Director of Operations – Adult Social Care
Directorate: Adults and Health
PAYE: £298.81 per day
Reports to: Executive Director, Adults and Health
Location: Thurrock Council
About the Role
Thurrock Council is seeking an exceptional strategic leader to join our Adults and Health Directorate as Director of Operations – Adult Social Care.
This pivotal leadership role will drive the development, transformation, and delivery of high-quality Adult Social Care services, ensuring that residents receive effective, person-centred support that promotes independence, wellbeing, and positive outcomes.
Working as a key member of the senior leadership team, you will provide strategic direction across Adult Social Care, leading service transformation, shaping future delivery models, and fostering strong partnerships across health, housing, commissioning, and the wider voluntary and community sectors.
You will play a critical role in ensuring services remain responsive, innovative, financially sustainable, and aligned with local and national priorities.
Key Responsibilities:
Strategic Leadership
- Lead the strategic development and operational delivery of Adult Social Care services.
- Provide expert professional advice on Adult Social Care matters to senior leaders, elected members, and key stakeholders.
- Shape and influence future service delivery models, ensuring services remain responsive to changing community needs.
- Lead the Adult Social Care Transformation Programme Office, driving innovation, service improvement, and sustainable change.
Service Development and Improvement
- Ensure services effectively meet the needs of vulnerable adults, including those with complex, atypical, or hard-to-reach needs.
- Develop and implement innovative approaches that improve outcomes and maximise independence for service users.
- Lead the development of new models of care, including community-based and home-first approaches to support.
Partnership and System Leadership
- Build and maintain effective partnerships across the public, private, voluntary, and community sectors.
- Work collaboratively with health partners, commissioners, housing providers, developers, and registered landlords to support integrated service delivery.
- Lead strategic engagement to ensure future supported housing and specialist accommodation developments align with local needs, market assessments, and planning priorities.
Commissioning and Quality Assurance
- Work closely with Commercial Services and Commissioning teams to secure high-quality, value-for-money services from external providers.
- Ensure robust performance management and quality assurance arrangements are in place across all commissioned and directly delivered services.
- Drive continuous improvement and promote excellence across Adult Social Care provision.
Financial and Resource Management
- Lead the effective planning, management, and monitoring of significant service budgets.
- Ensure resources are deployed efficiently to achieve strategic objectives and deliver value for money.
- Identify opportunities for service redesign and transformation that improve outcomes while maintaining financial sustainability.
Leadership and Governance
- Provide inspirational leadership, fostering a culture of accountability, innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
- Lead, motivate, and develop senior managers and wider service teams.
- Promote equality, diversity, inclusion, and social justice across all areas of service delivery and employment practice.
- Ensure compliance with all statutory responsibilities, regulatory requirements, safeguarding obligations, and health and safety legislation.
- Deputise for the Executive Director, Adults and Health as required.
What We’re Looking For:
We are seeking a highly experienced and influential leader with a proven track record of delivering successful Adult Social Care services within a complex organisational environment.
Essential Requirements:
Qualifications
- Educated to degree level or equivalent.
- Recognised professional qualification in Social Work (Degree, Diploma, CQSW, or equivalent).
- Enhanced DBS clearance.
Experience
- Significant senior management experience within Adult Social Care, with a demonstrable record of delivering measurable service improvements.
- Extensive knowledge of Adult Social Care legislation, policy, and best practice.
- Experience leading large-scale transformation, innovation, and service redesign programmes.
- Strong track record of successful partnership working across organisational boundaries.
- Experience of managing significant budgets and delivering financial sustainability.
- Demonstrable success in leading equality, diversity, and inclusion initiatives.
Skills and Knowledge
- Exceptional leadership and strategic planning capabilities.
- Strong political awareness and understanding of the local government environment.
- Ability to analyse complex issues and develop effective, solution-focused responses.
- Excellent communication, influencing, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
- Strong financial acumen and commercial awareness.
- High levels of resilience and the ability to perform effectively under sustained pressure.
- Proficiency in ICT and digital service delivery approaches.
Apply today online with Care First Recruitment Ltd! Please submit your CV today by emailing: info@carefirst.biz
For an informal discussion about the role, please contact us on: 02070340550