Head of Service - Children's Community Health (Part-Time)

Ipswich, United Kingdom Posted on 16/10/2026

Job Description Head of Service - Children's Community Health (Part-Time) - 12 Month Contract

Local Authority 12 Month Contract

Location: Endeavour House, Suffolk County

Contract: 12 Month Contract

Working Pattern: 3 Days Office-Based Travel Required

Driving Licence: Required (DVLA Check Required)

DBS: Enhanced DBS Required

Interview Process: Face-to-Face Interview Preferred

Summary

We are looking for an experienced leader to fill the role of Head of Service - Children's Community Health. This position is crucial for providing both strategic and operational direction within Suffolk County's Children's Community Health Services. The role is responsible for the safe, effective, and high-quality delivery of services such as Health Visiting, School Nursing, Family Nurse Partnership (FNP), and the Healthy Child Programme (0-19). Key responsibilities include leading initiatives in safeguarding, quality assurance, governance, workforce development, and service performance to achieve outstanding outcomes for children, young people, and families. As the CQC Registered Manager, you will play a vital role in driving service improvements and ensuring excellence in children's community health services.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for Children's Community Health Services.
  
• Manage the Healthy Child Programme (0-19) to fulfill commissioned and statutory objectives.
  
• Take full responsibility for safeguarding, statutory compliance, and organizational assurance.
  
• Act as the senior safeguarding lead, offering expert guidance and oversight.
  
• Oversee safeguarding governance, supervision, policy development, audit programs, and quality assurance frameworks.
  
• Incorporate learning from inspections, safeguarding reviews, complaints, and serious incidents into practice.
  
• Supervise clinical quality, patient safety, risk management, and governance.
  
• Ensure inspection readiness as the CQC Registered Manager.
  
• Lead service transformation, redesign, and innovation initiatives.
  
• Improve performance against safeguarding, operational, and public health metrics.
  
• Lead, supervise, and develop multidisciplinary teams.
  
• Oversee services for vulnerable children and young people, including those in care or under child protection plans.
  
• Manage complex budgets, resources, and financial performance.
  
• Build effective partnerships across health, education, local authority, safeguarding, and voluntary sectors.
  
• Represent the organization at safeguarding partnerships, commissioning boards, strategic forums, and inspections.
  
• Prepare and present reports, assurance papers, and recommendations to senior leaders, commissioners, and stakeholders.
  

As the senior safeguarding lead, you will:

• Direct safeguarding policy, practice, and service development.
  
• Ensure robust safeguarding supervision arrangements.
  
• Lead organizational responses to serious incidents and safeguarding reviews.
  
• Foster a strong culture of safeguarding and professional accountability.
  
• Deliver and manage safeguarding training and workforce development programs.
  
• Maintain strong relationships with safeguarding partnerships and multi-agency networks.
  
• Ensure compliance with all relevant safeguarding legislation, guidance, and regulatory requirements.
  

Requirements

Requirements:

• Registered Health Professional (e.g., Nurse or SCPHN) with current professional registration.
  
• Extensive senior leadership experience in Children's Services, Community Health, Public Health, or Integrated Care Services.
  
• Comprehensive safeguarding leadership experience, including multi-agency safeguarding arrangements.
  
• Strong understanding of the Healthy Child Programme and 0-19 service delivery.
  
• Experience in leading quality, governance, risk management, and regulatory compliance functions.
  
• Proven track record in managing large multidisciplinary teams.
  
• Successful history of leading service transformation and continuous improvement programs.
  
• Experience in managing complex budgets and achieving financial targets.
  
• Excellent communication, influencing, and stakeholder management skills.
  
• Ability to translate strategic priorities into effective operational delivery.
  
• Full UK Driving Licence and ability to travel across the county.
  
• Ability to meet Enhanced DBS requirements.
  

• Postgraduate qualification in Leadership, Public Health, Health Management, or a related field.
  
• Previous experience as a CQC Registered Manager.
  
• Experience working across Integrated Care Systems, Local Authorities, and Safeguarding Partnerships.
  
• Experience leading services through CQC inspections.
  
• Advanced safeguarding qualification or safeguarding leadership training.
  

What's on Offer?

• 12 Month Contract
  
• Bi-Weekly Pay
  
• 3 Days Per Week Office-Based at Endeavour House
  
• Senior Strategic Leadership Position
  
• CQC Registered Manager Opportunity
  
• Enhanced DBS Required
  
• Opportunity to lead Health Visiting, School Nursing, Family Nurse Partnership, and 0-19 Services
  
• Significant Service Transformation and Improvement Portfolio
  
• Potential Contract Extension
  

This role is ideal for candidates with experience as a Head of Service, Head of Children's Services, Children's Community Health Manager, Public Health Manager, 0-19 Service Manager, Health Visiting Manager, School Nursing Manager, Safeguarding Lead, Children's Services Operational Manager, or Community Health Services Manager.

Civic Recruitment Limited is recruiting for a Head of Service - Children's Community Health (Part-Time) in Suffolk. The role governs Health Visiting, School Nursing and 0-19 services, with strategic and operational leadership across safeguarding, governance and service performance.

The post holders will lead transformation and drive improvements in safeguarding and family health outcomes. We are seeking an experienced leader with robust clinical credentials, DBS clearance and the ability to