Purpose of Post
Ethically lead the Children and Families Department of Cyngor Gwynedd Social Services, promote a culture of high performance and learning, inspire and encourage innovation and change and ensure that the people of Gwynedd are central to everything we do;
Transform the Children and Families Department of Cyngor Gwynedd Social Services, to enable the provision of support to children and families, which promotes their ability to live their best life;
Transform the Children and Families Department services to adopt and take ownership of safeguarding services, strength-based services, restorative services, preventative services, and services to enable children and families to live together where possible;
Plan, create and implement long-term commissioning strategies to ensure the viability of the work of the Department;
Lead departmental and corporate projects, and draw up the Council's policies. Ensure that these are converted into plans and programmes which are reviewed and updated to reflect changing needs and priorities;
Lead, mentor and support diverse teams of professionals to deliver effective and efficient services while ensuring quality;
Ensure that the service is effective, efficient, and operates within the appropriate budget;
Ensure that the care and support services provided are of high-quality, safe and effective;
Collaborate with the Council’s Leadership Team, heads of services, elected members and external partners to ensure that the Council provides services of the highest standards within the available resources for the residents of Gwynedd and ensure that the service reflects the Council’s corporate policies and strategies;
Promote cross-agency and cross-departmental working to ensure effective integrated working with the health services, the police, Mantell Gwynedd and the 3rd Sector, private providers, and departments within the Council, such as the Adults Department, Education Department, Housing and Property Department;
Develop suitable performance management processes which demonstrate clear results, to enable the comparison of those results against the measures set by the Council’s Leadership Team;
Provide regular reports to elected members, and to the Council’s Leadership Team on the performance of the service, and advise on any matters that require improvements;
Secure firm results when making the best use of the Council’s resources, whilst providing an excellent service to the customer, in line with the Council’s priorities and respond directly to local needs;
Collaborate regionally at Regional Partnership Board groups to secure resources and consistent, high-quality services;
Collaborate across Wales with the Welsh Government and the ADSCC (Association of Directors of Social Services Cymru) to develop national policies and procedures;
Deputise on behalf of the Director of Social Services as needed, ensuring continuation of leadership and decision-making within the department;
Responsibility for some cross-departmental services, such as the night team service.
Responsibility for Resources  e.g. staff, finance, equipment
Responsibility for the department's workforce as a whole to ensure professional, high-quality and safe work;
Responsible for the Department's budget and appropriate, economical and suitable use of it.
Main Duties
1.Operational Management Autonomy within policy, strategy and resources to manage:
Finance
Staff
Technology
Property
Risk
Performance
2.Service Provision
Ensure a provision of services of a high standard to meet the customers’ needs within the available resources
Collaborate with other services and agencies to ensure an integrated approach to delivering services
Develop operational policies
Implement strategic change
Agree on special operational matters to be led by the Corporate Director
 
3.Leadership
Lead, promote and develop staff
Develop and promote the culture of the establishment
Collaborate with internal and external partners
Promote a culture of continuous improvement
4.Business Planning and Reviewing
Lead the process of business planning and reviewing
Responsible for internal change and reviewing/developing service
General responsibility for performance management within the service
5.Corporate Agenda
Bridging between strategic and operational policies
Promote a one council culture
Contribute to strategic development
Agree and deliver the milestones of a manageable programme
Promote and implement corporate policies and priorities e.g. crosscutting themes
KEY COMPETENCIES (in addition to the Council’s other corporate competencies)
1.Working within the political dimension
create effective connections/enable working appropriately across political and management boundaries
develop a strategy with mayor/leader, cabinet and members
maintain an effective relationship with elected members, in the region, and with the Government
2.Leading on changing and developing the establishment
maintain consistency with basic values when developing the culture
working with uncertainty, ambiguity and the inevitable nature of change
develop the appropriate use of power, empowering staff and managers
facilitate the continuous growth of the senior team
3.Maintaining a personal viewpoint and self-knowledge
maintain self-knowledge and curiosity regarding the viewpoints of others, not only personal ones
maintain belief or faith in themselves
develop personal resilience, sustainability and emotional awareness
maintain a sense of humour
4.Developing and enabling effective external partnerships and relationships
champion the local authority, local government and local democracy
co-ordinate effective public and private partnerships for strategic developments and delivery of ⁠services
work with other communities and agencies
use the press and media effectively to have an appropriate profile
5.Monitoring strategic and long-term issues
look to the future to create awareness of potential situations
develop, maintain and promote strategic vision/opinion for the organisation and the local area
awareness of the organisation’s strategic ability
convey a sense of collective priority and purpose
6.Leading and combining Performance Management
create a culture which focuses on performing well, innovating and service for customers
ability to transform areas of under-performance
continuous improvement across every service field
7.Leading and Managing People
Inspire and encourage teams and individuals
Provide direction and feedback to the team
Create an environment of respect
Transfer vision effectively to teams and individuals
Delegate work effectively
Identify and understand others’ responses to specific situations whilst focusing on providing services
Ensure a safe environment for team members to develop by taking risks
Identify and understand the potential harm when prompt attention is not given to cases of conflict
8.Communication
Share and listen to information, opinion and ideas
Effective communication
Understand that communication can be a powerful tool to increase incentive and the importance of good communication
Choose and use appropriate methods of communication and media for a range of audiences
Possess effective interpersonal communication skills
Understand the risks of working from presumptions
Appreciate the feelings of others and understand the importance of inclusion and consultation
9.Self-management
Proactive
Accept responsibility for their own actions
Provide stability in periods of change
Possess high levels of self-awareness
Demonstrate honesty
Emotionally resilient and aware
Prioritise tasks and make effective use of time
Show delivery of public value
MAIN AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY 
Children and Families
Safeguarding Vulnerable Children and Families
Providing Care Services
Commissioning and Contracts
Residential and Day Services
Community Care
Responsibility for self-development.
Ensure compliance with Health and Safety rules in the workplace in accordance with the responsibilities noted in the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Council’s Health and Safety Policy.
Operate within the Council’s policies in relation to equal opportunities and equality.
Responsibility for managing information in accordance with the Council’s information management standards and guidelines. Ensure that personal information is treated in accordance with Data Protection legislation.
Commitment to reducing the Council’s carbon emissions in accordance with the Carbon Management Plan, and to encourage others to act positively towards reducing the Council’s carbon footprint.
Undertake any other reasonable duty which corresponds to the salary and responsibility level of the post.
Responsibility to report and act on concern or suspicion that a child or vulnerable adult is being abused.
Special Circumstances  e.g. the need to work unsociable hours, special working arrangements etc.
•The work of the Head of Children and Families post may include occasional anti-social hours and regularly working on the emergency response rota.