Operations Manager

Job Description

Are you a dedicated and experienced leader in children’s social care, driven by a genuine commitment to making positive changes for vulnerable children and families? If so, we’d be delighted to receive your application for this rewarding role!

We are recruiting an Operations Manager for Children in Care (CIC) within East Sussex County Council’s Children’s Services. In this key leadership position, you will oversee three dedicated teams of Social Workers who specialise in supporting children in care. You will hold full accountability for delivering all statutory responsibilities related to these children.

Additionally, you will lead the county-wide Family Time service, which supports meaningful contact between children in care and their families. This service operates from three welcoming centres located in Hailsham (Dunbar Drive), Hastings (Silverlands), and Newhaven (Meeching).
This is a fantastic chance to drive real improvement, enhance outcomes for children and their families, and play a central role in modernising and strengthening our Children in Care provision.

Key responsibilities include:

• Ensuring high-quality, statutory-compliant services for children and families across your designated area, fully aligned with County Council policies, procedures, and quality standards.
• Meeting annual performance targets through effective planning and delivery.
• Managing the service unit’s budget responsibly, in line with the departmental delegation scheme.
• Leading performance management using the Performance Assessment Framework, key indicators, and agreed objectives.
• Building and leading high-performing teams through strong people management, staff supervision, motivation, team development, and consistent application of all council HR policies and procedures.

We are seeking candidates who bring:

• A recognised Social Work qualification and current registration with Social Work England (or the relevant professional regulatory body).
• A management qualification at NVQ Level 4 (or equivalent)  or a clear commitment to achieving one.
• Proven ability to assess local service needs and allocate resources effectively.
• Experience in developing and rolling out innovative service improvements.
• Strong skills in supervising and managing staff, motivating teams, and fostering collaborative working environments.

To apply, simply click the ‘Apply Now’ button and submit your CV along with a Supporting Statement. This statement is crucial for shortlisting, so please clearly demonstrate how you meet the full person specification, drawing on your professional experience, relevant education, and any personal insights or interests that support your suitability.

For full details, please download the Job Description and Person Specification from the vacancy page.

Guidance on crafting a strong application is available on our how to apply page.

We operate a priority shortlisting process for certain applicants check our priority status page for more information.

Interviews will be held in person on 6 March at St Mary’s House in Eastbourne.

We are proud to offer a comprehensive range of employee benefits to support your wellbeing and work-life balance. Discover more on our employee benefits page.

If you’d like an informal chat about the role before applying, please feel free to contact Sally Carnie at Sally.Carnie@eastsussex.gov.uk.

I never imagined I’d stay with the council for over twelve years when I first joined, but I’ve genuinely loved it. The opportunities have been brilliant, and during my two maternity leaves, I received fantastic support – I never felt my career had to pause for family life.
Carla, Operations Manager

Enjoy an excellent work-life balance with East Sussex County Council!

Additional Information:

This position requires an Enhanced DBS check (including barred list information) or an Enhanced check for Regulated Activity, as it involves working with children. For details on what this entails, visit the official GOV.UK guidance on DBS checks for applicants.

If you have lived or worked overseas, we will also require evidence of an overseas police check.
The salary is pro rata for part-time or term-time roles (where applicable).

If you need sponsorship to work in the UK, please mention this in your application so we can assess eligibility. More information on work visas and sponsorship is available on the GOV.UK page for work visas.

Should you require any reasonable adjustments to participate fully in the recruitment process due to a disability, please contact the hiring manager using the details above.

Join us and help shape a brighter future for children and families in East Sussex