Service Manager Partnerships (Engagement and Participation Manager)

• • 37 per hours per week
  • Flexible working available, using a hybrid model – working from your contracted work base in Taunton and home
  • Occasional weekend working
  • 33 days annual leave

We’re working to improve the lives children and families in Somerset – and you’ll be a key part of that. Your day-to-day work will involve:

• Lead participation, and engagement activity across children’s services for young people and parents; to ensure their voices influence service delivery.
• Manage Somerset SENDIAS service to ensure parents of and children and young people with Special Educational Needs and /or Disabilities receive a consistently good service in line with legislation, policy and guidance.
• Lead the design, implementation, reporting and monitoring of the Children and Young People’s Plan, including regular updates to the ICS Children, Young People and Families Board (ICS CYPF Board).
• Ensure the voices of children and young people are heard by the workforce and used to shape strategic vision and plans.
• The role is high profile across the children’s workforce and demands a sound knowledge of the rights of children and young people. The work can be fast-paced and demands a high-degree of flexibility. You will have a strong background in working with children and young people and partnership working for the benefit of children, young people and families. The role demands the sharing of children and young people’s voices with senior and operational leaders across the Somerset children’s workforce, so the ability to establish strong, professional relationships across all sectors, including health, education, police, social care and the private and voluntary sector is essential.

We offer ongoing support, training and guidance to help you be the best you can be. But it will really help if you:

We’re proud to be here for the people of Somerset. And that means everyone in Somerset. An important part of this is ensuring that we are as diverse and inclusive as the people and communities we serve.

We welcome applications from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences to enrich our team. You can always contact the hiring manager for a chat if there’s anything you want to talk about before you apply.

We are proud to offer an environment that is supportive and rewarding, working as part of a team who are passionate about the work they do to improve the lives of people in Somerset.

We offer great training and development opportunities, with supportive management. As well as this, we have some fantastic employee benefits available:

• We promote a healthy work-life balance and offer flexible working arrangements wherever possible, including working from home.
• Generous annual leave allowance, with the opportunity to purchase additional leave
• Staff discounts in gyms.
• Employee Assistance for the times you may need some support and a variety of employee wellbeing services.
• Auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme and optional pension enhancement through our Additional Voluntary Contribution scheme.
• A Flexible Benefits Scheme via salary sacrifice to obtain a cycle for work and health screenings.
• My Staff Shop offering discounts in shops, online shopping, restaurants, cinema tickets, insurance benefits and more

For an informal chat about the role, you can contact Jane Sprague, Head of Service Quality Assurance & Partnerships at jane.sprague@somerset.gov.uk

Interviews will take place on 21 May 2025.

When completing your application/CV please provide your full employment history and ensure that any gaps in employment are explained. Please start with your current or most recent employment.

If you have all the information you need, just hit the apply button - we can’t wait to hear from you.

This post requires a criminal background check via the Disclosure procedure.