Team Manager (Cared for Children, Safeguarding and Children with Disabilities

Contract Type
:
Permanent

Salary: Grade J. Scale 40 - £51,356 to Scale 43 - £54,495 with a professional bar at Scale 41 - £52,413**

Hours Per Week
: 36

Base Location
:
Tameside One, Market Place, Ashton-under-Lyne, OL6 6BH

Assessment Date: Panels will be held on 4th, 11th and 18th September 2026

Please indicate on your supporting statement your area of interest:
Safeguarding, Cared for Children or Children with Disabilities.

Are you passionate about making a real difference in the lives of children and families? Do you bring Compassion, Curiosity, Collaboration, Conversation, and Courage to your practice? If so, Tameside is looking for you.

This is an exciting time to join Tameside Children's Services as we continue our improvement journey and shape our services around the ambitions of the Families First reforms. We are looking for experienced and inspiring Team Managers to lead and develop social work teams across our Safeguarding, Cared for Children and Children with Disabilities Services.

At Tameside, our Heart of Support Practice Approach is at the centre of everything we do. Underpinned by our 5 Cs:
Compassion, Curiosity, Collaboration, Conversation and Courage
, we are committed to creating meaningful relationships with children and families that lead to lasting change.

We are also launching an exciting programme of systemic practice training across our workforce. This investment will support you and your team to think differently, work relationally, and place children within the context of their wider family and support networks. The systemic approach aligns strongly with the Families First reforms, helping us strengthen family-led solutions, build on existing strengths, and reduce the need for intervention wherever possible.

As a Team Manager, you will play a key role in embedding this approach, creating a culture of reflection, learning, and high-quality practice that delivers excellent outcomes for children and families.

You will be an experienced and confident leader with:

• A recognised social work qualification and substantial experience within statutory children's services.
• Strong knowledge of relevant legislation, policy and safeguarding frameworks.
• Expertise in identifying and responding to all forms of harm, including extra-familial harm and exploitation.
• A commitment to relationship-based and strengths-based practice.
• The ability to work collaboratively with children, families, communities and partner agencies.
• A passion for anti-discriminatory practice and promoting inclusive services that reflect the diverse needs of families.
• A relentless focus on ensuring children's voices, experiences and best interests are at the heart of decision‑making.
• The ability to inspire, support and develop staff through high-quality supervision, reflective practice and effective leadership.

At Tameside, we are ambitious for our children, families and workforce. We are creating an environment where social workers can thrive, feel valued, and do the work they came into the profession to do.

A comprehensive induction and tailored support from your Service Manager.

• Access to high-quality systemic practice training and professional development opportunities.
• Regular reflective supervision and leadership support.
• The opportunity to shape and influence practice as we embed the Families First reforms.
• A collaborative culture where learning, innovation and improvement are encouraged.

If you are ready to lead with courage, champion systemic practice, and help shape the future of children's services in Tameside, we'd love you to join us.

Message from Jill Colbert, Director of Children’s Services

I joined the council at the beginning of 2025 and was instantly charmed by the warmth, openness, and energy of colleagues.

I came to Tameside for one reason; because I know we can do fantastic things for our families here.

We’re a children’s service on a significant improvement journey. We know what needs to be different for our children and families and we’re ambitious to deliver that change.

We have a growing range of specialist services for children, where you…