Strategic Lead -Corporate Parenting

Grade O scp 58 £70,697 to scp 62 £75,228, essential car user allowance up to £963pa pay award pending.
Contract: permanent
Hours: 37 per week
Essential requirement: full driving licence, DBS
Essential qualification: Must be a qualified social worker and registered with Social Work England
Interview date: 11 September 2026
For further information about this role, contact: Sandra.bruce@bolton.gov.uk

Unfortunately, we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role.

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The Role

The role of the Strategic Lead Corporate Parenting will provide the strategic oversight and leadership for services for our looked after children, including our care experienced young people. The role will also have strategic oversight of our fostering and residential provision

As strategic lead you will bring vision and direction to your heads of service who will manage the teams directly delivering to our looked after children.

You will be a member of a new strategic leadership team reporting directly to the Assistant Director and together with your colleagues you will be responsible for achieving our strategic priorities, in line with the new Families First agenda.

You will work closely with our lead member as part of delivering the corporate parenting strategy and will direct and support the work of the corporate parent board

About You

We are on a journey to excellence in Bolton and are investing in strategic leadership across Children’s Services. We understand that to deliver excellence for the children of Bolton we require excellent leaders. You will be inspirational, able to articulate your vision for services based on a clear understanding of what’s required. Whilst you understand the current status you will also evidence your ability to reimagine and transform services when required.
You will need to demonstrate that you are a good communicator both verbally, including through presentation, as well as written skills
You will be abreast of the current national drivers and legislation which will underpin your rationale for service design.
You will have relevant management experience including experience of transforming services to deliver better outcomes for children and young people. We are seeking someone with at least three years’ experience in a management role where you have led change programmes

In Bolton we value leaders that are kind, reflective, assertive and empathic and above all else we want leaders who care deeply for children and young people and who are driven to create the conditions for them to thrive.

About Us
This is your opportunity to join us at an exciting time as we have strong ambitions for the borough.

Bolton is a great place to work. We are a welcoming organisation that wants to contribute to a place where people feel active, connected and prosperous. We are passionate about improving the outcomes and experience of Bolton people. We want Bolton to be a vibrant place built on strong cohesive communities, successful businesses and healthy, engaged residents.

As an employer we want to thank our employees for their hard work and commitment, by giving them the opportunity to access a range of exclusive rewards and benefits, including discounts and exclusive gym membership prices and salary sacrifice schemes. In addition, we offer a generous annual leave allowance, flexible work opportunities, access to a Pension Scheme, as well as a range of employee wellbeing and support services.

Our Values are really important to us, read all about them below, along with all our great staff benefits, the job description/person specification for the role and the important legal bits, and our Top Tips too.

Ready to apply? Then please click Apply and upload your anonymised CV and supporting statement discussing your relevant skills and experience and explain how you believe they make you a strong fit for this role.

Within Greater Manchester, local authorities have made a commitment to improve the employment opportunities for people with disabilities, care leavers, carers, and ex-military personnel. Please see greater.jobs for further information before you apply.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable adults and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) clearance - this post is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (amended in 2013). Employment offers are conditional subject to satisfactory clearances. For roles where a criminal records check from the DBS is required, this includes satisfactory clearance of this check. The possession of a criminal record will not necessarily bar an individual from working with us. This will depend on the nature of the position and the circumstances and background of an individual’s offence/s. Information provided by you or the DBS will be dealt with in a confidential manner and in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice which can be viewed here. Bolton Council’s policy on the Employment of Ex-Offenders is available here.

This post is a designated customer facing role under the fluency duty and requires a specified level of spoken English as per the person specification.

This organisation has signed up to the Greater Manchester Continuous Service Commitment. That means we will recognise your continuous or ‘unbroken’ service in any Greater Manchester local authority or NHS organisation that has signed the commitment, Transport for Greater Manchester, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service or Greater Manchester Combined Authority, giving you access to our service-related benefits. Please see the home page of greater.jobs for more information.

For more information about working for Bolton Council, please see greater.jobs; for advice and support with your application, contact recruitment@bolton.gov.uk