Lead For Inspection, Professional Standards & Audit

About the role

Lead For Inspection, Professional Standards & Audit

Permanent, Full Time

£45,467 to £53,490 per annum

Location: Chelmsford

Closing Date: 1st May 2025

The Opportunity

Children and Families is recognised as a service in which social work can develop and prosper, with a culture of collaboration, integrity and compassion; promoting the development and wellbeing of children, young people and their families; protecting them from neglect and abuse. Working together with partners delivering a range of early help, family support and effective social work interventions which build resilience, remove barriers and enable children and young people to look forward to a brighter future.

This role sits within the Professional Standards & Audit Service and leads management and oversight of activity in relation to Statutory Inspection (Ofsted), Multi-Agency Joint Targeted Area inspections and SEND Inspections on behalf of Children & Families and provides a Quality Assurance function in relation to Inspection preparation. With a sound understanding of Childrens Services, the postholder represents the function, building credible, influential relationships with senior leaders both internally and externally.

As the Lead for Inspection for Children’s Social Care, you will prepare and organise the service for all inspection activity and act as the key liaison person for Ofsted during inspections. You will liaise with Directors and Managers across the function and with other stakeholders to ensure the service has all the necessary documentation, data and other preparatory work to ensure we remain ‘Ofsted ready’. A detailed knowledge of the Ofsted inspection framework is highly desirable.

Accountabilities

• Providing up to date knowledge, expertise and guidance to the organisation on statutory inspection frameworks for Childrens Social Care

• Development of plans to ensure the service is well prepared for any statutory inspection activity, minimising risk and keeping the service ‘ever ready’ for inspections and annual engagement activity with Ofsted through ongoing preparation and liaison with colleagues across the Authority.

• Engaging and preparing senior and frontline staff for the inspection experience (including managing their own and others' anxieties) and ensuring they know what is expected of them.

• Cultivating strong relationships and providing support to partners in their preparation for Ofsted's Multi-Agency Inspection frameworks. Build and maintain a key relationship with Ofsted Lead Inspector, accountable for quality of all information disclosures; using judgement (without need for escalation to senior leadership) on consideration response to information requests

• Oversees the ongoing co-ordination and delivery of the Inspection portfolio for Essex Children and Families

• Lead triangulation, analysis and reporting of learning from inspection activity, locally, regionally and nationally to drive improvement supported by, developing presentations and workshops

• Supports audit related activities within the Professional Standards & Audit Service and wider related projects

The Experience You Will Bring

• Educated to RQF level 3 or equivalent by experience. Experience of successfully providing project delivery or programme support.

• Good operational knowledge and experience within children and families’ services and across partner agencies and stakeholders, and comprehensive knowledge of the regulatory and inspection framework.

• Effective communicator able to build good relationships with a range of colleagues and stakeholders; assertive in communications with the ability to persuade, influence and negotiate effectively.

• Uses initiative and judgement and decision-making skills in providing quality assurance to the work undertaken for customers.

• Proven ability to work flexibly, be proactive and adapt to changing circumstances.

• Works well under pressure with a high level of emotional resilience, able to work and respond at pace.

• Strong Excel/IT capabilities in and numerically literate with strong report writing and organisational skills.

The successful candidate will be:

• A pro-active self-starter who is able to work under their own initiative, with confidence

• A resourceful problem solver, adept at anticipating issues and devising innovative solutions.

• Highly organised with the ability to develop systems and processes to meet the business need

• Confidence in developing and working with spreadsheets

• Experienced in managing multifaceted projects or workstreams

• Confident in talking with senior managers, Members, inspectors and external stakeholders. Able to influence and negotiate where necessary.

• An excellent written communicator with the ability to address and engage a variety of audiences. Experience of drafting guidance, communications and presentations is essential.

• Able to work under pressure and to deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

• Interested in national social work policy and issues and how they interface with inspection.

To read more about our business area, please visit: Children & Families

Please take a look at our ‘No Magic’ Children & Families video

Why Essex?

As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities, Essex offers a stimulating public service environment. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we’re committed to transformational change and delivering better quality at lower cost. Recognised in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity, we ensure everyone matters in Everyone's Essex . With flexible working options and a focus on innovation, whether you are looking to develop your career or contribute to the local community, Essex is the ideal place for you.

In February 2025 , Greater Essex was accepted onto the Government’s devolution priority programme, which will see local authorities in Essex work towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority by May 2026. You can read more about devolution and local government reorganisation (LGR ) on our careers site.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process. We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

Once you’ve secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs.

At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles , including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.

As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service please go to https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you would like to be kept up to date on other relevant opportunities, blogs, news, events and industry related news at Essex County Council, please join The Essex Talent Community

If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email resourcing.team@essex.gov.uk

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