Team Manager - Emergency Duty Service

As our Team Manager of Berkshire Emergency Duty Service you will hold a degree in social work, and have a wealth of experience as a social care professional with a distinguished track record of managing multi-disciplinary and/or generic teams effectively.

You are committed to a person-centred approach and possess an in-depth understanding of professional, legal, and policy frameworks pertinent to social care and health. Ideally, you will bring extensive expertise in social care to the role and have a proven history of driving service enhancements, showcasing innovative and forward thinking solutions that have delivered tangible, measurable improvements.

• The ability to manage complex services and target resources effectively in an environment of competing priorities.
• Extensive experience in operational leadership in Social Care services
• Ability to challenge and support partners and providers to ensure the best possible services are provided to meet the needs of children and vulnerable adults in Berkshire.           
• Ability to use systems to provide management information, to evaluate performance and improve service outcomes.
• Extensive experience of budget monitoring.
• Extensive workforce development experience.
• An extensive customer relations experience investigating sensitive complaints.
• As a manager you will have strong leadership skills and the ability to be innovative whilst inspiring those who work for you.

The successful candidate will have a unique opportunity to inspire and implement meaningful change, working alongside a dedicated and dynamic team of colleagues.

This role promises to be challenging, diverse, and fulfilling, offering the satisfaction of making a tangible impact. You’ll collaborate with committed staff across six unitary authorities in Berkshire, and engage closely with management teams, as well as key partners including health, police, politicians, providers, and the voluntary sector.

About our team...

We are deeply committed to the wellbeing of Berkshire residents, and our dedicated out-of-hours social care team plays a crucial role in safeguarding some of our most vulnerable community members. Our specialist team includes Approved Mental Health Professionals, Senior Social Workers (Children’s Services), Adult Safeguarding Care Coordinators, and Call Screening Officers. Collaborating closely with health professionals, the police, and families, we provide vital support and intervention for individuals facing social care crises outside regular hours.

The Berkshire Emergency Duty Service (hosted by Bracknell Forest Council) provides unique, out-of-hours emergency social care across the entire Berkshire region. We take pride in our community, the care we deliver, and the meaningful partnerships we have built with key stakeholders. However, we’re always striving to improve, giving our team the time, support, and resources to do their best work while also shaping the future of the service. 

This is an exciting time to join the team. Following a recent service restructuring, EDS has been recognised as a safe and effective service that safeguards children and vulnerable adults, earning positive feedback from Ofsted and CQC. Our team is a diverse group of highly skilled professionals, each an expert in their respective fields, working together to deliver expert crisis intervention and specialised social care.

If you’re looking for an opportunity to work alongside outstanding colleagues, make a tangible difference, and drive innovative approaches to social care, this is your chance to leave a lasting mark.

Key responsibilities...

The Team Manager will serve as the Operational Lead for all six unitary authorities in Berkshire, overseeing and ensuring the efficient delivery and coordination of social service responses to emergencies and statutory duties outside regular office hours. This includes managing cases involving children and families, mental health crises, adult social care and safeguarding concerns, as well as housing related incidents.

Ensure positive outcomes for individuals and families through emergency out-of-hours social care while providing operational leadership to our multidisciplinary service. Contribute to the delivery of ambitious performance management goals and workforce development initiatives, working alongside a highly effective management team and service area to achieve excellence.

Our benefits...

• 28 days* annual leave increasing to 33 days* after 3 years’ continuous service.
• The opportunity to buy up to 10 additional days* annual leave per year and sell 5 days.
• Hybrid working opportunities to support your wellbeing and work-life balance. 
• An inclusive and social working environment with a variety of staff networks. 
• Local government pension scheme.
• Life insurance cover (linked to the pension scheme)
• Sports and social club. 
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption and fostering leave. 
• Career development through internal and external training opportunities. 
• A great office location next to travel links and Bracknell Forest’s thriving town centre. 
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support your health and wellbeing. 
• Staff dental and health plans. 
• Discounted leisure centre and gym membership. 
• Supermarket discount. 

*(pro rata for part time).

Our values...

At Bracknell Forest Council our values define who we are and what is important to us.  Our core values are inclusive, ambitious, and always learning. These values influence the way we work with each other and the way we serve our residents and engage with our communities. We make our values real by demonstrating them in how we behave every day. If you’re excited about joining a diverse team that celebrates learning and strives for excellence, we’d love to hear from you. 

We are committed to ensuring an inclusive recruitment process for all applicants. If you require any reasonable adjustments to support your application or interview, please let us know by contacting recruitment@bracknell-forest.gov.uk.  We will work with you to support you throughout the process.  

Interview date

Interviews will be held on 27^th January 2025. 

Interviews will be conducted in person, providing candidates with the chance to personally meet the team and experience our work environment.

We will be reviewing applications regularly and reserve the right to close the advert early if suitable candidates are identified. To avoid disappointment, you are advised to submit your application as soon as possible.

Please note AI is prohibited during the interview, any candidate using AI will be withdrawn from consideration.

Want to ask us a question?

For an informal discussion or to ask any questions about this role, please contact:

Dorcas Nyabunze, EDS Head of Service

or

Shelli Read, Business Manager

Tel.: 01344 353465 (please note this phone number is only available between 9.00 a.m. -5.00 p.m.)

 

At Bracknell Forest we champion equality, diversity and inclusion. At Bracknell Forest Council, we are always learning, ambition and inclusive. Please see our candidate pack for

more details.

Bracknell Forest Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect everyone employed with us to share this commitment. All successful candidates for this role will be subject to a DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) check as part of our pre-employment checks process.

Candidates should be able to demonstrate experience of working within the current Social Care System and Framework.

Social Work England registration fees can be claimed back from the Council. 

We can only accept applications from candidates currently residing in the UK.

Candidates currently residing in the UK who require sponsorship to work are encouraged to assess their eligibility for a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) based on the relevant criteria. Please be aware that sponsorship availability varies and is subject to eligibility requirements and budget limitations. As a result, we cannot guarantee sponsorship for all roles and will evaluate sponsorship requests on a case-by-case basis.

No agencies please.