• Suffolk County Council
• Location: Riverside, Lowestoft NR33 0EQ, hybrid working
• Salary: £48,163 per annum (pro rata for part time)
• Hours: 37 hours per week, flexible working options available
• Contract: Permanent

At Suffolk County Council, every role is a chance to create positive change. As a Team Manager in our Youth and Communities Service, you will see the direct impact of your work on children, young people, families and the communities that make Suffolk special. Join us and turn your passion for progress into action.

Reimagine the possibilities.

Your role and responsibilities

This is an opportunity to lead services through an important period of development. While the Team Manager role is not part of the proposed restructure, you will play a key role in leading the implementation of future service designs and supporting your team through change.

You will:

• lead, manage and develop a high-performing team, creating a positive learning culture and supporting high-quality practice
• develop and coordinate effective youth-based services that respond to the needs of young people and local communities
• build strong working relationships with Family Help and Suffolk Cares Team Managers across your geographical area
• work closely with other Team Managers and Service Managers to ensure a consistent approach across the Youth and Communities service
• strengthen partnerships with education, health, policing, the voluntary and community sector, and other local services
• ensure children, young people and families are actively involved in shaping and improving services
• manage service performance, quality assurance, resources and budgets within your area
• identify and respond effectively to safeguarding concerns, operational pressures and risk
• translate strategic priorities into effective local practice
• lead and support cultural, service and practice change, helping colleagues to understand and adopt new ways of working
• have responsibility for a specific area of the service, associated staff, budgets and decision-making, as well as responding to safeguarding and risk issues.

You will need

We are looking for an experienced and confident manager with a strong background in youth work or youth-based services.

You will need:

• a suitable professional qualification at Level 6, or equivalent experience at a seasoned professional level in a relevant area of work
• substantial experience of working within youth services and coordinating youth-based provision
• proven experience of leading, managing and developing staff to improve performance and service delivery
• the ability to build effective relationships and work collaboratively across a wide range of professional disciplines
• a strong understanding of safeguarding, risk and the needs of children, young people, families and communities
• experience of managing resources and budgets effectively
• strong planning, written and verbal communication skills
• the ability to analyse complex information, influence others and make sound decisions
• the confidence and resilience to lead teams through service change and implement new ways of working
• a commitment to listening to children, young people and families and using their views to inform service delivery.

Experience of leading change management initiatives, working with partner agencies and using solution-focused approaches would be beneficial.

Due to the nature of this role, you will be required to have a driving licence and access to personal transport. If you feel you can meet these travel requirements through other suitable means, please contact the Hiring Manager before applying to discuss.

You can view a full list of requirements in the Job and Person Profile, which you can find in the ‘How to apply’ section towards the bottom of this advert.

If you believe you can succeed in this role, apply. Even if you do not meet every requirement, we would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application.

The team

Our Youth and Communities service brings together Suffolk County Council’s universal early help, youth and community-based provision and forms a core part of the Families First system.

The service includes Family Hubs, Partnership Officers, Young Persons Workers and other preventative and community-facing services. We work closely with the Integrated Front Door, Family Help, Safeguarding and wider partners so children, young people and families can access the right support early and within their communities.

Partnership working is at the heart of our approach. You will work alongside colleagues across Children and Young People’s Services, Public Health, education, health, policing, and the voluntary and community sector to strengthen prevention, early intervention and joined-up working.

Empowering Everyone

We are big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We are always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in our Workforce Equality Report.

For more information

Please contact Becky Brame for a casual conversation. You can reach them by calling 07860833451 or emailing: becky.brame@suffolk.gov.uk

How to apply

Step 1: Read the Job and Person Profile (Word).

Step 2 – Click ‘Apply Now’ to start your online application.

Step 3 – Upload a supporting statement answering the following questions below (no more than 400 words per question). You should use the Supporting Statement template (Word).

1. Please describe a time when you have led a team to improve outcomes for children, young people, or communities. What was your role, what actions did you take, and what was the outcome?
2. This role requires strong partnership working across a range of agencies and services. Please provide an example of when you have worked collaboratively with partners to improve services or outcomes for children, young people, or families.
3. Describe your experience of leading or coordinating youth-based services. How have you ensured that services met the needs of young people and responded to local demand?
4. The Youth and Communities service is continuing to evolve as part of wider service developments. Please tell us about a time when you led a team through change. How did you engage staff, manage challenges, and ensure successful implementation?
5. Please provide an example of a complex safeguarding concern or risk issue that you have managed. What actions did you take, who did you involve, and how did you ensure the best outcome for those involved?

Please note: Without a supporting statement, your interest will not be progressed. Any supporting documents must be in either PDF or MS Word format.

For guidance on completing your application, please see our How to Apply page.

Planning to use Artificial Intelligence (AI)? Please ensure your application still reflects your own skills, experience and ideas. If used inappropriately, your application may not be processed. Please read our guidance for using AI to understand what’s acceptable.

Do you need any reasonable adjustments to help you to apply? If you are disabled and/or have additional support needs, you can request reasonable adjustments. You can do this by contacting our Recruitment Team at: recruitment@suffolk.gov.uk or 03456 014412. You can find examples of possible adjustments on our Reasonable Adjustment pages.

Closing date: 11.30 pm, 20 September 2026.

Interview date: 29 September 2026.

Promoted as FJ (Featured Job) on Suffolk Jobs Direct.

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. A DBS check will be undertaken for the successful candidate.

As a modern and effective council, we offer a wide variety of careers to suit people with a range of skills, abilities and ambitions. We offer working options that flex to reflect the way people work today and take the time to understand and support your individual needs. We’re driven to make a positive difference to the world around us and encourage everyone with drive and focus to join us and build an influential and impactful career. Reimagine the possibilities.

In return, you’ll enjoy:

• up to 29 days annual leave entitlement (pro rata), plus UK bank holidays and two paid volunteering days
• membership of a competitive Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• travel, lifestyle, health and wellbeing benefits
• performance-related annual pay progression, in addition to an annual cost-of-living pay increase
• training and encouragement to expand your knowledge
• a variety of career development opportunities across our organisation
• diverse and active staff networks
• flexible working options, with the right to request flexible working from your first day

Plus lots more!

If you want to know more about our benefits, values and equality commitments please visit our Suffolk County Council careers website (careers.Suffolk.gov.uk).