Assistant Director Adult Social Care

Do you have outstanding leadership qualities with a proven track record of high performance? Do you have aspirations to one day become a Director of Adult Social Care, and maybe more?

A rare opportunity has arisen to join the leadership team in Adult Care and Community Wellbeing at Lincolnshire County Council.

About Adult Care & Community Wellbeing

Our performance is consistently good to very good, as certified by our rating of GOOD across the board from our recent CQC assurance review. We have a strong reputation for achieving more but spending less, with excellent outcomes for our residents while at the same time achieving a balanced budget in each of the past 10 years. We are looking for someone to join our senior team who can be part of making sure we continue on that path.

As a large and ambitious service, we are focused on enabling people to secure the best possible outcomes in their lives, building resilience, maximising independence and helping them stay connected to their chosen communities. You (and we with you) will only achieve this by working alongside strategic partners, people who draw on care and support, carers and our County Councillors.

Some of the key reasons for our success have been the longstanding close strategic partnerships within the Council and with partner organisations, a strong preventative offer and a clear commissioning model for social care. We're proud of the extent of the integrated working we've achieved between health and social care partners, which currently includes a pooled budget in excess of £260m. Working alongside colleagues in our seven District Councils, we have seen significant progress on improving housing provision for older and disabled people.

But this is not enough. We want to go further. A lot further.

You will be a bridge-builder, acting as a role model to those around you, with the strategic lead for the delivery of integrated arrangements and services for older people, effectively managing annual budgets of over £140m. Key early tasks will include the development of a new approach to day opportunities for older people, the establishment of an integrated approach to intermediate care with NHS partners, and the implementation of a new system-wide strategy for older people. More broadly, you will lead on ensuring the very highest standards of professional practice across adult social care as a whole, through your line management of the Principal Social Worker. You will also contribute to maintaining the service's regional and national profile, maximising the Council's influence and promoting a philosophy of collaborative and integrated working.

We have a 'One Council' ethos, which means you will also have the opportunity to make a significant contribution to wider corporate transformation, building on what is a highly successful organisation. Within this, there is the potential to explore a range of different approaches that might become available, through the new devolution arrangements for Greater Lincolnshire, which will shortly bring together the County Council and the two unitary authorities for North and North-East Lincolnshire into a new Mayoral County Combined Authority.

Lincolnshire is one of the largest county councils in the country, with almost eight hundred thousand residents. The county is characterised by its very rural and coastal nature, which though beautiful brings with it some significant issues of isolation for our rapidly growing older population, while Lincoln City is a vibrant hub with a large student population at its two universities.

About You

To undertake this role, you will need to be a registered Social Worker with considerable experience within a statutory adult social care setting.

You will also bring:

• The aptitude to be the person we need and have a track record of considerable success, with the evidence and experience to match
• The ability to effectively manage a high-profile personal portfolio, which is one of the biggest areas of responsibility at Lincolnshire County Council
• Energy and drive, combined with political astuteness

About Our Offer

Along with a competitive salary of between £99,878 - £114,885 (dependent on competency, knowledge and skills) we are offering;

• A Contributory pension
• Comprehensive benefits package including excellent discount schemes and cycle to work
• Flexible working patterns split between home and office
• Professional support and development
• An annual leave entitlement of up to 31 days plus the option to buy more

Further details can be found in our rewards and benefits brochure

What Next

If you think you're the right person for the role then we would love to hear from you.

Please submit your CV and a personal statement of not more than four pages in length, setting out why you have applied, how you meet the essential and desirable criteria for the role as set out in the Job Description (attached on LCC jobs Site), and what you feel you can bring to this role, to the Adult Care and Community Wellbeing Directorate and to the wider County Council.

We would encourage you to have an informal conversation with Martin Samuels, Executive Director of Adult Care and Community Wellbeing, before you submit your application. To arrange a call, please email .

The Interview Process

Any successfully shortlisted candidates who have not already spoken with Martin Samuels will be contacted to have an informal conversation with him on 03/06/2024 (this will not form part of the interview scoring).

The interview process will commence with a Technical Interview via TEAMS on 07/06/2023. This will be followed by a full 4 panel interview process, which will be held face to face at Lincolnshire County Council, County Offices, Lincoln, on 17/06/2024.

Applications Close 27/05/2024.

A Smarter Working Employer

We have embraced new ways of working and hybrid working will be a feature of this role. You will be given a nominated contractual work base and you will be required to commute to this work base when necessary. Working arrangements regarding hybrid working will be discussed as part of the appointment process.

Our technology platform and equipment is very good enabling you to connect and collaborate remotely. We require that you have in place good connectivity, and we will discuss during the recruitment process if support with this is needed.

Please be advised that this position may be subject to a criminal record check.

All candidates are advised to read the attached job information pack prior to making an application.

On occasion we receive significantly more applications than expected for some vacancies and under such circumstances we reserve the right to bring forward the closing date of the advertisement. We therefore strongly advise you to apply for the role promptly to avoid disappointment should the closing date be brought forward.

We operate a talent pool scheme whereby candidates who are not successful on this occasion may be considered for a period of up to 3 months for equal positions.

Lincolnshire County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.