Service Manager - Organisation Management - Prevention & Youth Offending Service

Closing date:  05/07/2028

Salary: Grade 7 – £55,101 per annum + £9,679 recruitment allowance until 31/08/2028

Location: Bridgwater

Are you a strategic leader with a passion for improving outcomes for children, young people, and families? Children’s Services in Somerset is seeking a dynamic Operations Manager to lead our Prevention Services, playing a pivotal role in shaping and delivering innovative, responsive, and high-quality services across the county.

At Somerset Council, we are proud to be on an ambitious journey to transform how we support children and families across the county. As part of our Families First Partnership programme, we are reshaping services to ensure families receive the right help, at the right time, in the right way—working together with partners across social care, education, Police, health, and communities.

This is a significant and exciting period of change. We are developing a more connected, relationship-based system that puts children, young people and families at the centre—strengthening early help, enhancing multi-agency working, and supporting more children to grow up safely within their families and communities.

To help us deliver this transformation, we are recruiting to several roles across Children’s Services, offering a unique opportunity to contribute to meaningful, long-term change and be part of a workforce committed to improving outcomes for Somerset’s children and families.

This role is offered on a fixed-term basis for two years, aligned to the delivery of our transformation programme. During this time, you will play a key part in shaping new ways of working, embedding innovation, and helping us build a sustainable system that makes a lasting difference.

If you are motivated by improving outcomes, thrive in a collaborative environment, and want to be part of a service that is evolving and forward-thinking, we would love to hear from you.

Role Summary

The Operations Manager – Prevention Services provides strategic and operational leadership across prevention and youth justice services in Somerset. The role focuses on ensuring children, young people, families, and victims receive coordinated, timely, and effective support at the earliest opportunity, helping to prevent escalation and improve long-term outcomes.

Through strong leadership and oversight, the postholder will ensure services remain aligned with statutory and regulatory requirements, while driving continuous improvement in quality, performance, and impact. The role supports the development of effective prevention pathways, promoting safer outcomes for children, families, and communities.

As part of the senior leadership team, the Operations Manager contributes to the wider priorities of Children’s Services, building strong partnerships, shaping service development, and leading multidisciplinary teams to deliver responsive, joined up, and forward-thinking support in line with the Council’s priorities and County Plan.

What you'll do - Key Responsibilities

• Lead the operational delivery of prevention and youth justice services, ensuring timely, effective and restorative support for children, young people, families and victims.
• Provide leadership in shaping and delivering early help and prevention services aligned to the Families First Partnership and transformation programme.
• Drive performance, innovation and transformation aligned with Council plans including Children & Young People’s Plan, Children’s Social Care Plan and Youth Justice Plan.
• Manage a budget of approximately £3 million, ensuring effective and efficient use of resources.
• Lead multi-agency teams and partnerships, strengthening collaboration across statutory and community services.
• Oversee Rapid Response and out-of-hours provision where applicable.
• Embed a culture of continuous improvement, equality, and relationship-based practice.
• Support workforce development, supervision and performance management across diverse services.

What We’re Looking For – Knowledge, Experience and Skills

Essential

• Knowledge: Strong understanding of performance management and quality assurance frameworks and the ability to design, implement and review them effectively.; Comprehensive knowledge of statutory, regulatory, and policy frameworks relevant to prevention services, youth justice, and children’s services.
• Experience: Demonstrated success working with Elected Members, Directors, and senior partners on complex service issues and contributing to strategic planning and decision-making.; Proven track record of leading or delivering complex projects, providing clear strategic advice, and influencing policy development.; Experience commissioning and delivering complex services to high quality, ensuring value for money and strong outcomes.
• Qualifications / Professional Development: Relevant Degree or Professional Qualification.; Evidence of continuing professional development in their specialist field.
• Leadership & Change: Leadership and proven ability to lead improvement in services.; Promotes the need for positive change and acts as a role model for change.
• Performance & Delivery: Highly organised with the ability to work under pressure, meet deadlines, and maintain high service standards.; Strong analytical and decision-making skills, particularly in complex operational, safeguarding, policy, and youth justice contexts.
• Values & Inclusion: Committed to diversity in service delivery and employment.
• Customer & Partnership Working: Strong customer-focused ethos, with the ability to engage effectively with communities and stakeholders.
• Innovation & Improvement: Innovative and creative approach to service improvement, quality and value.
• Personal Effectiveness: High personal integrity, professionalism, and resilience.; Drive and self-motivation and ability to motivate others to achieve excellence.

Desirable:

• Experience in early help or youth justice, safeguarding, and restorative practices.
• Familiarity with children’s social care legal framework, Youth Justice Board requirement and HMIP standards.

Additional Information

• 30 days’ annual leave, plus bank holidays
• 2-year fixed term contracts – 37 hours per week
• A generous benefits package that supports your wellbeing, work-life balance and ongoing development

Regretfully, we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role.

For an informal discussion, please contact Sam Fahey, Head of Service – Prevention & Youth Justice. Samantha.fahey@somerset.gov.uk

Interviews are scheduled for 13/07/2026.

A full job description will be provided to shortlisted candidates or on request.

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