Service Manager (Adolescent Service) PO9: £73,266 pa rising in annual increments to £78,090 pa incl. LW Fixed Term or Secondment Opportunity for 12 months Full Time / Hybrid Working Agency staff please click HERE [https://effe.fa.em3.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_1001/job/2968/?utm_medium=jobshare&utm_source=External+Job+Share] to apply About Us: Located in the heart of South London, Lambeth Borough is a vibrant community of over 317,600 residents. Stretching from the dynamic neighbourhood of Streatham in the South to the iconic landmarks of Waterloo in the North, we are proud to be the 9th largest borough in London. Our diversity is our strength, with more than 130 languages spoken, making Lambeth the home of the Windrush generation, London's largest LGBTQ+ community, and a thriving Portuguese-speaking community. It is an exciting time to join Lambeth Council, we have bold ambitions for the future of Lambeth’s communities and residents through our Lambeth 2030 Plan ‘Our Future, Our Lambeth. [https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/better-fairer-lambeth/projects/lambeth-2030-our-future-our-lambeth] With exceptional schools, lush green spaces including Brockwell Park, cultural gems like the Black Cultural Archives, and world-renowned institutions such as St Thomas's Hospital, Lambeth offers an enriching and dynamic environment. Please have a look at our dedicated One Lambeth Values and Behaviours page. [https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/jobs-skills/careers-lambeth-council/lambeths-behaviours] About the Team: Join the Adolescent Early Support Team Help Us Change the Story for Adolescents Some young people face increasing challenges long before they meet the threshold for statutory intervention. They may be disengaging from education, experiencing family conflict, becoming vulnerable to exploitation, going missing, associating with risky peer groups, struggling with emotional wellbeing, or becoming involved in low-level offending behaviour. Too often, support comes only after risks have become entrenched. The Adolescent Early Support Team is a prevention and engagement service for young people aged 11-18, designed to intervene at the point of emerging risk and prevent escalation into crisis or statutory services. Through assertive outreach, trusted relationships and adolescent-centred practice, we support young people to reconnect with education, strengthen family relationships and access positive pathways. The team will operate as Lambeth's adolescent prevention, early support and engagement service, providing intensive, relationship-based support to adolescents who may not engage with traditional services. The team may offer some services out of hours and during weekends. Our work is trauma-informed, culturally responsive, strengths-based and rooted in contextual safeguarding principles. Crucially for this team, we are also investing in a researcher role to help us understand how we shape the improvements and how we can locally arrange our adolescent services offer in ways that prevent crisis intervention. Why Join Us? • Help shape an innovative new service from the outset • Work within a research-led, adolescent-focused model • Deliver meaningful early intervention and prevention • Be part of a multi-disciplinary team • Influence system changes and improve outcomes for young people • Contribute to a service that aims to reduce harm, inequality and escalation into higher-level services About The Role Lead Innovation. Influence Systems. Improve Outcomes. We are seeking an inspirational social work qualified Service Manager to lead the development, implementation and strategic delivery of our pilot Adolescent Early Support Team. The expectation is that you will: • Provide strategic leadership for a pioneering adolescent early intervention service • Drive innovation and continuous improvement • Build strong partnerships across education, safeguarding, health, housing, youth justice and the voluntary sector • Ensure effective performance, quality assurance and outcomes monitoring • Champion adolescent-centered practice and prevention approaches • Oversee evaluation and learning to evidence impact and shape future service delivery About You You will have: • Significant leadership experience within children's social care services or adolescent services • Strong knowledge of safeguarding, contextual safeguarding and adolescent vulnerability • Experience of leading multi-agency partnerships • A track record of service transformation and improvement • Passion for early intervention and achieving better outcomes for young people The Adolescent Early Support Team is more than a new service. It is an opportunity to redesign how we support young people at the point where timely intervention can make the greatest difference. If you believe in the power of relationships, early intervention and adolescent-focused practice, we would love to hear from you. How to Apply: To be considered for interview, your CV and supporting statement will clearly evidence how you meet the shortlisting criteria on the personal specification marked “A” for application: JD and Person Specification [https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2026-08/Service Manager - JD PS (Jul 2025).pdf] We operate an anonymised application process, so be sure to remove personal details when uploading your CV or personal statement. Recruitment Timelines: Advert closing date: 11:59pm on 18th of August Please click here to view: Lambeth Staff Benefits [https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2025-11/Staff Benefits.pdf] Successful candidates will be asked to apply for an Enhanced Certificate from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). Further information about the DBS can be found at www.homeoffice.gov.uk/agencies-public-bodies/dbs [https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/agencies-public-bodies/dbs&data=04|01|SBridgit@lambeth.gov.uk|b68acb6252eb4d873b8b08d941fc8e99|c4f22780485f4507af4a60a971d6f7fe|0|0|637613375243465355|Unknown|TWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0=|1000&sdata=XBPg6pRPw3Bzw2k8iMquvPBzrcaqRTAHBJh+Y/SrsqE=&reserved=0] You will be required to undertake a Cifas check. Further information about Cifas can be found here Cifas [https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https://www.cifas.org.uk/about-cifas/what-is-cifas&data=05|02|MWilliams6@lambeth.gov.uk|c7e358722ea44836119e08de1c520a1f|c4f22780485f4507af4a60a971d6f7fe|0|0|638979335849571942|Unknown|TWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ==|0|||&sdata=mSkV5fzN3k/XEm81l1V9pq2jPU4c96EltSodWMctFxs=&reserved=0] Contact Information: For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Manyara Walker - MWalker1@lambeth.gov.uk At Lambeth, we are dedicated to providing quality services and equal opportunities for all. We are committed to safer recruitment and are proud to be a Stonewall diversity champion, a Living Wage Employer, and to guarantee interviews for all disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria of the role. For a full list of our accreditations, please click here [https://beta.lambeth.gov.uk/about-council/lambeth-council-accreditations].