Service Manager – Harm outside the Home

City of York is seeking an experienced and motivated Service Manager to lead its Harm Outside the Home Team, supporting children and young people at risk of exploitation, contextual safeguarding concerns and other extra-familial harms.

This is a key leadership role responsible for providing strategic and operational oversight of a specialist multidisciplinary team, ensuring children receive timely, relationship-based interventions that improve outcomes and build safety through family networks, trusted relationships and effective multi-agency working.

The post sits at the forefront of the Families First Partnership Programme, helping to embed integrated Family Help and safeguarding services across the city. The successful candidate will lead on complex decision-making, chair multi-agency meetings, influence local policy and service development, and strengthen partnerships with education, police, health, youth justice and voluntary sector organisations.

We are looking for a qualified social worker with strong leadership skills, professional curiosity and a passion for improving outcomes for vulnerable children. You will provide effective supervision, drive high standards of practice, and foster a culture of learning, reflection and continuous improvement.

The team benefits from smaller caseloads, enabling intensive direct work with children and families, while also providing specialist consultation and support across wider children's services.

York's practice is underpinned by the Building Brighter Futures model and Signs of Safety, promoting relational, strengths-based, systemic and restorative approaches. As an Outstanding Ofsted-rated authority, we are committed to delivering excellent services for children and developing strong leaders to shape the future of safeguarding practice.

This post is not suitable as a job share opportunity.

As this role is public facing, applicants will need to demonstrate, at interview, their competency to converse and provide advice and guidance to members of the public, in spoken English to CEFR level C1: Can express themselves fluently and spontaneously, almost effortlessly. Only a conceptually difficult subject can hinder a natural, smooth flow of language.

Hybrid working arrangements are available for this role. Each role at CYC is different and your working arrangements will be determined based on the requirements of the role and in collaboration with you and your needs as part of the recruitment process. Your contractual location will be the designated council office for your team.

City of York Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment. We require the successful candidate to undertake an enhanced Criminal Record check via the Disclosure and Barring Service.

The Council is highly committed to investing in the talent and wellbeing of our staff and can offer a generous annual leave allowance, access to the Local Government Pension Scheme, comprehensive Health & Wellbeing initiatives and a reward package which recognises your contribution.

We can offer flexible working practices, community engagement and volunteer activities and, as part of our commitment to you, promote continuous Learning & Development.

In addition we also offer a growing range of discounts, rewards and savings.

For further information or an informal discussion please contact Cat Middleton at: Cat.middleton@york.gov.uk

Closing date: 16 August 2026

Interview date: TBC (possibly Tuesday 1 September 2026)