Job title: Adoption Practice Lead

Salary: DIR 45% £60,480 – £66,318

Hours: 37

Contract: Permanent

Location: Hybrid working arrangement

About the role

Adoption England is a collaboration of Regional Adoption Agencies (RAA’s) working together, supported by a central national team hosted by Leeds City Council. Our mission is to strengthen adoption practice and develop support and services that better meet the needs of children, adopted people and families.

We are now recruiting an Adoption Practice Lead, a national role at the heart of modernising adoption practice across England. You will work closely with the National Adoption Strategic Lead, the wider senior leadership team, RAA leaders, voluntary adoption agencies and government partners to drive sector‑wide improvement.

You will lead practice development and programmes of work that support agencies to implement change, improve consistency and deliver high‑quality, evidence‑informed services.

You will use data, collaboration and clear strategic leadership to help shape the future of adoption practice. The role is hybrid, with flexibility to work from home and travel nationally when required, with attendance in Leeds approximately once a month.

About you

You will be an experienced qualified social worker, registered with Social Work England, with extensive knowledge of adoption practice, legislation and the lived experiences of adopted people and families. You understand the importance of modernising adoption and bring a thoughtful, compassionate approach to the complexities for adopted children, the adults they become, and their families affected by adoption.

You have a strong track record of leading system‑level change, improving service quality and delivering measurable outcomes.

You are confident managing competing priorities, navigating political environments and working with a range of partners and people with lived experience.

You are an effective people leader, able to manage, support, coach and influence others and that you use data and evidence to inform decisions, measure impact and plan future work. You also model inclusive leadership.

You understand how bias, inequality and structural barriers affect children, families and the workforce, and you are committed to anti‑discriminatory practice.

You uphold Leeds City Council’s values, challenge poor behaviours and help create a culture where everyone feels respected, safe and able to contribute.

If you are motivated by improving outcomes for adopted people, passionate about sector‑wide improvement and confident working at pace in a national role, we would love to hear from you.

What we offer you

We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:

a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions.

Post holders will work flexibly both at home and will be available to attend an in person meeting approximately once a month in Leeds and be able to attend in person meetings at other events/conferences across the country as required.

We particularly encourage applications from candidates who identify as Black, Asian or from an ethnic minority background as those from LGBTQ+ community – as these groups are underrepresented in our Adoption workforce.

This role is available on a secondment basis, and you will need your manager’s agreement to apply on this basis.

How to apply

Please complete the online application form.

If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role, please contact Sarah Johal on sarah.johal@adoptionengland.co.uk

We are currently planning for the interviews to take place on

Thursday 30^th July for the Practice Lead

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check against the Children’s or Adults’ barred list as applicable will be carried out on preferred candidates. Read our recruitment of ex-offenders policy.

We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.

This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.

If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visaroute before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Ensure you are eligible before applying.

Job Description

Job purpose

Supporting the National Adoption Strategic Lead and Adoption England to modernise adoption and to deliver significant strategic national programmes within the adoption sector. They will help the adoption agencies to modernise adoption practices and implement changes across the country to improve adoption practice and services that better support the needs of adopted people and their families.

Responsibilities

Lead the implementation of a practice improvement programme in collaboration with the National Adoption Strategic Lead, Adoption England, local authorities, voluntary adoption agencies and other key stakeholders.
Work in partnership with Regional Adoption Agency (RAA) leaders and staff, government officials, ministers, service users and partner stakeholders in ways which support inclusive, open and accountable government through the provision of strategic advice on practice in the adoption sector and support them in their respective roles.
Responsible for leading the implementation of adoption sector wide practice development and change programme and delivering measurable transformational outcomes around adoption.
Work in partnership with the agency leaders to prepare the sector and the agencies for change.
Work in partnership with the agency leaders, Adoption England team and other stakeholders to identify future improvement opportunities and support Adoption England to scope and deliver projects that align with the overall strategic goals of Adoption England.
Use data to make decisions, measure outcomes and plan for future work.
Represent the RAA leaders’ group and National Adoption Strategic lead as and when required to provide briefings to government officials and ministers.
Identify, secure and monitor resources and staff from relevant areas, as necessary, to manage and be responsible for delivering specific projects and work packages within the programme aiming to maximise the use of resources and ensuring the learning is shared across programmes and agencies.
Ensure that risks are identified and effectively managed at both programme and project level, so that management action can be taken in good time, where necessary.
Prepare and present Highlight, End of Stage, Exception and other ad-hoc information and written reports, in accordance with agreed formats, to a variety of stakeholders as and when required, and when major deliverables and key milestones are due.
Proactively manage and monitor the development and delivery of programme benefits across RAA’s and key stakeholders to promote the vision to RAAs, senior managers and ministers involved in adoption services across the country.
Manage and control the budgets effectively and efficiently, in line with the councils Financial Procedures Rules, and to monitor expenditure and costs against the delivered and realised benefits on an ongoing basis.
Ensure flexibility within and across the programme ensuring it can react in a controlled and structured way to changes in priorities.
Maintain awareness of policy and other developments, at the national, regional and local level, which have policy, service delivery or other implications for RAA leaders.

