Important Information for Current Barnet Council Employees

Where possible, employees who have access to Oracle are encouraged to apply via the Opportunity Marketplace (Internal Career Site). This helps to ensure applications are correctly identified as internal and avoids potential delays during the recruitment process.

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.

Lead Place-Based Services That Change Lives
Barnet is one of London's largest and most diverse boroughs, with ambitious plans to strengthen communities, improve outcomes for residents and deliver integrated, person-centred services. We are seeking an exceptional Head of Service – Localities to provide strategic leadership across our locality-based services, driving innovation, partnership working and strengths-based practice to ensure residents receive the right support at the right time. This is a high-profile leadership role for an experienced and inspirational leader who is passionate about community wellbeing, prevention, integration and delivering excellent outcomes for residents.

About the role

•    Lead and develop locality services that promote independence, wellbeing and community resilience.
•    Drive the delivery of a strengths-based, person-centred operating model across adult social care and community services.
•    Provide strategic leadership for multidisciplinary teams working within geographical localities.
•    Build and maintain effective partnerships with health colleagues, voluntary and community organisations, housing providers and other key stakeholders.
•    Ensure services are responsive, outcome-focused and aligned with council priorities and statutory responsibilities.
•    Lead transformational change programmes that improve quality, performance and resident experience.
•    Manage significant budgets and resources, ensuring value for money and sustainable service delivery.
•    Create a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, inclusion and professional excellence.

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 strategic leader who can combine vision with operational excellence.
•    Significant senior management experience within adult social care, community services, health or related public sector environments.
•    A strong understanding of strengths-based practice, safeguarding, Care Act responsibilities and integrated working.
•    Proven experience of leading large, complex teams through change and transformation.
•    Excellent partnership-building and stakeholder management skills.
•    A track record of delivering service improvement and positive outcomes for residents.
•    Strong financial, performance and commissioning acumen.
•    Outstanding communication, leadership and influencing abilities.
•    A commitment to equality, diversity, inclusion and resident engagement.
Essential Qualifications
•    Relevant professional qualification or equivalent senior leadership experience.
•    Evidence of continuing professional development.
•    Registration with the relevant professional body where applicable.

Why Join Barnet?
•    The opportunity to shape and influence strategic services across one of London's largest councils.
•    A collaborative and supportive senior leadership team.
•    Hybrid and flexible working arrangements.
•    Generous annual leave entitlement.
•    Local Government Pension Scheme
•    A comprehensive wellbeing offer.
•    Ongoing leadership development and career progression opportunities.

How to apply

If you are a visionary leader with the ambition, resilience and expertise to lead our Localities Service and make a lasting difference to the lives of Barnet residents, we would love to hear from you. Join us and help create stronger communities, improved outcomes and a brighter future for Barnet.
Barnet Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable adults and expects all employees to share this commitment. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

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 Carol.baxter@barnet.gov.uk Director of Adult Social Care Operations or Harsha.Pindoria@barnet.gov.uk Interim Principal Social Worker

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.