The client is seeking a Head of All Age Early Help to lead a high-profile, system-wide leadership agenda focused on prevention, early intervention, and whole-system change. Reporting directly into the Director, you will take ownership of a complex and visible remit and bring together services, partners, and leaders around the shared ambition of stopping people in local communities from reaching crisis. The role covers a broad portfolio spanning Early Help, Early Years, Family Hubs, Prevention, and Best Start for Life, with responsibility for shaping strategy, leading transformation, and influencing across adults, children’s, public health, and homelessness services.
Key responsibilities include providing system leadership by aligning services around a shared prevention strategy; defining new capabilities to identify risk early and intervene before crisis; integrating Early Help, Early Years, Family Hubs, and Best Start for Life into a joined-up all-age offer; and enabling multi-agency transformation through effective, multi-disciplinary partnership working. You will also provide visible leadership by influencing senior leaders, members, and partners while driving pace and accountability, with an emphasis on breaking down silos, redesigning ways of working, and creating sustainable impact at scale.
The client expects senior leadership experience within Children’s Services, Early Help, or a closely related system role, along with a strong track record of large-scale transformation and service redesign in complex environments. You should have deep understanding of early help, prevention, and whole-system working, as well as extensive experience leading multi-agency partnerships at a senior strategic level. Strong financial and commercial awareness is required, including confidence managing budgets and delivering change at pace; the client also supports a diverse workforce and provides reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process.