Continuous Improvement Audit Lead
| Posting date: | 22 July 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £57,178 to £60,485 per year |
| Additional salary information: | Competitive |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 20 August 2025 |
| Location: | Oxford, OX1 1ND |
| Company: | Oxfordshire County Council |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | OCC/TP/13157/1285 |
Summary
About Us
This is an exciting time to join our team, astogether, we’re shaping children’s services for the future. Every day, our colleagues are helping to transform the lives of the residents of Oxfordshire.
In our Children, Education, & Families directorate, we’re committed to delivering lasting change, by helping the children, young people, and families of Oxfordshire to thrive. We know the importance of building relationships, empowering people, and building on strengths and this is reflected in our restorative, relational practice approach.
We are growing our Quality Assurance Division in Children, Education and Families, with a team focused on inspection readiness and service improvement, to support our continuous improvement journey.
Everyday you’ll be challenged in a new way, supported by your team, in an organisation that is free thinking, flexible, and helps people achieve their ambitions.
We’re not afraid to do things differently and our dynamic culture means this is a place where new ideas are embraced, and innovation thrives.
We believe that together, our differences make us stronger, and that diversity is the foundation for innovation. Here, you can create a unique career for yourself – while raising the bar for the future of children’s services.
About the Role
The Continuous Improvement Audit Lead will work collaboratively across our Children, Education and Families directorate, using learning from quality assurance activity to strengthen and develop all areas of children’s services’ skills, knowledge and practice to ensure best outcomes for children.
The post holder will be part of the Safeguarding, Quality Assurance, Improvement and Partnerships division. This role is integral to driving continuous service improvement and taking lead operational responsibility for the development and implementation of an overarching strategy for the Children’s Services Quality Assurance Framework, which is efficient in its use of resources and accords with published policy, legislation and procedure. The role will be responsible for ensuring that qualitative and quantitative analysis of service provision assists service improvement and supports the service to be prepared for inspections in line with DfE and OFSTED statutory requirements.
Across Children's Social Care, Education and Youth Justice, this role will support individual and organisational learning from quality assurance activity, evaluating the impact on practice and ensuring the involvement of children, young people and families.
The post holder will takeleadresponsibility for ensuring that the cycle of quality assurance activities are carried out in a timely manner, and that the information gathered is analysed, recommendations are made for improving practice and these are published as required. The role willsupportaculture and environment of learning across the service to improve practice; providing open, transparent andobjectivedialogue across all levels.
About you
You are free-thinking and brave; you don’t accept the norm if it can be done better - finding answers through exploration and courage. You will be motivated by making a tangible difference to the lives of children and young people, working in a Quality Assurance and Service Improvement environment. You’ll be supportive and energised. Just as importantly, you will embody our values in everything you do.
Fundamentally, you will be a confident practitioner; capable of constructively and proactively challenging practices, systems and processes to improve outcomes for children living in Oxfordshire.
To apply, you will need:
- A Social Work degree, or equivalent, and valid registration with Social Work England.
- A thorough understanding of quality assurance frameworks and an ability to integrate and role model this into practice.
- Excellent analytical skills; able to diagnose themes, patterns and trends to interpret information accuratley.
- Demonstrable experience of evidence based service improvement.
- Experience of audit methodology, including how to capture and report on findings and learning.
- Knowledge of what good practice, and good outcomes, for children look like.
Please refer to the job description attached for a full list of criteria for this position.
Rewards and benefits
- Annual leave starting at 30 days per year (plus bank holidays).
- Culture of flexible working
- Technology to support agile working
- Membership of the Local Government contributory pension scheme, employer’s contribution of up to 19.9%
- Employee Assistance Programme including access to health and wellbeingsupport24/7
- Range of family friendly policies
- Childcare vouchers, cycle to work scheme, electric car scheme, range of staff discounts including travel, holidays, insurance, food, health & leisure activities
- Excellent learning and development opportunities
Ourcommitmentto:
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
At Oxfordshire County Council we are proud of our diverse workforce.Everyone is accepted for who they are, regardless of age, disability, gender identity, marital status, race, faith or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, or on maternity or family leave. We have a number of staff network groups which provide peersupport, education and safe spaces for all.
Ourcommitmentto:
Guaranteed Interview Schemes
As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee an interview for disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the job. We also guarantee interviews to care leavers who have completed further education and who meet the essential criteria for the job. For those leaving care without any further education, we guarantee an interview for our apprenticeships. We are also committed to helping and supporting those transitioning from HM Armed Forces to civilian life and guarantee an interview for those demonstrating the essential criteria for the role, within three years of leaving the service.
Ourcommitmentto:
Safeguarding
Oxfordshire County Council are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. We expect all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect these commitments.
Ourcommitmentto:
Flexible Working
We are open to discussions about flexible working, which can include flexi-time, part time working, job sharing, nine-day fortnights and annualised hours, depending on the requirements of the role and the service.
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If you encounter any technical issues with the application system, please contact us at: careers@oxfordshire.gov.uk
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme