Placements Manager

Position reference: 50007890

Directorate: Children's Services \| Service: Commissioning Teams

Salary: £42,839 \- £46,142

Working Arrangements: Hybrid 3 days per week in the office

Hours per week: 37

Contract type: Permanent

We are happy to talk flexible working arrangements with you, please get in touch.

See our range of Employee Rewards: Employee rewards and benefits

Closing date: 26/06/2026 at 23:59

This post requires an Enhanced DBS Check

*If you are currently living overseas or have lived overseas in the last five years please be aware, if you are the preferred candidate for the post, you will be required to apply for an overseas criminal records check from the country/countries you have resided in. If you experience difficulty in obtaining an overseas criminal record check please email* *dbs@barnsley.gov.uk*

When applying, please ensure you are prepared to start work with all the necessary legal documents, such as a valid visa, relevant to the type of work you will be undertaking. Please be aware that our organisation does not possess a Home Office license and, as a result, is unable to provide sponsorship for anyone seeking a visa as a skilled or temporary migrant worker.

*Pensions Regulations have provisions to reduce pension payments in certain circumstances of those who return to work within local government service. If you are in receipt of a pension upon commencing employment with the authority, this may affect your pension entitlements and you should therefore seek advice from the relevant Pensions Authority.*

At Barnsley Council you can start a career that makes a real difference to people’s lives, helping our council and residents to be the best they can be.

We’re an award\-winning council and one of the biggest employers in the borough, supporting around 243,000 people. We put people at the heart of everything we do, and that includes our employees. As part of the team, we offer lots of benefits and rewards to support you to thrive and grow, like flexible working, employee discounts, support for your health and wellbeing, and opportunities for training and development to grow your career and develop your skills.

There’s so much happening in our thriving borough, and now’s the perfect time to join our excellent Commissioningteam as we work to make Barnsley the place of possibilities.

• We’re an award\-winning team and one of the biggest employers in the borough supporting around 243,000 people.


• Working at Barnsley Council means being part of a team that makes a real difference to people’s lives, where you can develop the skills you need to make change happen.


• If you join the team you’ll receive great pay alongside an excellent pension scheme. With flexible working we’ll also support your work/life balance, helping you to adjust your hours and take time off when you need it.


• We’ll help you to develop your career and grow your skills with opportunities for training and development.


• There’s so much happening in our thriving borough and your talent and skills will help us make Barnsley the place of possibilities.


• Key to our success is working with our residents, partners, businesses and organisations and building these partnerships to bring about change in Barnsley.

About the Post:

The right home, at the right time, can change a child’s life. Help us make that happen.

Every child deserves to feel safe, valued and supported — especially those in our care.

We are looking for a passionate and committed Placements Team Manager to lead our approach to finding and securing the best possible homes for children in care. This is a role where your leadership will directly impact children’s lives — ensuring they are truly supported to thrive.

About the Role

As Placements Team Manager, you will lead the service responsible for identifying and securing homes for children in care — playing a vital role in delivering our sufficiency strategy and improving outcomes for children and young people.

This is a fast\-paced, high\-impact role at the centre of children’s commissioning, where good decisions really matter.

You will:

• Oversee home finding activity – working closely with social care, providers and partners to secure the best possible homes


• Build strong relationships with providers – fostering collaboration with fostering agencies, residential homes and carers to improve quality and choice


• Champion quality and consistency – contributing to quality assurance and improvement activity across placements


• Lead and support your team – creating a positive, motivated environment where staff are supported to deliver their best work


• Make best use of resources – overseeing placement spend, monitoring budgets and ensuring value for money while always prioritising children’s needs


• Use data to make better decisions – analysing placement trends, performance and demand to continuously improve how we work \[

This role sits at the point where practice, commissioning and finance come together — requiring both compassion and strong decision\-making.

Who We’re Looking For

We’re looking for someone who leads with purpose, care and integrity.

You will:

• Have experience in children’s services, placements or commissioning


• Understand the importance of stability, matching and quality in children in care placements


• Have a good understanding of due diligence for children in care and a sound understanding of ofsted regulations and inspection outcomes


• Be a confident leader of people, able to support, motivate and develop a team


• Be skilled in building relationships with partners, providers and colleagues across services


• Bring strong financial awareness, with experience managing or influencing placement budgets


• Be able to balance compassion with challenge, making decisions that are in the best interests of children


• Stay calm and focused in a busy, high\-pressure environment

Why Join Us?

You’ll be joining a team and organisation that is:

• Deeply committed to improving outcomes for children in care


• Focused on working together across services to get the best results


• Supportive, inclusive and values\-led in everything we do


• Ambitious about creating a stronger, more responsive home finding system

In this role, you will:

• Make a real, visible difference to children’s lives every day


• Help shape how we deliver placements now and in the future


• Be part of a service that is continually learning and improving

Ready to make a difference?

If you want to lead a service that sits at the heart of children’s care — where your work directly shapes children’s experiences and futures — we would love to hear from you.

Apply now and help us ensure every child has a place they can call home.

*Please use the documents below to help support you with your application form.*

Job Profile: Placements Team Manager Profile.docx

Vacancy Exposure Profile: Exposure Profile.pdf

Help with your application form

Why work for us?

*Please ensure you view the job profile for this role, as you will need to demonstrate in your* *application form* *how you meet the required criteria.*

*We welcome the opportunity to have a chat about the role and are happy to address any questions you may have about flexible working arrangements, including as a result of caring responsibilities.*

*We're committed to creating a workplace where differences are valued and everyone truly feels able to be themselves. If you have any support needs during the recruitment process, please let us know.*

CV's are not accepted for this role.

At Barnsley Council, we believe in second chances and value diversity. Our recruitment process is inclusive, and we welcome applicants with past convictions. We're committed to fairness and do not discriminate. Join us in building a future where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. \#InclusiveHiring \#SecondChances"

www.barnsley.gov.uk/jobs

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