General Leeds City Council Corporate responsibilities

Support delivery of practice programmes of strategic significance to the Council to deliver services in line with Council priorities.
Responsible for the development and delivery of the service plan and drive continuous improvement initiatives through leading and contributing to cross Council projects.
In line with the Budget Management Accountability Framework to be responsible and accountable for all financial resources within the service area ensuring value for money and working within financial regulations
Review and monitor the performance of services, systems, budget, teams and individuals against standards and agreed outcomes in a cost effective and flexible way that is responsive to a dynamic local, political and national context
The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate to the grade.

Qualifications

Qualified Social Worker with Registration with Social Work England upon commencement of the post and maintain registration with evidence of ongoing professional development and with extensive knowledge of maintaining relationships and connections after adoption.

Working Context

Post holders will work flexibly both at home and at Merrion House and at other locations as needed. All colleagues should work in line with our hybrid working principles and spend some time in the workplace to support service delivery, meeting the needs of the team and the requirements of their individual role. The hours are worked mainly Monday to Friday. However, the post holder will be expected to work outside normal working hours, including attendance at evening/weekend meetings or events if required to meet the needs of the service.

Essential requirements

Candidates will only be shortlisted if they can demonstrate that they meet all the essential requirements.

Able to demonstrate examples of managing services and achieving quality transformational outcomes.
Able to manage competing priorities, ensuring delivery on a range of programmes and adapting to changing circumstances.
Proven ability to engage, work with and influence a wide range of colleagues and stakeholders including senior, political, faith and community leaders, and ability to promote buy-in to the programme aims, objectives and deliverables to deliver system level change
Proven ability to work both independently and with a team and to effectively communicate with staff, service users, councillors, partners and other key stakeholders.
Proven ability to manage and prioritise own workload and that of people you manage in complex environments adapting to changing demands and circumstances ensuring delivery on a range of programmes.
Proven people management skills, including management, coaching, mentoring and influencing stakeholder and decision makers, agreeing responsibilities, objectives, priorities, performance assessment and appraisal, recruitment and selection and disciplinary matters.
In depth knowledge and understanding of adoption and children’s services legislation, policy and practice and practical experience of adoption social work.
Knowledge and understanding of project management structure and cycle and the ability to manage both the dependencies and interfaces between projects in the programme, and links with other programmes, projects and initiatives.
Detailed knowledge and understanding of economic strategy and policy, understanding of local government political systems and experience of working on politically sensitive issues
knowledge of applicable, legislation, regulations, policies, inspections and performance information
Significant experience and ability to provide examples of leading change programmes and system level change and proven ability to use evidence and data to make decisions, measure outcomes and plan for future work.
Significant experience of leading change programmes, including improving service quality and driving up standards and performance, demonstrating the ability to manage competing priorities whilst ensuring delivery on a range of programmes and adapting to changing circumstances.
Experience of senior leadership and management relevant to area of service delivery.
Experience of strategic and operational resource management including the evaluation of competing priorities and managing accountabilities
Significant experience and commitment in relation to engagement in decision making processes.
Significant experience of developing productive working relationships with Council Members, trade unions and Corporate Leadership Team.

Behavioural & other Characteristics required.

Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct.
Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Leeds Ambitions of health and wellbeing, inclusive growth, thriving strong communities and a resilient sustainable city.
Be aware of promote and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures e.g., health, safety and security, confidentiality, and data protection.
Be aware of and support difference ensuring equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, and promoting the behaviours, values and standards of Leeds City Council.
Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, ensuring compliance with relevant policies and procedures.
Understand and observe Leeds City Council approach to equality, diversity and inclusion.
Carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health and Safety Policies.