The role

Accountable to: Chief Executive

Responsible for: 2 x Deputy Directors of Operations & Improvement, 2 x Assistant Directors (Performance & Quality Assurance, Principal Social Worker), Assistant Directors x 2 (Pathfinder and Associates unit) from April 2026. Areas of responsibility may be reviewed from time to time

Staff Responsibilities: 1792 (FTE) social work practitioners and managers and the work of the Cafcass Associate Unit (up to 120 Cafcass Associates)

Budget Responsibilities: £120m

Location: Location to be agreed, though there is regular expected travel to London and other locations in England required. In person visibility is a critical aspect for this position.

Key working: Chief Executive, Director of Resources and Deputy Chief Executive, Cafcass Board, Corporate Management Team, Senior Cafcass managers, Ministry of Justice, Department for Education, Senior Judiciary, Local Authority Directors of Children’s Services, Ofsted and Cafcass key partners. Liaison with the Family Justice Young People’s Board and the Cafcass Family Forum and Family Voices.

Terms of Employment: Permanent, full time

Salary: Range £160k to £180k

London Weighting: Not applicable

Superannuation: The pension scheme used by Cafcass is the West Yorkshire Pension Fund (a Local Government Pension Scheme). This is also our auto enrolment scheme Contribution rates are based on a tiered system.

Annual Leave: 28 days rising to 33 days after five years reckonable service, inclusive of three closure days to be taken between Christmas and New Year plus bank/public holidays.

Job summary

You will be the practice leader of England’s largest social work employer, overseeing the effectiveness of Cafcass’ work for c130, 000 children and their families every year in both public and private law proceedings. We are also responsible for the allocation of children’s guardians in applications to deprive children of their liberty in England. This is a significant and influential national leadership position and you are required to be tenacious, inspirational, enabling, accountable and relentless about children’s experiences with Cafcass at all times.

With the corporate management team and the senior operational leadership team, you are responsible for the realisation of our strategic ambition which is for every child in family law proceedings to have an exceptional experience, everywhere in the country and every time they engage with us. Every day we receive 221 new applications and there will be c44, 000 children in open proceedings on any one of those days. Managing the flow of work, the availability and capacity of social workers and managers is a critical responsibility that comes with this position.

With your senior team and alongside the Chief Executive, you lead the operational social work service and are accountable for practice effectiveness in all 19 English operational service areas. You are required to oversee the safe and proper discharge of Cafcass’ statutory responsibilities for the safety and welfare of children in proceedings, our employer responsibilities in respect of Social Work England and to comply with the regulatory framework for Cafcass set by Ofsted in accordance with statute.

The National Director of Operations is responsible for two Deputy Directors for Operations and Improvement as well as the Cafcass Principal Social worker and the Assistant Director for the quality and performance improvement who leads our national improvement service. The role also has oversight of two Assistant Directors working on private law transformation in England. We work to the legislation of the Children Acts 1989 and 2014 in respect of public and private law proceedings and a range of practice directions that set out what is required in advice given to the family court. Our Family Court advisers and children’s guardians are independently appointed by the court and the employer and supervisory dynamic is different to that found in local authority social work. You will need to be familiar with this and able to lead improvement and practice effectiveness in this context.

You will be the lead sponsor for Cafcass’ own practice framework, Together with children and families, alongside the practice and management quality standards. These fundamental sets of guidance house our expectations and values for practice and leadership alongside our policies which all colleagues are expected to follow. You will be responsible for making sure that all Cafcass social workers renew and retain their registration with Social Work England annually and you will lead with the Chief Executive, the development and adjustment of the national improvement plan and associated priorities.

In addition to holding the lead responsibility and accountability for the quality and effectiveness of practice and the welfare of our social work practitioners and managers, you will take lead responsibility for corporate national projects in consultation with the Chief Executive. This will involve you in partnership work with Family Justice system leaders, the Ministry of Justice and the Department for Education. Your experience nationally and alongside government and regulatory bodies will be key to your success in this role.

The experiences of children and their families at very difficult times in their lives are the most significant and fundamental responsibility for the national Director of Operations. Everything you do, say and lead must route back to the impact on them and the safety of children in proceedings.

