Senior Social Worker

# Senior Social Worker## About the role“What if your social work expertise could improve not just one person's journey, but the quality of practice across an entire organisation?”At West Northamptonshire Council, we're looking for an experienced Social Worker who is passionate about professional practice, continuous improvement and making a lasting impact. This is a unique opportunity to join our Practice Development Team and help shape the future of Adult Social Care across West Northamptonshire.

This is one of only two Senior Social Worker Quality Assurance positions within West Northamptonshire Council, offering a unique opportunity to influence practice, support workforce development and drive improvement across Adult Social Care.

This role offers a unique career pathway for experienced Social Workers looking to broaden their impact beyond frontline practice. You'll have the opportunity to influence how services develop, support workforce learning, contribute to strategic improvement work and help shape the future direction of Adult Social Care. For practitioners who enjoy analysing practice, sharing expertise and driving positive change, this is a role that offers both challenge and career development in equal measure.

Working as part of the Practice Development Team, you'll play a key role in ensuring high standards of practice across Adult Social Care. Unlike traditional senior practitioner roles, this position doesn't involve carrying a caseload or managing staff. Instead, you'll use your experience, professional judgement and knowledge of Adult Social Care to influence practice, identify learning opportunities and drive service improvement across the organisation.

As one two Senior Social Workers in this specialist area, you'll work closely with the Principal Social Worker, operational teams and partner agencies to strengthen quality assurance processes, support workforce development and help ensure services are responsive, effective and aligned with statutory and regulatory requirements. You'll be responsible for helping the organisation understand what's working well, where improvements can be made and how learning can be effectively embedded into day-to-day practice.

Through audits, thematic reviews, reflective practice, training and improvement activity, you'll help create a culture where high-quality social work can thrive.
** Working pattern
*** 9am to 5pm with flexible and part time options available.
* Hybrid working
** Interview date: 27th August 2026
** We encourage candidates to submit applications as early as possible. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should sufficient applications be received.

This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore subject to an enhanced DBS certificate. It is also a regulated activity and will be subject to a Children and Adults Barred List check. West Northamptonshire Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.###

What will you be doing?

As a Senior Social Worker within Quality Assurance, you'll play a key role in developing a culture of continuous improvement across Adult Social Care.

Your work will include:
• Leading and delivering quality assurance activity, including audits, thematic reviews and service deep dives.
• Analysing practice, performance information and feedback to identify strengths, risks, patterns and opportunities for improvement.
• Identifying learning from audits, safeguarding activity, reviews and wider quality assurance work, translating this into meaningful improvement activity.
• Developing guidance, learning resources, practice tools and briefings that support high-quality and consistent social work practice.
• Delivering presentations, learning events and training sessions for Adult Social Care staff and partner agencies.
• Facilitating reflective practice sessions, learning forums and quality assurance discussions across services.
• Supporting services to respond to Care Quality Commission expectations, legislation and professional standards.
• Working collaboratively…