Vacancy -- Cafcass Cymru - Head of Operations (South Wales)

Working for the Civil Service

The Welsh Government's recruitment processes are underpinned by the principle of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles.

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

Vacancy Details

Health and Social Services Group
Cafcass Cymru South Wales
Grade 7 - £53,440 - £63,900
£53,440 This post also attracts an allowance of £3,500 per annum
Full time (applications are welcome from people who work part time, as part of a job share or who work full time)
Permanent
Cardiff, Other location
Cardiff or Merthyr Tydfil
TBC

Purpose of Post:

Background:  

The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass Cymru) is a Division of the Health and Social Services Directorate within the Welsh Government.  Cafcass Cymru is responsible for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children involved in Family Court proceedings.

Purpose of Post:  

To provide effective strategic and operational leadership of the organisation’s service delivery within a designated geographical area in Wales.  Providing management to the organisation’s Practice Managers within their designated geographical area.  To manage and be responsible for the effective deployment of resources and ensure that all management responsibilities are carried out in line with the organisation’s operational and strategic priorities and within appropriate lines of accountability.  To develop strong strategic and operational links within the designated geographical area with key stakeholders and partner organisations.

Key tasks:

  • To take the lead and be responsible for the leadership of overall performance, quality, and timeliness of all aspects of operational service delivery within a designated geographical region.
  • Take the lead on ensuring that effective arrangements are in place for safeguarding vulnerable children and adults involved in Family Proceedings.
  • To be responsible for the management and leadership of Practice Managers within the designated operational area, including the provision of cover arrangements for other Heads of Operations as required.
  • To be responsible for the leadership of operational service delivery to effectively meet the needs of children and families involved in Family Proceedings in a timely and effective way.
  • To take the lead in ensuring the robust management of resources, budgets, and staff within the designated operational area, and develop and implement corrective actions if required.
  • Lead on ensuring the effective implementation of strong performance and quality assurance arrangements within the designated operational area and contribute to the development and improvement of such arrangements.
  • To ensure robust arrangements for accountability, compliance and management oversight of the standard and quality of practice and direct service delivery within the designated operational area.
  • As part of the organisation’s Senior Leadership team, contribute to the development, co-ordination and review of operational policies, strategic and operational plans, and service developments.
  • To lead within the designated geographical area on ensuring that all aspects of the service and service delivery complies with the relevant Health and Safety requirements.
  • To ensure excellent working relationships between Cafcass Cymru and other Directorates and Divisions within Welsh Government.
  • To ensure excellent working relationships and strong strategic links within the designated operational area between Cafcass Cymru and key stakeholders and partner organisations.
  • To take the strategic lead on a national basis and as member of the Senior Leadership Team for an identified specialist area of service delivery, including the project leadership of specific projects from time to time.
  • To lead on the provision of advice, support, information and reports to the Chief Executive/Deputy Chief Executive as required.
  • Represent the organisation at a senior leadership level as required.
  • To deputise for the Deputy Chief Executive as and when required.

Development opportunities:

This post offers substantial opportunities to play a leading role in the development and delivery   of an all-Wales service, including liaison with a variety of agencies and organisations.

Closing Date:

21/02/2023, 16:00

Eligibility

Posts recruited to as part of this recruitment campaign are broadly open to UK nationals, those with right to remain and work in the UK and those that meet the Civil Service Nationality Rules only. Check your eligibility here:

Prior to appointment, all successful applicants will be required to produce original, acceptable documents as part of the pre-employment checks. If it becomes apparent at a later stage in the process that you aren’t eligible to apply, your application will be withdrawn, or offer retracted.

Equality and Diversity

The Welsh Government is committed to providing services which embrace diversity and which promote equality of opportunity. This is underpinned by the Equality Act 2010 and will be adhered to at each stage of the recruitment process. Our goal is to ensure that these commitments are also embedded in our day-to-day working practices with all our customers, colleagues and partners.

We are committed to being an anti-racist organisation and increasing diversity in the Welsh Government by removing barriers and supporting all our staff to reach their potential. We are committed to recruiting Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people and disabled people who are currently under-represented in Welsh Government.

We welcome applications from everyone regardless of age, marriage and civil partnership (both same sex and opposite sex), impairment or health condition, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, gender identity or gender expression.

We are a Stonewall Diversity Champion and a Disability Confident Level 3 (Leader) organisation. Key to supporting this work and providing peer support are five Board sponsored Staff Networks (Disability Awareness and Support (DAAS); Minority Ethnic Support Network (MESN); Mind Matters (Mental health and well-being); PRISM (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex +) and Women Together.

Disability Confident

A Great Place to Work for Veterans

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.

Welsh Language Requirements

The Welsh Government is a bilingual organisation and Welsh language skills are considered an asset to the organisation. We encourage and support staff to learn, develop and use their Welsh language skills in the workplace. 

The following list of language requirements represents an objective assessment by the line manager on behalf of the Welsh Government of the Welsh language skills required to undertake the duties of this particular post.

Desirable
Can read simple material on everyday topics with understanding
Can hold simple work-related conversations
Can understand routine work-related conversations
Can write simple work-related correspondence

Social Partnership

In Welsh Government, the relationship between the employer and trade unions is based on social partnership. We believe our goals can best be achieved by management and trade unions working together.

Our 3 recognised trade unions are:
•         PCS
•         Prospect
•         FDA

This relationship is underpinned by a partnership agreement. This sets out how our unions work with Welsh Government on issues such as:
•         pay
•         terms and conditions
•         policies and procedures
•         organisational change.

