Job Introduction We are committed to the development of our workforce. This position is only available to applicants who already work for Surrey County Council. We thank you for your interest in our roles and would encourage you to review our vacancies which are open to all. This role has a starting salary of £63,823 per annum, based on a 36 hour working week. This is a fixed term contract / secondment opportunity until March 31st 2027. We have a great opportunity to join our Children’s Social Care Transformation team as a Transformation Manager for the Fostering Service . This will provide the opportunity to play a key role in a programme to deliver a high profile review of fostering services. We support hybrid working with the right balance and come together in person for 2 days per week on average (40% of the working week) and support working from home arrangements. Our Offer to You 26 days’ holiday, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 31 days after 5 years’ service Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave A generous local government salary related pension Up to 5 days of carer’s leave and 2 paid volunteering days per year Paternity, adoption and dependents leave An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources Wellbeing and lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, and shopping A chance to make a real difference to the lives of our residents. About The Role As a Transformation Manager, you will lead complex service reviews, redesign initiatives and transformation programmes that deliver meaningful improvements for children, families and services. Working with practitioners, operational leaders and partners, you will analyse current ways of working, facilitate workshops and co-design activity, and develop future-focused service models. You will also lead process reviews, options appraisals and business case development, providing expert challenge, advice and support to senior stakeholders while helping to embed continuous improvement and benefits realisation. A key focus will be leading a high-profile transformation programme to improve the recruitment, utilisation and retention of foster carers. Using data, insight and sector best practice, you will identify opportunities to strengthen fostering capacity, improve placement sufficiency and achieve better outcomes for children. You will benchmark Surrey's fostering offer, develop evidence-based improvement plans and work with operational leaders to implement sustainable service improvements. You will also lead innovative test-and-learn approaches, including new recruitment and utilisation strategies for carers supporting adolescents. Working collaboratively with service leaders and change colleagues, you will build stakeholder commitment, support implementation and deliver measurable service improvements, financial efficiencies and increased value for residents. Your Application In order to be considered for shortlisting, your application will clearly evidence the following skills and align with our behaviours : Experience leading transformation, service improvement or organisational change initiatives. Strong consultancy, facilitation and stakeholder engagement skills. Experience of service design, process improvement and change management methodologies. Ability to develop business cases, options appraisals and recommendations for senior decision-makers. Strong analytical, problem-solving and communication skills. Experience of working in complex public sector or partnership environments. Knowledge of children's services, family help, safeguarding or related services would be advantageous. To apply, we request that you submit a CV and you will be asked the following 4 questions: Describe a programme or project you have led that improved service performance, capacity or utilisation. How did you use data and insight to identify improvement opportunities, what changes did you implement, and what outcomes were achieved? Tell us about a time when you led service redesign that required significant engagement with operational teams and stakeholders. How did you build support for change, manage resistance, and ensure successful implementation? Please provide an example of where you reviewed a service, benchmarked practice against other organisations, or developed options for improvement. How did you gather and analyse evidence, develop recommendations, and secure agreement to move forward? Describe a programme you have led that delivered both service improvement and financial efficiencies. How did you identify opportunities, track benefits, and ensure efficiencies were realised while maintaining or improving outcomes? A basic DBS 'Disclosure and Barring Service' check for regulated activity (formerly known as CRB) will be required for this role. Before submitting your application, we recommend you read the job description & Our Life at Surrey handbook to get an insight into working at Surrey. The job advert closes at 23:59 on 23rd July 2026 with interviews planned to follow. Contact Us Please contact Helen Kay for any questions relating to the role. This could be to discuss flexible working requests, transferable skills or any barriers to employment. Local Government Organisation (LGR) Surrey County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation, moving from a two-tier system to new unitary councils in April 2027. Your role will transfer with current terms and conditions to one of these new councils, supporting local devolution and greater powers for our communities. Join our dynamic team and shape the future of local government. Make a lasting impact with innovative solutions and improved services for our community. Help us build a brighter future for our residents! Please see more information here: Information for applicants on Local Government Reorganisation - Surrey County Council Our Commitment We are a disability confident employer which means if you have shared a disability on your application form and have evidenced you meet the minimum shortlisting criteria, as displayed on the advert, we guarantee you an interview. Your skills and experience truly matter to us. From application to your first day, we’re committed to supporting you with any adjustments you need, we value inclusion and warmly welcome you to join and help build a workplace where everyone belongs.

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