BE AN EXCEPTIONAL LEADER WITH US.
Explore our current vacancies in our senior leadership team and discover how you can drive change and ambition.
Our Vacancies
Shaping our future together
To apply to join us and make a real difference as a senior leader to the lives of children, young people and families across Dudley borough at this exciting time, simply complete an online application form through our jobs portal.
The current senior leadership roles available are listed below, along with their closing dates. Click on ‘Apply now’ to complete an online application form for the position.
Associate Director Education, Inclusion and SEND
£108,015 - £118,680 (pay award pending) | Permanent (full time) | Dudley, West Midlands – hybrid | Closes: Midnight Sunday 7 June 2026
We are looking for a visionary leader to drive change across the department
Are you an inspirational, values‑driven leader with a passion for improving the life chances for children and young people? Dudley Council is embarking on a bold and ambitious transformation journey, and we are seeking a visionary Associate Director – Education, Inclusion & SEND to play a central role in shaping the future of education and inclusion across our borough.
This is a pivotal senior leadership position at the heart of our Children and Young People service. You will drive Dudley’s strategic approach to education inclusion and SEND, ensuring that every child and young person, whatever their needs or background can access high‑quality education, support and opportunity.
In this strategic leadership role, you will:
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Champion inclusion and excellence by driving a bold vision for education inclusion and SEND, improving outcomes for vulnerable learners and ensuring strong statutory compliance.
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Build powerful partnerships with schools, health, social care and parent carers, ensuring children, young people and families shape the services they use.
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Deliver timely, high‑quality support across SEND services, EHCPs, early help, transitions, admissions, transport and fair access.
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Modernise and transform services, leading innovation, integrated working, programme management, risk oversight and a data‑led performance culture.
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Influence and lead across the council, supporting transformation, digital change, commissioning and strong governance while managing significant budgets and upholding the highest ethical standards.
Who we’re looking for:
A strategic, politically astute leader with a track record of delivering transformation in complex organisations. Someone who inspires teams, builds strong partnerships, understands education/SEND legislation, and brings energy, integrity and ambition.
If you’re driven to make a real impact for children, families and schools across Dudley, we want to hear from you.
For an informal discussion please contact John Macilwraith, Director of Children & Young People, via Alia Siddique – Alia.Siddique@dudley.gov.uk
Associate Director – Family Help and Safeguarding
£108,015 - £118,680 (pay award pending) | Permanent (full time) | Dudley, West Midlands – hybrid | Closes: Midnight Sunday 7 June 2026
Are you an inspirational, values‑driven leader with a passion for improving the life chances for children and young people?
Dudley Council is embarking on a bold and ambitious transformation journey, and we are seeking a visionary Associate Director – Family Help and Safeguarding to play a central role in shaping the future of Children and Young People’s Social Care services across our borough.
This is a pivotal senior leadership position at the heart of our Children and Young People service. You will drive Dudley’s strategic approach to support to children and families.
In this strategic leadership role, you will:
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Drive the vision for safeguarding and support services for families with responsibility for overseeing multi-disciplinary teams that work collaboratively to protect vulnerable children and adults, promote family resilience, and improve outcomes.
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Lead the development and implementation of strategies that ensure early intervention, prevention, and tailored support for families experiencing complex challenges and championing a strengths-based, trauma-informed, and child-centred approach, ensuring safeguarding practices are robust, proportionate, and focused on achieving long-term positive change.
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Work across wider teams, external agencies, and communities to create seamless, integrated services that keep children safe, support parents, and strengthen families.
Who we’re looking for:
A strategic, politically astute leader with a track record of delivering transformation in complex organisations. Someone who inspires teams, builds strong partnerships, understands all legislation relating to Children’s Social Care, and brings energy, integrity and ambition.
If you’re driven to make a real impact for children, families and schools across Dudley, we want to hear from you.
For an informal discussion please contact John Macilwraith, Director of Children & Young People, via Alia Siddique – Alia.Siddique@dudley.gov.uk
Associate Director – Children’s Provider Services
£108,015 - £118,680 (pay award pending) | Permanent (full time) | Dudley, West Midlands – hybrid | Closes: Midnight Sunday 7 June 2026
Are you an inspirational, values‑driven leader with a passion for improving the life chances for children and young people?
Dudley Council is embarking on a bold and ambitious transformation journey, and we are seeking a visionary Associate Director –Children’s Provider Services to play a central role in shaping the future of our support to children and young people in care across our borough.
This is a pivotal senior leadership position at the heart of our Children and Young People service. You will be collaborating closely with the Associate Director for Family Help and Safeguarding to deliver services to the children and young people who needs our support.
In this strategic leadership role, you will:
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To provide strategic leadership, professional accountability, and operational oversight for services that safeguard, support and improve outcomes for children in care and care experienced young people.
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To be professional responsibility for ensuring that children who cannot live with their families experience safe, loving, stable and aspirational care, with a clear focus on permanence, sufficiency, quality of practice and achieving the best possible outcomes. This includes a strong drive to support more children to remain connected to, and cared for within, their home communities wherever it is safe to do so.
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To have a proven track record of developing children’s residential provision and fostering services at pace, alongside the ability to lead complex change, mature commissioning arrangements, and deliver improvement and financial sustainability within a demanding statutory environment.
Who we’re looking for:
A strategic, politically astute leader with a track record of delivering transformation in complex organisations. Someone who inspires teams, builds strong partnerships, understands all legislation relating to Children’s Social Care in relation to children in care, fostering and adoption, and brings energy, integrity and ambition.