Main duties and responsibilities

1. Leadership of and practice effectiveness for the safety and welfare of all children in public and private law proceedings.
2. The provision of robust, effective leadership that holds all nineteen operational service areas and the regional leadership teams to account for the quality of practice, the impact on children and families, their safety in proceedings and achievement of the national and local improvement plan priorities.
3. To inspire, develop and model kind leadership that demands accountability, challenge, reflection, analysis, high standards, evidence and data informed decision making and the development of a new generation of internal leaders
4. To manage direct reports, providing oversight of their work, their achievement of practice and leadership improvement priorities, their compliance with the performance and accountability framework and the associated requirements of the Cafcass quality assurance system and processes.
5. To lead and ensure that Deputy Directors for Operations and Improvement are effectively leading the regions for which they hold responsibility, including progress with improvement priorities, preparation for annual regional performance boards, mid and end year reviews and the submission of annual self -evaluation reports.
6. To lead performance and practice improvement providing evidence and assurance to the Chief Executive, the Corporate Management Team and the Cafcass board in accordance with the requirements of the Cafcass performance and accountability framework.
7. To quickly identify, intervene and provide assurance where performance in an operational service area is weak or becoming less effective and to provide a targeted improvement plan and priorities to address identified shortfalls. This includes reporting to the Corporate Management Team to propose such a plan and when there is adequate evidence of improvement to cease such a plan.
8. To keep the Chief Executive and the Cafcass board well informed about the quality of practice, improvement priorities and the effectiveness of leadership.
9. To understand, use and provide regular analysis in respect of performance and staffing data and in particular to oversee high quality submissions to the recovery and improvement board in respect of national practice and regional variation.
10. To lead and grip the provision of serious incident notifications, including the appropriate escalation to the Chief Executive and the Corporate Management Team and the follow up in timescales to actions, learning and notifications where required.
11. To provide influence and direction to all practitioners and leaders about what is required in practice, guidance and in adherence to policies whilst respecting the independent appointment of advisers and guardians by the family court
12. To oversee operational capacity in respect of vacancy management and sickness absence, retaining at all times, a detailed overview of the impact on caseloads and children, alerting the Chief Executive and Corporate Management Team when practice effectiveness is compromised
13. Prioritise the well – being, safety and security of all operational staff, specifically in response to threats of violence, intimidation and harassment.
14. To lead and manage the priority strategic workstreams for operations in respect of the Cafcass strategy – “Ambitious for Children”.
15. To show leadership , interest and commitment to Cafcass’ Equality, Diversity and Inclusion strategy and the main objectives as they relate to children, our people and in our work with partners, including adherence to our policies and anti – racist practice.
16. To represent Cafcass in meetings with senior government officials and Ministers and to work collaboratively in children’s best interest with key partners including the Judiciary, Local Authorities and Ofsted to influence national improvements.
17. To oversee the national improvement plan for operations and all associated targeted and formal intervention programmes, providing regular reports and evidence of progress.
18. To oversee the leadership and management of Cafcass’ significant incident policy and the associated processes, making sure the reputation of the organisation and the protection of children are prioritised at all times.
19. To ensure that Assistant Directors and Heads of Service have in place appropriate arrangements for managing staff, performance and budgets, including high quality business plans and performance quality assurance reports.
20. Provide high-level advice and attendance at the Cafcass Board in both private and public board meetings and in seminars.
21. To give support and advice to the Chief Executive as a member and decision maker of the Corporate Management Team on operational and strategic issues, including working across directorates to provide coherent and defensible papers for formal decision in required timescales
22. To ensure that effective budgetary control strategies are in place across the whole operation and to ensure resources are being used efficiently
23. Ensure robust compliance is maintained with regard to the security of all data held on Cafcass systems.
24. To lead organisational change and improvement programmes as required, with a view to optimising social work practice and systems and to implement any changes agreed by the corporate management team, providing appropriate updates, evidence and progress reports as required.
25. Ensure at all times, that Cafcass’ reputation is protected and respected internally and externally, taking proactive action to develop credible and honest responses when practice is not good enough, being a role model for learning not blaming and promoting Cafcass as a kind and responsible social work employer and arms-length body of government.
26. Alongside the Chief Executive to prepare for, be transparent with and have grip on the requirements of the Ofsted inspection framework for Cafcass and the associated requirements of annual self -evaluation and inspection.
27. To be an effective representative for Cafcass and to act at all times in a professional manner, working collaboratively as a senior and core member of the Corporate Management Team, promoting one leadership message and promoting a positive image of the organisation and of public service for children.
28. To manage your own continuous professional development and working alongside corporate colleagues to consider and develop the internal professional development framework and a balanced workload programme
29. At all times to act in accordance with legislation, Cafcass policies and procedures and the expectations of the Civil Service Code

