Adults Senior Social Worker - West 1 Area

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. The starting salary for our Senior Social Worker roles is £49,464 per annum (pro rata for part time). We have an opportunity for a Senior Social Worker secondment position up to 31 March 2027 in our amazing West Area 1 Team. Please seek your Line Manager's approval before submitting your application. We are looking for individuals who share our values and are motivated to make a significant and positive difference to the lives of our residents. If you come and work with us, you will find yourself part of an extremely friendly, forward thinking, supportive team where you will benefit from peer support and a strong focus on your career development. You will become an integral part of a team that supports people to achieve good outcomes by focusing on personalisation and a strengths-based approach. Our Offer to You 26 days’ holiday, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 31 days after 5 years’ service (pro-rated for part time opportunities) 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 Team West Area 1 covers the geographical areas of Guildford, Waverley and Surrey Heath Borough Council and as a part of the job role you will be expected to travel and case hold across the wider area and support our duty function. We are a forward thinking and diverse team incorporating multi-agency and collaborative working to promote opportunities for team members and customers. We foster close working relationships with our health colleagues. We have good staff retention and excellent opportunities for career development as well as continued professional development within the team through reflective practice including team champion roles. About the Role On a daily basis, you will be meeting with clients to understand their care and needs, how they can be supported in a person-centred approach and to provide the best outcomes for them. Your work may include a mix of complex case management but not limited to: S9 Care Act assessments S10 Carers assessments Mental capacity assessments Risk Assessments Multi-disciplinary meetings Safeguarding work Legal case management Partnership working closely with our community Health, charity and voluntary organisations. West 1 Area Team is formulated with Allocation Workers and Duty Workers who collectively support across the Area Team as the need arises. As a Senior Social Worker in Surrey, you will be expected to have strong experience in assessing the social care needs of service users, and provide direct social work intervention to some of the most challenging and complex service users and their carers. You will provide effective support to individuals using a strength-based approach to enable individuals to live as independently as possible with more choice and control. As part of the role you will be supervising members of staff within the team and supporting their development. In return for all your skills, enthusiasm and commitment we will support you to take your career to the next level. In turn, you will receive professional supervision and be working in a team of motivated, dedicated and friendly colleagues. Shortlisting Criteria In order to be considered for shortlisting, your application will clearly evidence the following skills and align with our behaviours : A relevant degree and registration with Social Work England. Substantial post-qualification professional experience as a social worker is also required., preferably within Adult Social Care. Experience of providing professional supervision (can include unqualified and non-professional supervision). You will be motivated and flexible with high professional standards and sound knowledge and experience of current legislation and its application to practice in a social care setting. An applied knowledge of The Care Act and The Mental Capacity Act and experience of undertaking safeguarding enquiries is essential alongside experience of working in complex situations using professional judgement and a range of interventions. You will have experience of, and be able to provide, professional, reflective supervision, guidance and advice to less experienced social workers, including those completing ASYE and social work students. Surrey has both urban and rural areas and Area Team based social care workers will be expected to have a valid driving licence to drive in the UK and access to a vehicle and be willing to travel across a wide geographical area. Reasonable adjustments where needed will be made for successful applicants who have a disability or long-term health condition to enable them to fulfil the requirements of the job. To apply, we request that you submit a CV and you will be asked the following 3 questions: Looking at our advert, and considering the Council’s commitment to ensuring that “no one is left behind”, please tell us what it is about the role that has motivated you to apply? Please tell us about the relevant experience or transferable skills you have that you can bring to this role? What three qualities do you have that would make you a good senior social worker and how do these qualities support Surrey County Council’s culture of collaboration, inclusivity, and adaptability? Please ensure you answer questions fully as they will be considered as a part of the short listing. Before submitting your application, we recommend you read the job description & Our Life at Surrey handbook to get an insight into working at Surrey. An enhanced DBS ‘Disclosure and Barring Service’ check for regulated activity (formerly known as CRB) and the Children’s and Adults’ Barred List checks will be required for this role. Contact us Please contact us for any questions relating to the role. This could be to discuss flexible working requests, transferable skills or any barriers to employment. For an informal discussion please contact Robert Pryde-Jarman or Clare Walton on 01483 518815, via email or on MS Teams. The job advert closes at 23:59 on 4th October 2026 with interviews planned for 14th October 2026 Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) Surrey County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation and will move to new authorities in April 2027. This role is currently employed by Surrey County Council and will remain so until then. If you are employed by Surrey County Council on 1 April 2027, your employment will transfer under TUPE arrangements to one of the new councils, with your current terms and conditions protected. The provisional allocation for this post is West Surrey Council, subject to final confirmation through the wider transition process later this year. 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.