Our Values

In line with our One Coventry Values, we want to ensure that our communities are represented across our workforce. A vital part of this is ensuring we are a truly inclusive organisation that encourages diversity in all respects, including diversity of thinking. We particularly welcome applicants from minority ethnic, LGBT+, disabled and neurodiverse communities to make a real difference to our residents so that equity and respect remains at the heart of everything we do. 

Our Values are:

• Open and fair: We are fair, open, and transparent.
• Nurture and develop: We help and encourage everyone to be their best and do their best.
• Engage and empower: We talk and listen to others, working together as one.
• Create and innovate: We embrace new ways of working to continuously improve.
• Own and be accountable: We work together to deliver the best services for our residents.
• Value and respect: We put diversity and inclusion at the heart of all we do.

About the team we are recruiting to

At Coventry City Council, we are embarking on an incredible journey to create a brighter future for Coventry's children. As a 'good' Local Authority, we believe in pushing boundaries and delivering excellence for children and families. We value diverse perspectives and experiences and are striving to create a workplace culture that is inclusive, is accepting of all and is free from discrimination and bias.

Our vision is clear, and our social workers are unwavering in their commitment to putting children and families at the centre of their practice.

Be part of our inspiring team, making a meaningful difference in the lives of Coventry's children. Together, let's create a nurturing environment where every child's potential can flourish.

What is the job role?

We have a fantastic opportunity within Coventry Children’s Services for an experienced and skilled manager.  We are looking to recruit a Quality Assurance and Review Service Manager.  This is a full-time and permanent role. The role is a Service Manager level position and is based within the Children’s Services Quality Assurance Service.  The post holder will be responsible for leading and managing the IRO Service in Coventry.

The Quality Assurance and Review Service Manager plays a significant part in driving this ambition forward and enabling it to become reality, particularly for children in care, and care leavers.  The specific purpose of the role is:

• To drive and secure high standards for all children and young people in care and care leavers in Coventry.
• To have operational management responsibility for the IROs, and to coordinate the day-to-day delivery of the Independent Reviewing Service.
• To contribute to the collation of effective management information and to interpret this to effectively report on performance standards.
• To form and develop effective working partnerships, and to represent Coventry Children’s Services and the Quality Assurance Service, as an active contributor to a range of multi-agency and cross boundary forums.
• To assist and support the Operational Lead in their operational and strategic role.
• To provide leadership and support across wider Quality Assurance Service
• To produce and present a comprehensive IRO Service Annual Report, and to contribute to the Children’s Services Annual Self-Assessment, in accordance with overall strategic plans for the directorate.

Coventry City Council Children’s Services values its employees and is committed to meeting the diverse and ever-evolving needs of individuals and communities living within the city.  We work together with a shared ambition to continually improve, develop, and strengthen the offer to children and families. We recognise that within our team men, including men from minority ethnic backgrounds are currently under-represented across our middle-management team, as a result we would like to encourage men to apply for this post.  This does not prevent any other applicants with a protected characteristic or a non-protected characteristic from applying

This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to this post will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

Who are we looking for?

An inspirational leader who can demonstrate relevant knowledge, skill, and experience, as outlined in the Job Description and Person Specification. You will have a passion for driving high quality service delivery for children and families and an ambition that matches Coventry City Council Children’s Services.  You will have strong leadership, communication and interpersonal skills, as well as flexibility, adaptability and resilience in the face of challenges and changing circumstances.

Join us at this exciting time of change and growth within Coventry Children’s Services and be part of our development to the next level. The challenges are big, but the opportunities and will to achieve success are bigger!

You will be a qualified social worker with knowledge of the Coventry Safeguarding Children Partnership multi agency processes and procedures, as well as relevant underpinning legislation and policy. You will have experience of leading partnership (including inter-agency partnership) working, alongside experience of successfully leading and managing change. You will be a robust decision maker who is able to set and communicate clear objectives, can appropriately challenge colleagues and managers, and can translate ideas into a reality.

You will need to be able to demonstrate a willingness to embrace diversity, equality and inclusion in all aspects of your work, and to create an environment that recognises and values the unique strengths of every individual.

For an informal conversation about this role please contact Kerry Bowden – kerry.bowden@coventry.gov.uk

If you need help or support to complete your application, please visit our accessibility page to see how we can assist you.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme - As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role and identify with one of the below criteria:

• Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
• Are currently in care or have previously been in care
• If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition

For full details on the application process please read the attached document on our jobs page labelled 'Coventry City Council Application Process'. If there is any evidence of a candidate using AI to complete their application, then the application will be rejected unless the candidate can provide a justification which the Council considers to be reasonable.

Interview date: 20th December 2024

About Coventry

Coventry has a proud, innovative and creative spirit that throughout its history has seen communities come together to tackle problems and bring about real social change.

We are cutting-edge, challenging, youthful, vibrant and diverse.

At Coventry we are committed to excellence in everything we do. With around 5100 staff from a range of different backgrounds, our aim is to recruit and develop talented people who will focus on our customers, take responsibility, work together and find better ways of doing things.

To deliver the best services to our residents, we need the best people working for us to make a difference to our communities.

If you join us, we will provide a fantastic rewards and benefits package - to find out more please visit https://www.coventry.gov.uk/council-vacancies

Coventry City Council