This job profile is not a definitive list of responsibilities but identifies the key components of the role. The specific objectives of the post holder will be subject to review as part of the individual performance review process.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Social Work England recognised qualification and current registration – Desirable and if not a qualified social worker, must have held the position of Director of Children’s Services in a high performing local authority/ies for in excess of five years or the equivalent in family justice services for central government
• Relevant degree and masters qualification

Personal Qualities

• An inspirational and motivated leader with high levels of stamina and resilience
• A willingness to work closely and collaboratively with the Chief Executive as the Accounting Officer
• Relentless interest in feedback from children and families about their experiences in Family Justice
• Able to balance the significant responsibilities of the position, paying attention to detail, standards and timescales but have fun as a colleague when the diary allows!
• Interested in maximising corporate support for social work effectiveness
• Strong analytical skills and a creative approach to problem solving.
• Precision and detail in writing and explaining rationales and advice
• A track record of achieving results through a learning and improving performance driven culture.
• A strong value base in respect of the difference social workers make to the lives of vulnerable children
• A willingness to understand and engage with the complexities of domestic abuse in private family lives
• A commitment to a high-quality cost-effective services and a strong focus on resourceful solutions to meet the needs of a children’s social work organisation
• A passion and hunger for brilliance in children’s services that is relentless and unapologetic
• Kindness in equal measure to holding to account, when analysing why things go wrong in children’s social work services
• A collaborative team worker who can build positive relationships and work effectively across professional functions and achieve results through others.
• Personal conduct, integrity and credibility that commands the confidence of managers and colleagues as well as with board members, government officials, judges and external partners
• Understanding of the principles of a learning organisation and the ability to identify and build on the strengths of individuals and teams

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Proven experience and a successful track record as an Executive Director within a Childrens Services or family justice environment, having operated at statutory Director of Childrens Services level (formal DCS appointment) within a large Local Authority or at Departmental Director level in Family Justice for central government
• Extensive experience of system leadership, improvement and the family justice system.
• Proven experience of introducing innovation and improvement in children’s social work or family justice

• A confident and competent leader with extensive knowledge of best practice and current thinking in family justice services for children
• A leader with exceptional writing and presentational skills and experience as well as the ability to develop inspiring and accessible materials
• Ability and experience of working with complex performance data systems and providing exceptional quality assurance reports to Board members, politicians and Corporate Management team colleagues
• A leader who is able to balance detailed work with strategic thinking such that neither are compromised as both are required all of the time in this role
• Experience of achieving national consistency in the delivery of a service such that variation for children and families is reduced  and the quality of service is both equitable and highly effective

• An ability to operate effectively and sensitively within a political environment and to develop relationships that command respect, trust and confidence
• Evidence of commitment and a demonstrable track record in promoting equality and diversity in employment and services such that colleagues say they see your passion and children experience your determination that their uniqueness is recognised and valued
• Experience of managing a large organisation and reputation management alongside, including working with press and high media interest
• A thorough appreciation and understanding of the current issues facing children and families in the Family Justice System, an awareness of legislative changes, practice and performance issues and the requirements of public law, private law and domestic abuse practice over the next 5 years

• An ability to develop, lead and implement effective corporate and operational strategies and to manage competing priorities
• An ability and commitment to and experience of working as a highly effective team colleague, making sure that strategic and operational decisions and recommendations are developed with advice from corporate and practice colleagues and are influenced by the same
• A willingness and ability to listen to the perceptions and opinions of corporate management team colleagues, government officials and senior judges as part of developing work priorities and programmes
• An ability to lead and manage performance in teams and for individuals which holds to account, is authoritative, sensitive and considered but is in pursuit of high quality and improving services for children and families

• Experience as a senior leader of achieving compliance with and respect for confidential and complex systems of information across an organisation
• Experience of managing substantial budgets in excess of £100m and reporting outturn and pressures on a regular basis

• Experience of recruitment and retention of large teams of ‘difficult to hire’ professionals, with an eye for creative and new solutions
• A proven track record of leading the delivery of significant organisational change and improvement
• Ability to assess and understand risk, develop mitigating arrangements and report openly and transparently about escalating or reducing risk

• Excellent written, spoken communication and presentation skills with the ability to relate to a wide variety of audiences
• Capable of inspiring people to think and act innovatively and to challenge established ways of doing things
• A willingness to balance new ideas and innovation against the need for national consistency in service provision
• Ability to provide visible and supportive leadership that encourages commitment from others and fosters a positive and creative organisational culture
• An ability to think strategically and develop effective and practical solutions to complex issues