Description Operational Director of Childrens Services Salary: Circa £72,000 per annum, pro rata which equates to £36,000 Location: Hybrid role covering the whole of Northern Ireland. Contract: Permanent, part time (working 17.5 hours a week) – working pattern is negotiable Benefits: 29 days annual leave PLUS bank holidays, with up to 5 additional days for continuous service and option to buy or sell leave Gain professional qualifications and excellent training/development opportunities Flexible maternity, adoption, and paternity packages Pension with up to 7% employer contribution with included life assurance cover Staff discount portal and Blue Light Card eligibility with 15,000 national retailers discounts. Vulnerable children in the UK need your help Wherever you work in the Action for Children family, you'll be helping to change the lives of the most vulnerable children in the UK. Last year, we helped more than 687,000 children and families across the UK. From direct work in communities to national campaigning, we are focused on making sure every child has a safe and happy childhood, and the foundations they need to thrive. Why Action for Children? Working here is more than a job. Everyone in the Action for Children family is passionate about protecting and supporting children. It's the sense of purpose that drives us every single day. Because we know that, when we work together, we can make a huge difference to bring lasting improvements to vulnerable children's lives. A bit about the role Are you a strong communicator and creative thinker with a flair for innovation who is focused and passionate about changing the lives of children and their families? We have a unique opportunity for an Operational Director of Children's Services to provide leadership and management across Northern Ireland. This is an exciting and rewarding role with the opportunity to make a huge impact. Reporting to the National Director of Northern Ireland, you’ll lead, develop, and manage a dedicated team of managers who deliver a range of children's services. This is an exciting opportunity for an inspirational leader who wants to make a difference to the lives of children and young people as part of an enthusiastic and ambitious Northern Ireland team. How you'll help to create brighter futures Providing leadership and operational oversight (including budgets) for a range of services while collaborating with peers and stakeholders. Having responsibility for direct reports, who'll be a range of committed managers with varying levels of expertise, and managing their performance. Monitoring contract management operations and ensuring effective governance by creating performance reports and supplying the information to relevant committees. Oversee local tenders and grants and subsequent implementation and delivery plans. Applying the highest standards of safeguarding and reporting on developments. Operating within the local political context, adhering to legislative and regulatory requirements and build collaborative working relationships with local and national bodies, local government, and their officials. Acting as key account manager to commissioners, partners, and stakeholders to ensure our services are promoted. Let's talk about you A Social Work degree (this is essential) Registration with NISCC A management qualification or working towards S/NVQ level 5 in management is desirable Substantial experiencing of safeguarding and managing children's services. Strong people leadership including (though not limited to) Culture, Health and Safety, Financial, Performance and Retention. Experience of Safeguarding and delivering or managing children's services. Commercial awareness and the ability to identify new sources of revenue and business opportunities. The availability and willingness to travel to various locations within Northern Ireland when required, though we are flexible, and this can be discussed further at interview. Contact: Emma Goodwin on 01923 361725 or email us at recruitmentserviceactionforchildren.org.uk quoting reference 11145. Please note: Interviews are planned to be held on 14th May 2025. Good to know Application Process Please note we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role. There are five sections to complete: Personal Details, CV, Supporting Statement & Information, Equality & Diversity, Submission & Declaration. Talent Pool We know talent when we see it. But sometimes we find the right person but not for the right job. We'd love to keep your details for when the right job comes up. Let us know if you'd rather we didn't. Diversity, equality and inclusion At Action for Children, we're dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace. We actively encourage applications from Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic and disabled candidates as they are under-represented within Action for Children. We want to take deliberate and purposeful action to ensure equal opportunity to all groups in society and for Action for Children. Male staff are under-represented within our Children Service roles. We would like to encourage more male applicants for our Children Service roles. Don't meet every single requirement? If you're excited about this role but your experience doesn't align perfectly with the job description, we'd love you to apply anyway. You might just be the perfect person for this role, or another role within the Action for Children family. Want to know more about Action for Children? Find us on X, Linkedin, Facebook or YouTube to get to know us better. Job Description See below for further information about working with us: Action for Children Employee Benefits AfC Commitment Statement Management Competency Framework Action for Children Northern Ireland Booklet