Interim Director of Adult Social Services

6 Month Contract With A Local Authority

Job Purpose

The Interim Director of Adult Social Services provides strategic leadership across Adult Social Care services, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, person-centred support that meets statutory responsibilities, improves outcomes, and promotes independence for residents. The postholder will lead service transformation, safeguarding, partnership working, commissioning, performance improvement, and effective governance, while ensuring sound financial and resource management.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and deliver the Council’s Adult Social Care strategy, priorities, and transformation agenda.
  
• Provide strategic oversight of Adult Safeguarding, Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), Occupational Therapy, Mental Health Social Work, Hospital Interface, Reablement, Day Services, Internal Provider Services, and Quality Assurance.
  
• Ensure Adult Social Care services comply with the Care Act 2014 and all relevant statutory, regulatory, and professional requirements.
  
• Drive continuous service improvement, innovation, prevention, early intervention, and strengths-based approaches to care delivery.
  
• Ensure services promote independence, choice, wellbeing, dignity, and improved outcomes for residents.
  
• Provide effective leadership for safeguarding arrangements, risk management, quality assurance, and professional standards.
  
• Develop and maintain strong strategic partnerships with health organisations, local authorities, elected members, voluntary and community organisations, providers, and other key stakeholders.
  
• Lead Adult Social Care commissioning activity and contribute to the development of a sustainable, high-quality local care market.
  
• Promote integrated working across health and social care systems to improve pathways, reduce avoidable demand, and deliver joined-up services.
  
• Lead the effective management of Adult Social Care budgets, resources, workforce, and operational performance.
  
• Monitor service performance, identify areas for improvement, and ensure delivery against agreed targets and outcomes.
  
• Provide clear and effective reports, advice, and assurance to senior leaders, elected members, committees, and relevant governance bodies.
  
• Lead and support organisational change, ensuring effective engagement and communication with staff and stakeholders.
  
• Ensure the service maintains effective business continuity, risk management, and governance arrangements.
  

Requirements

• Substantial senior leadership experience within Adult Social Care, ideally at Director, Assistant Director, or equivalent level.
  
• Strong knowledge and understanding of the Care Act 2014, adult safeguarding, DoLS, and the wider statutory and regulatory framework governing Adult Social Care.
  
• Proven experience of leading complex Adult Social Care services and delivering service transformation and continuous improvement.
  
• Experience of managing significant budgets, resources, workforce, and service performance within a complex organisation.
  
• Strong understanding of integrated health and social care systems and experience of effective partnership working.
  
• Proven experience of commissioning, market management, and developing sustainable care and support provision.
  
• Strong leadership, strategic thinking, decision-making, and change-management skills.
  
• Experience of working effectively with elected members, senior officers, health partners, providers, regulators, and other external stakeholders.
  
• Excellent communication, influencing, negotiation, and stakeholder-management skills.
  
• Ability to operate effectively in a high-pressure environment and provide confident leadership during periods of organisational change or service transformation.
  
• Relevant professional qualification and/or significant equivalent senior-level experience in Adult Social Care.
  

Additional Information

• Location: Shropshire - Hybrid working arrangement, with 2–3 days per week in the office.
  
• Hours per week: 37 Hours
  
• Bi-Weekly Payments: Payment made every two weeks.