Service Manager East - Learning Disabilities (Adults)

Closing date: 29 July 2026

Lead with purpose. Shape services. Drive high-quality practice.

Lead teams. Deliver outcomes. Make a difference at scale.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced and confident leader to join Somerset Council as a Service Manager within Adult Social Care, overseeing the Learning Disabilities service covering the East of the county.

As a Service Manager, you will play a key leadership role, supporting teams to deliver high-quality, strengths-based social care, ensuring effective decision-making, managing risk, and enabling people to live as independently as possible.

• Location: East of the county covering Mendip & South Somerset
• Salary £49,282 
• Full time, 37 hours per week
• Ideal opportunity for an experienced practitioner looking for their next step
• 30 days annual leave entitlement

Role Purpose

As a Service Manager, you will:

• Support professional development across your team, strengthening practice, confidence and decision-making
• Promote a strengths-based, person-centred approach to support individuals, families and carers
• Enable teams to deliver creative, outcome-focused support that promotes independence and prevents long-term need
• Work collaboratively with health, therapy and community partners
• Ensure all service delivery is organised, timely, evidence-based and compliant with organisational requirements

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a multi-disciplinary team, ensuring high standards of professional practice through supervision, appraisal and support
• Ensure all work is delivered within legal, policy and quality assurance frameworks
• Manage demand and flow of assessments and reviews, improving quality and consistency of practice
• Take responsibility for safeguarding decision-making, including chairing meetings (inc’ peer forums) and ensuring robust investigations
• Contribute to service planning and policy development, using data and insight to drive improvement
• Deliver performance improvements aligned with service plans and organisational priorities
• Manage budgets and resources, ensuring effective and efficient service delivery
• Lead on quality assurance and performance management, addressing any areas of concern
• Oversee complaints, compliments and feedback processes
• Maintain strong relationships with senior leaders and partner agencies
• Lead on recruitment, induction, supervision and workforce development
• Manage staff performance, including probation, appraisal and HR processes where required
• Ensure effective record keeping and case management systems are maintained
• Support partnership working across Neighbourhoods, Health and VCSE organisations

What We’re Looking For – Essential Skills/Experience

We’re looking for an experienced and confident leader who can drive high-quality practice, lead teams effectively and deliver strong outcomes for the people we support.

You will have:

• A recognised Social Work qualification and current registration with Social Work England, with a minimum of three years’ post-qualification experience
• Proven experience of managing, supervising or coaching staff, with the ability to support professional development and build confident, capable teams
• Strong knowledge of social care legislation, safeguarding and strengths-based, person-centred practice
• A knowledge of the social model of disability and the impact of this for people with learning disabilities and their families.
• Experience of working in partnership with statutory, health and voluntary sector organisations to promote independence and positive outcomes
• Experience of managing within allocated resources, including oversight of budgets, demand and service delivery
• Confidence in using data and performance information to understand service pressures, improve practice and drive performance
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build effective relationships across teams, services and partner agencies
• The ability to prioritise competing demands, make sound professional judgements and lead effectively in a busy, changing environment
• A strong commitment to equality, diversity and anti-discriminatory practice, ensuring inclusive and accessible services
• The ability to motivate, coach and develop others, maintaining high standards of professional practice across your team

About the Team/Service

You will join a busy, supportive and experienced Learning Disabilities service, working alongside Social Workers, Adult Social Care Practitioners and partner agencies.

You will work within a collaborative, multi-agency environment, building strong relationships with health colleagues and local services, while leading and embedding high-quality practice within a team that values reflection, learning and development.

The service is focused on:

• Delivering high-quality, person-centred care
• Supporting people to maintain independence and remain within their communities
• Driving continuous improvement, innovation and collaboration
• Embedding a culture of learning, inclusion and professional development

Additional Information

Please Note: We may consider offering Skilled Worker visa sponsorship to suitably qualified overseas service managers who are already residing in the UK. To be eligible, applicants must hold a recognised social work qualification and be registered with Social Work England. Sponsorship will be assessed as part of the recruitment process. This is only available to candidates currently living in the UK, as unfortunately we are unable to provide resettlement support. 

Due to the nature of the role and the geographical area of the service across Somerset, which is a largely rural county, with limitations around public transport the ability to be able to travel to any location is essential. Therefore, applicants must have full access to a vehicle that can be used for work purposes.

For an informal chat about the role, you can contact: Helen Readdy – Recruitment & Engagement Officer, Adults – helen.readdy@somerset.gov.uk

Please note we reserve the right to close this advert early if we have received a sufficient number of applications, so don't delay, apply today!

A full job description can be found here:  Service Manager - Neighbourhoods, Learning Disabilities & Mental Health - Job Description - NOM0468 

Person Specification

Job Reference: 1068/FG