If you’re driven to make a real impact for children, families and schools across Dudley, we want to hear from you.
For an informal discussion please contact John Macilwraith, Director of Children & Young People, via Alia Siddique – Alia.Siddique@dudley.gov.uk
Associate Director – Quality, Performance and Improvement
£108,015 - £118,680 (pay award pending) | Permanent (full time) | Dudley, West Midlands – hybrid | Closes: Midnight Sunday 7 June 2026
Are you an inspirational, values‑driven leader with a passion for improving the life chances for children and young people?
Dudley Council is embarking on a bold and ambitious transformation journey, and we are seeking a visionary Associate Director –Quality, Performance and Improvement to further develop our approach to managing our quality and performance and overseeing independent services, such as I.R.O.s. This is a pivotal senior leadership position at the heart of our Children and Young People service.
In this strategic leadership role, you will:
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Provide senior leadership across Children’s Services, driving improvement, transformation, cultural change and the delivery of key strategic plans.
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Be responsible for strategy, improvement and quality and standards, inspection readiness and for producing strategic reports and plans for local governance partnerships and national partners including Ofsted and the Department for Education.
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Lead critical service functions such as performance, research and innovation, quality assurance, professional standards, workforce development, information governance and commissioning, ensuring statutory compliance across all areas. They work collaboratively with partners across the Council and external agencies to align strategy, drive improvement and ensure services are planned, monitored and evaluated to meet local needs and inspection requirements.
Who we’re looking for:
A strategic, politically astute leader with a track record of delivering transformation in complex organisations. Someone who inspires teams, builds strong partnerships, understands all aspects of our services especially Social Care, and brings energy, integrity and ambition.
If you’re driven to make a real impact for children and families across Dudley, we want to hear from you.
For an informal discussion please contact John Macilwraith, Director of Children & Young People, via Alia Siddique – Alia.Siddique@dudley.gov.uk
Principal Lead – SEND
£76,597 - £81,370 | Permanent (full time) | Dudley, West Midlands – hybrid | Closes: Midnight Sunday 7 June 2026
Are you an inspirational, values‑driven leader with a passion for improving the life chances for children and young people?
Dudley Council is embarking on a bold and ambitious transformation journey, and we are seeking an exceptional Principal Lead – SEND to play a vital role in shaping the future of education and inclusion across our borough.
This is a pivotal position at the heart of our Children and Young People service. With your Associate Director and colleagues, you will drive Dudley’s strategic approach to education inclusion and SEND, ensuring that every child and young person, whatever their needs or background can access high‑quality education, support, and opportunity.
In this strategic leadership role, you will:
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Provide high quality strategic and operational leadership and management to Special Educational Need and Disabilities (SEND) services.
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Lead and manage inclusive teams fostering high performance and ensuring services are compliant, meet legal, statutory and governance requirements.
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Translate strategic intent into effective and high-quality operational delivery, either through direct delivery or through robust commissioning arrangements across Education, Health and Social Care and in partnership with relevant services
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To support the development and delivery of the Children’s Services Improvement Plan and the SEND Improvement Plan, embedding a culture of financial responsibility, a children and family focus and service excellence.
Who we are looking for:
A strategic, politically astute leader with a track record of delivering transformation in complex organisations. Someone who inspires teams, builds strong partnerships, understands education/SEND legislation, and brings energy, integrity, and ambition.
If you are driven to make a real impact for children, families, and schools across Dudley, we want to hear from you.
For an informal discussion please contact John Macilwraith, Director of Children & Young People, via Alia Siddique – Alia.Siddique@dudley.gov.uk
Principal Lead – Through Care
£76,597 - £81,370 | Permanent (full time) | Dudley, West Midlands – hybrid | Closes: Midnight Sunday 7 June 2026
Are you an inspirational, values‑driven leader with a passion for improving the life chances for children and young people?
Dudley Council is embarking on a bold and ambitious transformation journey, and we are seeking an exceptional Principal Lead –Through Care, to play a central role in shaping the future of Children and Young People’s Social Care services across our borough.
This is a pivotal leadership position at the heart of our Children and Young People service. Working closely with your Associate Director, teams, and other Social Care colleagues you will drive Dudley’s strategic approach to support to children and families with a focus on those in care.
In this strategic leadership role, you will:
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To be an active member of the Children & Young People Leadership Team, leading strategic and operational service delivery and improvement within Children’s Social Care with a focus on Children in Care.
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Provide high quality leadership and manage inclusive teams fostering high performance and ensuring services are compliant, meet legal, statutory and governance requirements.
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Lead and develop own teams to deliver the implementation of the Council’s strategic priorities through development of local strategies and translating strategic requirements into practical implementation and working collaboratively across the Council.
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To support the development and delivery of the Children & Young People Improvement Plan, embedding a culture of financial responsibility, a children and family focus and service excellence.
Who we are looking for:
A strategic, politically astute leader with a track record of delivering transformation in complex organisations. Someone who inspires teams, builds strong partnerships, understands all legislation relating to Children’s Social Care and Children in Care, and brings energy, integrity and ambition.
If you are driven to make a real impact for children and families across Dudley, we want to hear from you.
For an informal discussion please contact John Macilwraith, Director of Children & Young People, via Alia Siddique – Alia.Siddique@dudley.gov.uk