Job summary
- Main area
- Social Work
- Grade
- Band 8b
- Contract
- 18 months (18 Month Fixed Term or Secondment Contract)
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 310-MOPAC-7277792
- Employer
- Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Huntingdon - but subject to negotiation
- Town
- Huntingdon
- Salary
- £62,215 - £72,293 per annum pro rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 22/07/2025 23:59
Employer heading

Head of Social Work - Older Peoples and Adults
Band 8b
Job overview
18 Month Fixed-Term or Secondment Contract
An exciting opportunity has arisen to lead and operationally manage the Older Peoples and Adults Social Work service based at CPFT on behalf of both Cambridgeshire County and Peterborough City Councils, under S75 Partnership Agreements (NHS Act 2006). The post is that of Head of Social Work, with a focus upon the delivery of statutory social work with older people and their carers.
Main duties of the job
The post requires a high level of partnership and collaborative working across the NHS and with our two local authorities, as well as other partners, agencies and providers within our health and social care community.
This post needs someone who is a registered social worker, has strong leadership skills and demonstrates a proven record of management and leadership. Extensive experience of working within mental health services is essential to support the pathway.
You will be expected to strengthen the leadership of social work within CPFT and actively support the delivery of the Section 75 Agreement within CPFT.
Working for our organisation
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust is a health and social care organisation dedicated to providing high-quality care with compassion to improve the health and wellbeing of the people we care for, as well as supporting and empowering them to lead a fulfilling life.
Our clinical teams deliver many NHS services, not only via inpatient and primary care settings, but also within the community. These services include children's, adult and older people's mental health, forensic and specialist mental health, learning disabilities, primary care and liaison psychiatry, substance misuse, social care, research and development.
To achieve our goal, we look to recruit high-calibre candidates who share our vision and values. As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applications from all sectors of the community, particularly from under-represented groups including people with long term conditions and members of our ethnic minority and LGBTQ+ communities.
Regrettably, we cannot offer sponsorship for all our job roles. If you apply for a role that we cannot offer sponsorship for, unfortunately, your application form will be rejected from the process.
For further information on CPFT, please visit our website at www.cpft.nhs.uk
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of responsibilities
- To lead and manage the delivery of a high quality effective social work service meeting the needs of adults with mental health problems in a responsive way.
- Proactively work with colleagues to ensure that relevant policies, procedures, and guidance relating to service delivery and employment are in place and are effectively implemented; including practice standards and quality assurance governance arrangements.
- To have a thorough understanding of the S75 Partnership Agreement relating to the provision of Social Work services within CPFT.
- To ensure that systems and processes are in place to evidence and report on required performance indicators; this includes delegated legislative responsibilities in relation to the Care Act (2014), Mental Health Act (1983 and subsequent revisions), Mental Capacity Act (2005) and all other applicable statute.
- To ensure that there is an appropriately resourced, and fit for purpose OPAC service in place.
Please note for this role you will be required to travel independently around the county. You will need to hold a full UK driving licence* and have use of a vehicle. You cannot use public transport for this role as this is not a reliable form of transport and will not allow you to meet service needs. Please confirm in your application that you meet the specified criteria.
*DVLA have a number of reciprocal arrangements with overseas countries, for further information please visit the DVLA website
Person specification
Education / Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Recognised degree level qualification (or equivalent) in Social Work
- Active Social Work England (SWE) Registration.
Desirable criteria
- Relevant post graduate qualification.
- Level 5 diploma in management or equivalent.
- Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) qualification
Experience
Essential criteria
- Extensive demonstrable experience of developing and sustaining systems and processes to effect high quality service delivery and maintain performance standards.
- Extensive demonstrable experience of analysing complex issues and offer sound professional and managerial advice.
- Committed to a systemic approach to social work and social learning theory interventions
- Extensive and demonstrable experience of delivering high quality professional services in line with service standards.
Desirable criteria
- Social Work Practice and/or Management within a health based environment.
Skills & Abilities
Essential criteria
- Strong negotiation skills
- Ability to challenge others constructively and make informed decisions
- Ability to communicate effectively at all levels
Knowledge & Understanding
Essential criteria
- Extensive demonstrable knowledge of, and commitment to governmental, national, and local council priorities and policies, and relevant Social Care and Health policy and practice in relation to the provision of services
- Extensive demonstrable knowledge and understanding of systems and processes to manage case work and budgets in order to provide effective service delivery.
- Extensive and demonstrable knowledge of safeguarding and risk management.
- Extensive demonstrable project management experience of delivering successful service change and development projects in line with agreed quality, time, and cost targets.
Desirable criteria
- Working knowledge and awareness of S75 Partnership Agreement arrangements.
Physical Requirements
Essential criteria
- Frequent travel across region
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Adrian Ball
- Job title
- Operations Director
- Email address
- [email protected]
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