practice reviews.
• Provide professional advice and support in relation to complex safeguarding, care planning and court proceedings, representing the local authority where required.
• Develop effective partnerships with statutory, voluntary and independent organisations to improve services and outcomes for children and families.
• Manage team resources and delegated budgets effectively, ensuring services are delivered within agreed financial and performance requirements.

We are looking for people who are:

• Passionate about making a positive difference for children, young people and families.
• Committed to relational, restorative and strengths-based practice.
• Confident in working collaboratively with families, colleagues and partner agencies.
• Focused on safeguarding, high-quality practice and continuous improvement.
• Resilient, flexible and able to respond effectively within a busy and demanding service environment.
• Keen to develop their skills and contribute to shaping the future of services across the city.

• A recognised social work qualification, current Social Work England registration and…