R2RIRBest Start Family Hub Lead

Southend on Sea City Council is a Unitary local authority providing vital services to meet the needs of the local community. We employ around 1800 staff who are working alongside our partners and local communities to deliver the city vision and make lives better for the people of Southend.

Working for Southend on Sea City Council offers a challenging and rewarding career in local government within a collaborative and innovate environment with the benefit of flexible working practices to support a positive work life balance. As a Unitary Authority we are responsible for all local government functions ranging from social services transport public health and parks through to planning trading standards community safety and education so we offer a wide range of career opportunities. The diversity of our economy and communities and investment in a number of exciting regeneration projects makes our Council a great place to work learn and make a difference.

We are looking for an experienced and motivated Best Start Family Hub Lead to provide strategic leadership and drive the delivery of high-quality integrated services for children and families. This is a key leadership role responsible for ensuring that our centre provides a safe inclusive and empowering environment for children and families. This contract is offered on a part time (18.5 hrs / 2 and half days - flexible) and temporary (until Jan 2026). The Best Start family hub Lead will be responsible for driving the design implementation and delivery of Southends Best Start Family hubs in line with the national Best Start for Life programme.

Work closely with head of Family Early Years and Childcare service to support the identification of strategic priorities and co-ordinate operational plans with key stakeholders in public health education social care and the voluntary sector. As family hub lead you will oversee a multidisciplinary team develop strong partnerships with local agencies and ensure that services are responsive to the needs of the community. You will play a vital role in shaping the future of the centre and driving positive outcomes for families.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic leadership and day-to-day management of the Family Centre.
• Lead support and develop a team of staff and volunteers to deliver high-quality family-focused services.
• Design and implement programmes that promote early intervention child development and family wellbeing.
• Build and maintain effective partnerships with local authorities schools health services and community organisations.
• Ensure compliance with safeguarding health and safety and data protection policies.
• Monitor performance evaluate impact and report on outcomes to funders and stakeholders.
• Manage budgets and contribute to funding bids and service development initiatives.

To be successful in this role you should have:

• Proven experience in managing family or childrens services ideally in a community or early years setting.
• Strong leadership and team management skills with the ability to inspire and motivate others.
• In-depth knowledge of safeguarding early help and family support frameworks.
• Excellent communication organisational and problem-solving abilities.
• A relevant professional qualification (e.g. social work early years education or community development) at Level 5 or above is desirable.

If youre interested in this role click apply now to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV.

Please note: Applications for this vacancy may close prior to the date advertised above so you are advised to apply as soon as possible.

Southend-on-Sea City Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment. All applicants for this role will require an enhanced DBS check.