Quality Assurance Service Manager – Children’s Social Care

Department Children and Families Service Management

Salary Grade 15, £66,911 to £72,108 per annum

Location County Hall, Newport, Isle of Wight and agile working

About Us – A Service on the Rise

We are 18 months into building a new Children’s Services on the Isle of Wight, following the conclusion of our 10-year partnership with Hampshire County Council. Since then, we’ve made significant progress, recognised through:

• Ofsted focused visits (October 2024)
• Support and recognition from the Local Government Association

Our new senior leadership team is committed to creating a connected, child-centred directorate, where Children’s Social Care works hand-in-hand with Education, Inclusion, and Access services to improve outcomes for every child.

About the Role

As Quality Assurance Service Manager, you’ll lead our quality assurance function, ensuring high standards of safeguarding, practice, and service delivery. You’ll drive audit activity, performance analysis, and continuous improvement—embedding a culture of learning, accountability, and excellence.

You’ll manage:

• The Complaints & LADO service
• The Lead Independent Reviewing Officer
• The Audit & Practice Improvement Officer

This is a pivotal role for someone with a strong background in children’s social care, a sharp analytical mind, and a deep commitment to improving lives through robust quality assurance.

Why Join Us?

• Our Vision: Creating Change Together
• Our Practice Model: Relational | Strengths-Based | Solution-Focused | Restorative
• Our Culture: Inclusive, supportive, and ambitious

We believe that our staff thrive when they are valued, supported, and empowered. That’s why we invest in the right tools, conditions, and professional development to help you be your best.

The Isle of Wight – A Great Place to Work and Live

Whether you’re relocating or already local, the Island offers a unique lifestyle—stunning natural beauty, a strong sense of community, and a real opportunity to make a difference in a place where your work truly matters.

Ready to Lead Change?

If you’re a Qualified and Experienced Social Worker registered with Social Work England, and ready to take the next step in your leadership journey, we’d love to hear from you.

Be part of something special. Join us in shaping the future of children’s services on the Isle of Wight.

We embody this model in all our relationships. We embrace an inclusive culture and will support you in your role and challenge you to be your best.

Join us in making a real difference in the lives of children on the Isle of Wight!

Interviews will take place week beginning 13 th October 2025

Join #TeamIWC and you'll receive our staff benefits package, including:

• Annual leave entitlement of 32 days p/a PLUS public holidays!
• Discounted Solent ferry travel
• Island bus network discount
• Cycle to work scheme
• Discounted island sports & leisure gym membership
• National and local discounts & benefits schemes
• Relocation scheme of up to £8,000 may be available for some roles (subject to criteria)
• Travel allowance may be available if commuting from the mainland (subject to criteria)

The Isle of Wight Council currently does not have a license to sponsor overseas workers.

We actively promote the diversity of our workforce, and provide flexible working options (where appropriate) to support the different needs of our employees. We are an equal opportunities employer, proud to encourage applications from all cultures, backgrounds and abilities to better reflect the diversity within our local community.

We are a Disability Confident employer. Along with a number of commitments, this means, providing you meet the basic essential requirements of the advertised role and have declared yourself as disabled, you will be offered an opportunity for an interview within the council.

The Isle of Wight Council protects its employees from discrimination, and this is supported by;

The Isle of Wight Council’s Terms & Conditions of employment are available upon request. Please contact our recruitment team via adverts@iow.gov.uk if you would like to receive a copy.

The Isle of Wight Council reserve the right to close vacancies earlier than stated, if required. To ensure your application is considered, it is recommended to submit your application promptly.

This council and its schools recruit according to the council’s Recruitment, Policy and Procedure and are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share in this commitment.

For support completing your online application or for further information on how to apply, phone 01983 823134 or email callcentre@iow.gov.uk. Only applications submitted online by the closing date will be accepted.

We often receive a high volume of applicants for our vacancies. If you do not hear from the recruiting manager within three weeks of the closing date, we regret that your application will not have been successful on this occasion. Please revisit our job page for alternate posts that may be suitable.