Assistant Director Localities

Working Hours: 35 Hours Per Week

Contract Type: Full-Time, Permanent   

Closing Date: 12 June 2025

Manchester is one of the world’s greatest cities. A place with a reputation for innovation and creativity; a thriving regional economy; and a rich sense of identity.  

Manchester prides itself on being a warm and inviting city with something to offer to everyone. We are committed to bringing about a more inclusive city, where people have access to top-class education and training, and where the economic opportunities that such a vibrant city creates are accessible to all.  

We have a whole-city approach to building a safe, happy, healthy and successful future for all children and young people. We have made great strides in our progress and impact for inclusion in the UNICEF programme for accreditation of child-friendly city status. In Children and Education Services, we are recognised for our reforms and innovation, and this has contributed towards delivering excellence.  

We are looking for inspirational Strategic Leaders to continue our effective work and to meet new requirements outlined in the Families First for Children Programme.  

As Assistant Director of Central Locality you will strengthen our leadership team, support our commitment to consistently high standards of social work practice and secure improved outcomes for our children and young people. We are looking for someone who, like us, has high aspirations for children, can work as part of a team and has a well-developed leadership skill set.  The role is pivotal to our neighbourhood and placed based working arrangements and you will be pivotal in ensuring that the strategic priorities are delivered. You will make a distinct contribution to our commitment to our ongoing fast paced approach to improvement drawing on your experience of continuous improvement, quality assurance, change management and innovation.  

Manchester’s ethos is to ensure that all the people in our city can thrive, and are able to benefit from the opportunities that our economic growth brings. Our workforce is at the heart of this – and we have created the conditions, whereby colleagues have the skills, knowledge and ability to allow their careers to flourish.  Working in Manchester gives you the chance to do things that you wouldn’t get to do in other places, and it is a hugely exciting place to live and work. 

We are looking for an experienced Social Care Leaders who will bring passion, drive and can forge strong relationships with children and their families, colleagues and partners, and exert influence across the city, and more importantly delivers high standards of practice.  In return we will offer you plenty of challenges as well as opportunities to innovate and personally develop, working alongside a dedicated and talented set of colleagues who work collaboratively to deliver our vision and ambitions for the children and young people of Manchester.    

It is through true partnerships that children and young people can truly thrive in Manchester - to find out how to be a part of Manchester’s success story.

We’re the local council for one of the UK’s most vibrant and diverse cities. 

Working for Manchester isn’t just a job – it’s an opportunity to contribute to a city that leads change and transforms lives. Whether it’s strengthening communities or driving innovation in public services, you’ll play a vital role in creating opportunities and shaping a brighter future for everyone. 

Our Manchester is our vision for a fairer, greener, and healthier city – a vision shaped by the people of Manchester. It guides everything we do at the Council and is brought to life through the Our Manchester behaviours:

• We take time to listen and understand
• We work together and trust each other
• We show that we value our differences and treat each other fairly
• We ‘own it’ and we’re not afraid to try new things
• We’re proud and passionate about Manchester

Benefits we offer

• Generous holiday allowance - Enjoy up to 26 days annual leave per year plus bank holidays. Increasing to 31 days after five years of local government service. Want more leave? You can purchase up to two additional weeks. 
• A buzzing pension - You’ll be enrolled in the UK’s largest local government pension scheme, with plenty of options to top up your benefits. Includes life cover of three-times your salary as a lump sum. 
• Enhanced parental and carers leave - Take advantage of our enhanced family leave options, designed to provide ample time for you to bond with your new born or support your family during critical life events. 
• Brilliant perks - Access a range of discounts, from saving on the weekly shop to holidays and days out with MCR+. Plus discounts on phone contracts, cycle to work scheme, free flu jabs and eye tests, and more. 
• Learn and grow - We are dedicated to nurturing talent and providing you with the tools to thrive. Take part in a diverse set of learning opportunities, from workshops and training sessions through to apprenticeships and qualifications. All this begins with our comprehensive onboarding process. 
• A Good Employment Charter member - We are committed to offering secure, flexible work and embedding fairness into everything we do. We review pay annually, recognize three trade unions, and are constantly working to offer the best possible health and wellbeing support throughout all stages of your working life. 
• Up to 3 days volunteering leave - Give back to the community with three days pro-rate of paid volunteering leave, in addition to existing benefits. 

Creating an Inclusive Team at Manchester City Council 

At Manchester City Council, we’re dedicated to creating a workplace that truly reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. We actively welcome applications from people of all ages and backgrounds, particularly from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic communities, Disabled people and young people. 

Support During the Process

• Interview Adjustments: Let us know if you need any adjustments to demonstrate your suitability during the interview.
• Accessible Formats: Our ReciteMe tool can be accessed through the "Accessibility tools" button at the top of our careers page. This tool offers features like text-to-speech, translation into multiple languages, and adjustable text size and colour to make our site more accessible for everyone. 

Guaranteed Assessment Scheme 

We guarantee assessments for applicants who meet the minimum shortlisting requirements for the role and identify with at least one of the criteria below:

• Members of the Armed Forces members or veterans
• Current or former care leavers
• Have a disability or long-term condition

 When You Join Us 

We’re a Disability Confident Employer, offering:

• A workplace adjustment hub which provides specialist support, advice and guidance to ensure you have the adjustments needed to thrive at work.
• Disabled Staff Network, Neurodiversity Staff Network and Mental Health Staff Network that provides a safe inclusive space to share experiences and opportunities to influence council practice.
• A strong commitment to ensuring all information adheres to accessibility standards and that our workplaces are accessible and disability-friendly.

What we will need from you if you’re successful 

In accordance with Home Office guidance, successful candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK before commencement of employment. This is not a role we consider to be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route based on Manchester City Council policy. Candidates are therefore encouraged to consider their own right to work options without the requirement for Manchester City Council sponsorship.  

Pre-Employment Checks 

If you are successful in securing a position with us, the pre-employment checks required will depend on the role you’ve applied for. As a guide, these checks may include:

• Proof of Right to Work: You’ll need to provide documentary evidence of your right to work in the UK. Please note, visa sponsorship is not guaranteed for this role.
• References: We’ll require references from your current and previous employer(s).
• Proof of Qualifications: Evidence of qualifications relevant to the role will be required.
• Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check: A criminal record check may be necessary, depending on the role.
• Proof of Manchester Residency: For some roles, you may need to demonstrate that you reside within the boundaries of Manchester City Council.
• Police Vetting: Some roles may require police vetting to ensure suitability for accessing sensitive law enforcement systems or information.
• Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) Clearance:  BPSS clearance is primarily used for roles that involve access to government data, systems, or assets. It ensures that individuals meet basic security requirements and can be trusted with sensitive information
• Driving Licence: If the role requires driving, we’ll need evidence of your valid driving licence.

These checks are an important part of our commitment to ensuring the safety and security of our workforce and the community we serve. 

Other relevant information 

We want everyone to be able to be themselves at work and give their best. If you need additional support to undertake the duties of the role, we’ll make every effort to source any necessary aids, adaptations or equipment. If, however, any task proves to be unachievable, we will look at redesigning parts of the role. 

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