This position is open to internal candidates only. Any applications received from external candidates will not be considered and will be automatically rejected.

This is an 18‑month fixed-term contract working 21.6 hours per week (0.6 FTE).

About Barnet Council

Barnet is a borough with much to be proud of. Our excellent schools, vibrant town centres, vast green spaces and diverse communities all help make it a great place to live and work. As a council we want to build on these strengths as we move into the future. We are growing and developing as an organisation to meet the challenges facing our borough and we are committed to working with partner organisations and residents to make Barnet even better. As an organisation, our staff are committed to Our Values: Learning to Improve, Caring, Inclusive, Collaborative – which drive everything we do.

About the role

We are committed to ensuring that children and young people grow up in safe, stable and loving families. Our Adoption and Permanency Service plays a vital role in achieving timely, high‑quality permanence for children through adoption, special guardianship and long‑term fostering.

We are seeking an experienced and inspiring Adoption & Permanency Lead Manager to provide strategic and operational leadership across our permanency services and to drive excellent outcomes for children and families.

As Adoption & Permanency Lead Manager, you will be responsible for leading and developing adoption and permanency practice, ensuring children achieve permanence without delay and experience stable, nurturing family life.

You will:

Provide strategic and operational leadership across adoption and permanency services, including adoption, family finding, matching, and support to adoptive families.
Ensure the service meets all statutory requirements for adoption work, and is fully compliant with relevant legislation, regulations and statutory guidance.
Act as a senior professional lead for adoption practice, providing expert oversight and decision‑making in complex cases.
Lead on performance, quality assurance and service development, ensuring readiness for OFSTED inspection.
Promote high‑quality, trauma‑informed and strengths‑based practice, with the child’s voice central to all decisions.
Work collaboratively with internal services and external partners, including regional adoption arrangements, courts and agencies.
Work collaboratively with the regional adoption agency

Please click here to download the Job description for this role. (Right-click and select “Open in new tab” so you can keep the job description open while completing your application)

About you

We are looking for a confident and credible leader with a strong professional background in adoption and permanency.

You must have:

A recognised social work qualification and current Social Work England registration.
Significant post‑qualifying experience in adoption services, including direct involvement in adoption decision‑making and leadership.
Clear evidence that you meet the statutory requirements for undertaking adoption work, in line with adoption regulations and guidance.
In‑depth knowledge of adoption legislation, regulations, statutory guidance and best practice.
Proven experience of improving service quality, performance and outcomes, including successful engagement with OFSTED.
Strong leadership, communication and partnership‑working skills.
A clear commitment to equality, diversity, inclusion and anti‑racist practice.

What we offer

31 days annual leave, plus public and bank holidays
Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme, which provides a valuable guaranteed income in your retirement together with security for your dependents
Work-life balance options may include hybrid working, flexitime, job share, home working, part-time
A vast range of lifestyle discounts from major retailers, supermarkets, energy suppliers and more
Broad range of payroll benefits including cycle to work, eye care vouchers, travel and gym membership
Excellent training and development opportunities
Employee well- being training programs including confidential employee assistance

How to apply

Read the job description and person specification before clicking ‘Apply’ to commence the online application form. If you would like any further information about the role before applying, please contact Lisa.Sayers@Barnet.gov.uk

System notice: Some dates shown on our online application system (such as “Apply Before”) appear in US date format (MM/DD/YYYY) due to Oracle system settings.

Artificial intelligence (AI) can be a useful tool to support your application as a reasonable adjustment, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn, escalated to counter Fraud for further investigation and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Barnet Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Barnet operates stringent safer recruitment procedures, this may include AI Detection Screening, Biometric ID/Right to Work Checks, Qualification and Registration Checks, Up to 6 years of Employment Data and Insights to Accelerate Screening (Konfir), Up to 5 years of Employment History References, DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) Checks, Credit Checks and Social Media, Sanctions and Occupational Health Screening.

To deliver Barnet Council’s commitment to equality of opportunity in the provision of services, all staff are expected to promote equality in the workplace and in the services the Council delivers. As such we value diversity and welcome applications from all backgrounds.

Barnet Council embraces all forms of flexible working (including part-time, compressed hours, and hybrid working) and is committed to offering employees a healthy work-life balance. Candidates are encouraged to talk about relevant requirements and preferences at interview. We can’t promise to give you exactly what you want, but we do promise not to judge you for asking.

Barnet Council is a Disability Confident Committed Employer. We welcome and encourage job applications of all abilities. If you require any reasonable adjustments in the application or interview, please contact the lead contact on this advert. We will make reasonable adjustments to make sure our disabled applicants and those with health conditions are supported throughout our recruitment process. We support the access to work scheme, further details are available at www.gov.uk/access-to-work/apply

All posts with the council are subject to a probationary period of six months, during which time you will be required to demonstrate to the council satisfaction your suitability for the position in which you will be employed.

Due to the high number of applications that are received for some posts we may close vacancies before the stated closing date if sufficient number of applications are received. Therefore, please apply as soon as possible.

Please ensure you regularly check the email account (including JUNK MAIL folders) that you use to submit your application, as any further communication regarding your application will be sent electronically. Should you not hear from us within four working weeks of the closing date for this post, then regretfully in this instance, you have not been shortlisted.