North Yorkshire Council - Assistant Director Adult Social Care

Job description

Job responsibilities

Come and Join Team North Yorkshire!

This is a hugely exciting time for the county as we have brought together eight district, borough and county councils to form a new unitary council, with a common sense of purpose and a shared desire to succeed. The new council has the largest geographical area in England, is the third largest unitary and a significant player in the region and nationally.

By creating the new council, we are able to streamline services and deliver efficiencies of savings at a time when financial pressures are significant, whilst at the same time extending our reach to make sure that all residents, businesses and organisations across North Yorkshire feel fully included, represented and heard.

North Yorkshire one of the most beautiful parts of England, including two National Parks and a stunning coastline, great places to eat and drink and relax, good schools and easy access to big cities, culture and sport. Its a great place in which to work as well as to live, which is why we are looking for someone great to join our team.

And that team is genuinely Team North Yorkshire, stretching across the Council, the wider public services and throughout communities.

Yes, we have challenges, like any other part of England. However, we also have a wealth of opportunities. As a new council, building on our predecessor organisations, we have strong political and officer leadership and a willingness to invest, learn and innovate.

Over the past decade, we have focused on prevention, developing our Stronger Communities programme and our Living Well service and doubling our extra care housing provision - which this year celebrates 20 years and now comprises over 1500 apartments and bungalows to buy or rent - as well as our wider Public Health services. We have improved our joint working with the NHS, with other councils and, crucially, with people who use our services. And we are on a journey to make our social care practice both more confident and more consistent. At the same time, we have managed our resources carefully and done our best to shape new career pathways and become more diverse and inclusive in every sense.

We want to build on these strengths, and also on what we have learned from the pandemic, as we strengthen our new unitary North Yorkshire Council and prepare for the next steps of national adult social care reform, including CQC Assurance. Alongside a series of service developments and workforce measures, we are giving 110% to addressing the challenges that social care faces nationally and locally.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• With 5 direct reports, circa 800 staff and a £90m budget, this role will be part of a strong corporate and partnership team and will play a pivotal role in leading social care practice and service delivery in the Directorate Leadership Team. The role will involve leading the councils work in designated geographical areas, taking responsibility for joint leadership with the NHS and other partners, and you will have significant autonomy and responsibility.
• We are looking for someone who is innovative and practical, emotionally intelligent, budget-savvy, and a real change agent. We want you to demonstrate strong personal and professional values and, literally, put those into practice.
• Although not essential to the role, if you are a qualified occupational therapist or social worker, then you will also be designated as Chief Social Care Practitioner.
• The initial makeup of the role requires that you will lead the further development of our practice in developing strong performance in three of our localities - Craven, Harrogate and Hambleton / Richmondshire - and in delivering and developing our social care mental health services.
• However, with a strong Health and Adult Social Care leadership team, we have the opportunity to flex Assistant Director's portfolios to meet the new post holder's skill set, professional interest and development into their role. If you are a strong leader of people and people's services within a health, social care or related field, we look forward to receiving your application.
• Our expectation of you is that you will be an accomplished team-player who will encourage innovation; be grounded and ensure we deliver practical changes that make a difference and ensure value for taxpayers' money; be a clear and decisive leader, with a robust grip on financial and performance management and service delivery; promote and deliver strength-based, evidence-informed practice; and relate well to people so that together we realise the potential of county and make the best use of the North Yorkshire Pound. An entrepreneurial mind would be an advantage and a willingness to embrace digital technology a huge plus.
• If you are interested in being part of our team and in making your mark in North Yorkshire, then we look forward to your application. Whilst the Health and Adult Services directorate - which comprises Adult Social Care and Public Health - is reasonably diverse in terms of sex, sexuality, age and disability, we are keen to encourage applications from all parts of the community and, in particular, from people from a broader range of ethnic minority backgrounds. We would welcome applications from people with social care or NHS experience and an interest or background in mental health would be well received.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Employer name

North Yorkshire Council

Address

County Hall

Racecourse Lane

Northallerton

North Yorkshire

DL7 8AE

Employer's website

https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)