Location
Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, based at Kingston Guildhall 2, South-West London. Cross-borough travel required.

Hours
Full time, term dependent upon start date until 31st March 2028.

Salary
£72,399 per annum

About the Role
We are seeking an exceptional Head of Service to lead the newly funded sub-regional foster recruitment and retention hub for South-West London. This innovative service will join a network of five Fostering Hubs across London, working collaboratively to develop best practices in foster carer recruitment, assessment, and partnership opportunities.

As Head of Service, you will provide strategic and operational leadership for Foster With South-West London, establishing and embedding a high-performing service that delivers measurable improvements in foster carer recruitment across partner authorities.

You will lead a transformation programme that challenges traditional approaches, utilises evidence and data to drive decision-making, and ensures prospective foster carers experience a clear, consistent, and compelling journey from initial enquiry through to approval.

Working across organisational boundaries, you will build strong relationships with senior leaders, fostering services, communications and marketing teams, and other key stakeholders to deliver value for all participating authorities.

The role is hosted by Achieving for Children on behalf of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames and the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. This is a secondment opportunity available to staff in participating authorities.

Experience
- Proven strategic leadership and influencing skills across organisational boundaries.
- Strong understanding of foster carer recruitment and the fostering landscape.
- Experience in transformation, service improvement, and partnership working.
- Ability to use data and insight to drive improvement and decision-making.
- Strong leadership and management abilities including team coordination and performance management.

About you
- Confident, innovative, and collaborative leader comfortable operating at both strategic and operational levels.
- Excellent communication skills, able to clearly convey complex issues to senior stakeholders and partners.
- Resilient with sound judgement and a collaborative leadership style.
- Commitment to improving outcomes for children and foster families.
- Energetic, curious, pragmatic, and able to constructively challenge established ways of working.
- Comfortable working in a new, ambitious, and evolving service environment.
- Committed to diversity and inclusion, reflecting the communities served in South-West London.

Qualifications
No specific qualifications are stated; however, relevant leadership experience and a strong track record in fostering services or related fields are essential.