Director of Adult Social Care Operations
| Posting date: | 08 January 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £123,044 to £131,667 per year |
| Additional salary information: | Competitive |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 26 January 2026 |
| Location: | Northampton, NN1 1ED |
| Company: | West Northamptonshire Council |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | Director Adult Social Care |
Summary
Are you ready to lead for excellent practice in adult social care and make a lasting impact on the lives of residents across West Northamptonshire?
West Northamptonshire Council is seeking a values-led leader to join our Senior Leadership Team as Director of Adult Social Care Operations. This pivotal role will put our residents at the centre of our work and work to enable lives by increasing choice, control, inclusion qand equity through social care practice. You will be at the forefront of driving innovation, improving outcomes, and championing independence and wellbeing for adults across our communities.
This is more than a leadership role—it’s an opportunity to influence system-wide change, collaborate with partners, and deliver on our ambition for Thriving People in Thriving Places.
You can also see our full list of employee benefits on our careers site here: Why you should work for us | West Northamptonshire Council.
What will you be doing?You will oversee the delivery of adult social care services across West Northamptonshire, ensuring they are focussed on meeting the needs of people who draw upon care and support in a way that delivers the best value whilst meeting best practice.
Here, Melanie Williams, our Executive Director- People Services, talks about the role and her own experience of joining West Northamptonshire Council: Director Adult Social Care Operations
You can see more about our Social Work teams here: Our Adult Social Work teams | West Northamptonshire Council
You’ll work closely with partners including our providers, NHS colleagues, voluntary organisations, and community groups to co-design and deliver services that meet local needs. Your leadership will support us in shaping ways of working that can resolve crisis and offer arly intervention, while ensuring high standards of practice and continuous improvement across the workforce.
Financial stewardship will be key, as you manage significant budgets and resources to deliver value for money and long-term sustainability.
About youYou will be a dynamic and resilient leader with a passion for improving lives. Our ideal candidate will bring:
- Extensive experience in senior leadership within adult social care, with a track record of leading practice change.
- Deep knowledge of the national health and social care agenda, regulatory frameworks, social work practice and safeguarding
-Great communication and stakeholder engagement skills with political awareness
- A collaborative mindset and the ability to lead teams and partnerships.
- A commitment to equality, inclusion, and continuous improvement.
- Relevant qualifications at degree and postgraduate level, with evidence of ongoing professional development.
You thrive in a culture that values Trust, High Performance, Respect, Innovation, Value, and Empowerment—and you’re ready to help others thrive too.
At West Northants Council, it’s about our people. People who thrive with ambition, bubble with new ideas, demand better ways of working, caring about every detail, and who never shy away from a challenge. Our culture is a gateway for new experiences. A place to forge new opportunities. To empower you in your career and unite you with like-minded people.
Our vision is ‘to make West Northants a great place to live, work, visit and thrive’. We truly stand by this and work hard every day to make this a reality. Our corporate values, THRIVE, stand for: Trust, High Performance, Respect, Innovate and Empower, they underpin everything we do and how we deliver services.
Hear more from our Chief Executive, Anna Earnshaw, about what its like to work at West Northants Council.
We are committed to ensuring diversity, equality, equity, and inclusion is woven into the fabric of WNC and everything we do, to enable all colleagues to develop and maximize their full potential. We are a disability confident employer, a member of the Armed Forces Covenant, and a Care Leaver Covenant partner
The following film was created by us to communicate our intentions - watch WNC colleagues explain what DEI means to us.
If you need additional support or reasonable adjustments during the application process, including needing the job description in another format or language, please email careers@westnorthants.gov.uk for support.
West Northants Council, where careers thrive.