Deputy Manager

Job Introduction

We have a rewarding opportunity for someone with a proven track record of managing risk and achieving positive outcomes to join our Mental Health team within Adult Social Care.

This role is subject to a £3,000 Golden Hello payment.

As Deputy Team Manager, you’ll provide specialist advice, coaching, professional consultation and supervision on cases, particularly those that are high profile and hold complexities and risks.

You’ll develop good relationships with partner agencies and support in developing robust systems and procedures. You’ll also have the opportunity to improve the experiences of our service users through our quality assurance framework and various projects.

The Mental Health team are a dynamic and critical team of Social Work Managers, Social Workers, Social Work Assistants and Support Workers. They deliver Adult Care Services under the Care Act 2014 and section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983/2007 to service users with Mental Health difficulties.

Milton Keynes is a rapidly expanding, vibrant and dynamic place to live and work. Why not contribute to that continued success than through a unique and rewarding career with Milton Keynes City Council.

Main Responsibility

• Monitor referrals received by the team ensuring they are responded to within agreed timescales.
• Monitoring and reporting of the activities of the team, agreeing and authorising outcomes regarding social work assessments and care plans, to ensure service users and carers needs are met in accordance with assessed need.
• Professional and personal development of the team so that colleagues develop professionally and in accordance with Social Work England (SWE) registration requirements and the performance management policies of the local authority.
• Co-ordinating work, providing professional support, allocation of work and the monitoring of caseloads and support to social workers and health colleagues.
• Develop positive relationships with the ICB & Community Health Teams.
• Represent the local authority at meetings across social care and health, third sector and the wider community in agreement with the team manager. Ensuring decisions made are in accordance with local authority policies and procedures, national legislation and/or local guidance. This will have the effect of more efficient use of resources, leading to improved outcomes for service users, patients and their families.
• Supportive of multi-disciplinary work, encouraging effective team working, which leads to improved service user, patient and carer outcomes.
• Undertake regular staff supervisions and to carry out appraisals with staff to assess their performance in line with city council policies and procedures.
• Management of complaints allocated by the Team Manager.
• Organise care within available resources, policies and procedures of the city council and adult social care.
• Support social workers/health colleagues in the assessment and risk management of cases.
• Report changes and development issues in adult social care and safeguarding adults to senior managers.
• Support the team manager in promoting and responding positively to change, seeking continuous improvement.
• Support, coach and communicate with the team.
• Be accountable for the team’s performance.
• Within reason these key deliverables may evolve to meet service need and it is expected that you will be flexible and adaptable in your delivery to meet both service and council wide needs.

The Ideal Candidate

• Colleagues Expectations · Be professional at all times · Work together for the good of the team, council and local people · Promote a supportive culture · Challenge assumptions · Take ownership.
• Professional Social Work Qualification i.e., CQSW, CSS, Dip SW, BA (Hons) in Social Work Evidence of Successful Post Qualification Training i.e., Consolidation to Practice Award, BIA, AMHP, PE etc.
• Ability to uphold the Code of Practice of Social Work England (SWE), both as an individual and supporting social workers in the team to adhere to them.
• Able to assess and case manage people with complex health problems.
• Understanding of the complexity of care provision and its impact upon carers and service users.
• Familiar and confident in understanding the wide range of adult social care and rehabilitation/reablement services.
• Good communicator with the ability and influence to establish and maintain positive and supportive relationships with social care, health colleagues, external partners and the public.
• Willing to change and do things differently.
• Always work in a safe manner.
• Be a role model by always displaying positive behaviours.
• Make well-considered decisions.
• Able to find solutions to individual and team problems with limited direction.
• Advise and be supportive of social workers/health colleagues practice in safeguarding adults; ensuring policies and procedures are followed.
• Commitment and enthusiasm to promote a high standard of care across the team and all client groups.
• Able to work without direction, on own initiative, demonstrating effective problem-solving skills across all professional boundaries.
• An ability to work under pressure, organise schedules and prioritise work commitments.
• Ability to work and influence other practitioners in the team, adult social care, promoting good standards of care and multi-disciplinary practice.
• Knowledge of staff supervision and training models.
• Able to supervise, motivate and support others in the co-ordination of their work.
• Ability to implement and follow HR procedures.
• For this role you are required to have a full UK driving licence and provide evidence of your vehicle insurance with business cover and use of a vehicle. If you are successful, you will be required to supply evidence of your licence prior to starting the role.
• Should you be offered the role, as part of the pre-employment checks an Enhanced DBS will be actioned for you (unless you are on the DBS Update Service).

Package Description

In addition to your salary, we offer a range of benefits including:

• Great holiday benefits - most roles include 28 days annual leave every year on top of public (bank) holidays, increasing to 32 days after five years.  In addition, there is a holiday purchase scheme allowing staff to purchase up to 5 additional days of leave each year.

• Excellent pension – everyone who works for us can join the national Local Government Pension Scheme, widely regarded as one of the best available.

• A full range of family friendly policies including enhanced maternity, adoption and paternity support and a childcare subsidy.

• Access to an award-winning employee benefits programme that includes a health cash plan, a low-cost bike purchase scheme as well as high street discounts and money off entertainment and travel.

• Blue Light Card - employees working within social care can qualify for an additional range of discounts from national retailers and local businesses.

Our roles are either designated ‘site based’ or ‘home based’. ‘Site based’ roles can include up to two days a week working from home whilst ‘home based’ roles are based at home four days a week.  Of course, managers designate which category roles are in based on the needs of the service and the circumstances.

About The Organisation

Milton Keynes City Council is a large, modern and financially stable employer with around 2,500 people working across our eight areas. Together we provide local residents and businesses with a wide range of important round-the-clock services and aim to make our city a better place to live.

We work hard because of the demands placed on us, like protecting children from harm or preventing homelessness. However, working for the city is always rewarding and everyone has the opportunity to make a real difference. 

We’re very proud of our diversity and are committed to having a workforce that reflects the community we serve. Whatever your background, you will be welcome here if you share our values of being dedicated, respectful and collaborative.

We offer great training and support and because of the size and scale of the organisation there are always new opportunities to explore when it’s time for a new role.

If you’d like to know more about how we do things and what matters to us, take a look at our short booklet What makes us Milton Keynes City Council.