Head of Service - Foster hub (North London)
About this role
Head of Service – North London Fostering (Job Ref: 4224)
Salary: £86,889
Grade: Level 6 Zone 2
Location: Hybrid – Camden, with travel across North London
Contract Type: Fixed Term/ Secondment for 2 years
Hours: 37
Closing Date: Sunday 26th July 2026 at 23:55
Interview: Tuesday 4th August 2026
About Camden
At Camden, we're building somewhere everyone can thrive. We are committed to making our borough the best place to live, work, study and visit, while leading bold and innovative approaches that improve lives.
Hosted by Camden on behalf of the North London boroughs of Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey and Islington, this is an exciting opportunity to lead one of the country's most ambitious regional fostering partnerships. Together, we're transforming fostering services to ensure more children can grow up in safe, stable and loving homes closer to where they belong.
How You’ll Be Involved
As Head of Service, you will provide strategic leadership for the new North London Fostering Hub, bringing together six local authorities to deliver a seamless fostering recruitment, assessment and support service.
You'll lead the development of a high-performing regional service, managing a £2.2 million budget and working closely with Directors of Children's Services, elected Members, the Department for Education and regional partners to deliver lasting change.
This is a unique opportunity to shape fostering services at scale, increasing the number and diversity of foster carers, improving placement stability and ensuring the best possible outcomes for children and young people across North London.
All About You
We're looking for an experienced and inspirational leader with significant senior management experience in fostering or children's social care.
You'll be a qualified social worker with a proven track record of leading service transformation, building successful partnerships and influencing senior stakeholders. You'll be confident using data to drive improvement, able to navigate complex environments, and committed to delivering high-quality services for children and foster families.
If you're an ambitious, collaborative leader who wants to shape the future of fostering across North London, we'd love to hear from you.
To view the Job Profile, please click HERE
To find out more about what it is like to work at Camden, meet some of our People by visiting 'www.camdenjobs.co.uk/our-stories'.
What We Offer
At Camden, you’ll receive a host of benefits. From flexible working to 27 days annual leave (+ bank holidays!). We also know that a work life balance is extremely important so we also offer family leave, loan schemes and access to our incredible staff networks. We also have an incredible pensions scheme.
Visit 'www.camdenjobs.co.uk/staff-benefits' for more details.
Inclusion and Diversity
We want Camden Council to be a great place to work and to ensure that our communities are represented across our workforce. A vital part of this is ensuring we are a truly inclusive organisation that encourages diversity in all respects, including diversity of thinking. We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and those of Other Ethnicities, LGBT+, disabled and neurodiverse communities to make a real difference to our residents so that equalities and justice remains at the heart of everything we do.
To discover more about Camden and our commitment towards diversity, equality and safeguarding, please visit https://www.camdenjobs.co.uk/inclusion-and-diversity
Anonymised Application – in keeping with Camden’s commitment to inclusion the recruitment to this role is anonymised and supports the objective of reducing the impact of unconscious bias.
Asking for Adjustments
Camden is committed to making our recruitment practices barrier-free and as accessible as possible for everyone. This includes making adjustments or changes for disabled people, neurodiverse people or people with long-term health conditions. If you would like us to do anything differently during the application, interview or assessment process, including providing information in an alternative format, please contact us on 020 7974 6655, at [email protected] or post to 5 Pancras Square, London, N1C 4AG.
Company at a glance
We’re Camden, a borough with a proud history and a bold, progressive future.
At Camden Council, we’re not just about services, we’re about people. Our vision is to make Camden a better borough, one that’s inclusive, sustainable, and fair.
We put our residents and communities at the heart of everything we do. From tackling inequality and championing local voices, to leading climate action and designing services with people, not just for them, Camden is where innovation meets compassion.
As an employer, we’re committed to being people-centred, inclusive, and ambitious. Whether you're a resident, partner, or future colleague, you’ll find that Camden is not just a place to work or live, but a place to grow, belong, and make a real difference.
💬 Relational in our leadership
💡 Forward-thinking in our services
🌍 Inclusive in our culture
Join us in shaping a Camden where everyone can thrive.
Top Benefits
- Flexible Working
- 27 Days Annual Leave
- Bank Holidays
- Family Leave
- Loan Schemes
- Staff Networks
- Pensions Scheme
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