Our Welsh Government trade union colleagues work together to give their members a real say in the workplace. They make sure that the interests of their members are promoted and protected. They also help reduce inequalities and improve terms and conditions.

The Welsh Government has an excellent track record of working in partnership with its trade unions. We encourage staff to get involved. We support you to join a recognised trade union, to ensure your voice is heard in the workplace. and to learn more about trade unions and partnership working.

Competencies / Job Specific Criteria

Competencies: 

Leading and communicating: Lead by example, communicate in a truthful, straightforward manner with integrity, impartiality and promoting a working environment that supports the Civil Service values and code.

Collaborating and partnering: Encourage contributions and involvement from a broad and diverse range of staff by being visible and accessible.

Managing a quality service: Exemplify positive customer service behaviours and promote a culture focused on ensuring customer needs are met.

Delivering at Pace: Maintain effective performance in difficult and challenging circumstances, encouraging others to do the same.

Job Specific Criteria:

  1. Diploma in Social Work (or Social Care Wales recognised equivalent) and significant leadership experience in the context of children’s service delivery.
  2. Experience of supervising staff, working with, and leading safeguarding services for children and their families in the statutory sector and an understanding of the needs of children involved in private and public law proceedings within the family justice system.
  3. Experience of leading developments or new initiatives within a children’s organisation.

Assessment Process

There are three stages to the selection process, during which candidates will be assessed against the four competencies and three job specific criteria included in the vacancy description:

The three stages are:

Stage 1 – Personal statement
Stage 2 – Family Justice Young People’s Board Assessment Panel
Stage 3 – Interview 
 
Stage 1 – Personal statement

For your application, you should present a personal statement providing evidence against each of the competencies and job specific criteria listed in the advert, keeping in mind the purpose and key tasks for the post. Your personal statement should not exceed 2100 words, including any headings. Any content that exceeds the 2100 word limit will be discounted.

Along with your personal statement, you will also be asked to provide a CV. Your CV will be used to help inform the panel of your career history, however it will not be marked or contribute to your overall sift score. CVs should be no longer than 2 sides of A4.

No late applications will be accepted unless this has been agreed as a recruitment adjustment or agreed in advance due to exceptional circumstances. 

Stage 2 - Family Justice Young People’s Board Assessment Panel

All candidates that are successful at stage 1 will be invited to attend a Family Justice Young People’s Board Assessment Panel.

The Family Justice Young People’s Board (FJYPB) is a group of young people who have had direct experience of the family justice system or have an interest in children’s rights and the family courts.  They work hard to help ensure that the work of the Family Justice Board is child-centred and child-inclusive by working closely with other young people’s groups and stakeholders within family justice, including Cafcass Cymru.  The FJYPB assessment panel will comprise of 2 members of the board with the support of a facilitator.

Further details on this assessment will be provided to candidates who successfully pass the first stage of the assessment.

Stage 3 – Interview 

Following stage 2, you will attend the 3rd and final stage. This will be a panel interview where you will be asked questions based on the competencies and job specific criteria to explore in detail what you are capable of and your previous experience which is relevant to the requirements of the grade and role.   

Further details on the specifics of this stage of the process will be provided in your invite to interview.

Other Information

  • Unless stated otherwise in ‘actual starting salary’, all candidates will start at the minimum of the pay scale being appointed to (this includes existing civil servants).This is not negotiable.
  • Unless stated otherwise in ‘type of opportunity’, this recruitment advert is not open on a Loan or Secondment basis.
  • For more information on the eligibility criteria and terms and conditions for Loan and Secondment positions in Welsh Government, please see external recruitment candidate guidance.
  • Unless stated otherwise in ‘Location of Post’ the role/s recruited to via this campaign can only be worked in the UK, not overseas.
CafacssCymruHR@gov.wales

How to apply

All applications for this vacancy should be made online via the Welsh Government's online application system.  If you have an impairment which would prevent you from applying on-line, please e-mail SharedServiceHelpdesk@gov.wales to request an application pack in an alternative format, or to request a reasonable adjustment related to an impairment in order to submit your application.

To apply, you'll need to have an account on our online application system.  Click the 'Apply' button below, and you'll be asked to 'Log in' if you already have an account, or 'Register' if you don't yet have an account.  Registration takes just a few minutes to complete.  You'll need an e-mail address to be able to register.  Once you've registered for an account and logged in, you'll be taken to the online application form, which you'll need to fully complete and submit before the deadline on the closing date.  

If you’d like to apply for this vacancy in Welsh, please use the ‘Newid Iaith / Change Language’ link at the top of this page, to take you to the Welsh version of this advert, from which you can apply in Welsh.

For further information regarding the Welsh Government recruitment process, please see the Recruitment Guidance for External Candidates (link).

When evidencing your suitability for the post, it is recommended that you refer to the Civil Service Competency Framework (link)

Grievance and Complaints

Anyone who believes they have been treated unfairly, or has a grievance or complaint, about how the process was conducted should either write to the Head of Resourcing, Welsh Government, Cathays Park 2, Cardiff CF10 3NQ or email SharedServiceHelpdesk@gov.wales.  If you are unhappy with the outcome of the complaint raised with the Welsh Government and feel that the principles of appointment on merit through fair and open competition have not been met you have the right to pursue your grievance with the Civil Service Commission.

This vacancy is closed to applications.