Service Manager – Assessment Service

Overview

Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council is seeking an experienced, strategic, and passionate Service Manager to lead our Assessment Service at Dudley Children’s Services. In this pivotal leadership role you will oversee multiple teams at the front door, ensuring consistency, quality of practice, and strong decision‑making for children and families at the earliest point of contact.

At Dudley Children’s Services, we are committed to innovation, continuous improvement, and putting children first.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and oversight to Team Managers across the Assessment Service
• Work closely with the Service Managers and Principal Service Leads in Family Help to manage demand across areas
• Drive consistency of practice, performance, and decision‑making across all teams
• Ensure delivery of timely, high‑quality assessments that are analytical and outcome‑focused
• Maintain oversight of risk, thresholds and safeguarding decisions at the front door
• Lead on service development and continuous improvement, embedding best practice across teams
• Manage service demand and performance, ensuring resources are used effectively
• Support and develop Team Managers to deliver strong leadership and high standards of practice
• Work closely with partners to ensure a coordinated, multi‑agency approach
• Contribute to strategic planning and service direction alongside the Principal Service Lead

Qualifications

• Qualified and highly experienced social worker with substantial leadership experience in children’s services
• Strong understanding of front‑door services, thresholds, and assessment practice
• Experience leading managers and driving service‑wide improvements
• Confidence in making complex decisions in high‑pressure environments
• Track record of improving performance, quality and outcomes for children
• Strong communicator, able to influence, challenge and support at all levels
• Commitment to delivering consistent, high‑quality, child‑centred practice across services

Benefits

• Lead a critical front‑line service, shaping practice at the earliest stage of a child’s journey
• Drive consistency and excellence across multiple teams
• Work as part of a supportive and ambitious senior leadership team
• Influence service‑wide improvement and strategic direction
• Benefit from hybrid working, with an expectation of 3 in‑person office‑based days per week

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