Title

WORKFORCE

Divisional Director, Children & Families

A unique opportunity to take up a leadership role in a recently established Families Directorate, both consolidating our recent improvement and driving forward transformation over the next two to three years. You will have the opportunity to shape your own team as well as building strong collaborations to transform children's services in Waltham Forest.

About the role:

You will lead the delivery and development of Children and Families services, so that outcomes for children and young people in the Borough are improved and sustained, that children are safeguarded and the life chances of the most vulnerable are enhanced. The Divisional Director Children and Families holds the Principal Child and Family Social Worker role and advises the Deputy Chief Executive Families, the Chief Executive, and the Portfolio Holders and the Leader of the Council on the fitness for purpose of Children and Family services. Reporting to the Deputy Chief Executive, Families, you will lead a team of 297 and manage budgets of approximately £38 million to ensure effective service delivery.

About You:

You will have a proven track record of senior level leadership of high quality children and families services in local government. To succeed, you will be able to articulate a vision, gather people around it and create a positive environment for delivery. You will have a solid understanding of what good looks like, including safeguarding, risk and performance, and the ability and willingness to be hands on working with staff where required. You will be able to apply your positive attitude and first class communication skills to build teams and forge alliances, both corporately and externally and with partners. Finally you will bring a track record of successful change and delivery, both transformational and continuous improvement.

How to apply:

For further information or to apply, please visit Waltham Forest social care careers website. Application is by CV and covering letter. Closing date is 27th May 2013. Alternatively please contact Mark Bearn or Andrew Timlin of Hays Executive. T 0207 259 8743 E mark.bearn@hays.com  For Role Profile, please click here.

WORKFORCE

AI Innovation: Shifting from experimentation to transformation in local government

By MJ Correspondent | 29 October 2026

The shortlisted entries from last year's The MJ Awards showcased councils moving beyond pilots to embedding AI into the heart of public service delivery. We ...

WORKFORCE

Put people, prevention and place at the centre

By Alison Barker | 27 October 2026

The message from senior officers’ group Solace is clear: adult social care reform, neighbourhood health and devolution must be treated not as separate agenda...

WORKFORCE

Devolution that delivers for children and families

By Jo Casebourne | 27 October 2026

The success of devolution should not be judged only by the powers transferred or the structures created, but by whether children’s lives improve as a result,...

WORKFORCE

Why devolution needs locality

By Julia Smith | 22 October 2026

Julia Smith says Blaby DC sees every day the value of working closely with local people, and the test of devolution will be whether communities across Leices...

-->