Priority Candidates will be considered in the first instance

Wigan Life Centre South

Salary: Grade 12, £53,460 - £57,379 per annum.

37 hours per week

We're on a journey to build a workforce reflective of our Borough.

We are committed to fostering diverse teams where everybody can bring their authentic selves to work and feel that they belong. If you want to work for a Council where everybody is encouraged to meet their full potential and make a difference in our neighbourhoods, we would love to hear from you!

Lead with impact in Wigan's Family Safeguarding Service

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced and ambitious manager to join Wigan's Family Safeguarding Service as a Team Manager, leading a committed team dedicated to improving outcomes for children and families through relationship-based, strengths-led practice.

As a Team Manager in Wigan, you will be part of a service that is innovative and committed to supporting both families and practitioners to thrive. With a stable workforce, manageable caseloads and a culture that values kindness, reflection and professional growth, you'll have the opportunity to focus on what matters most, delivering high-quality support to children and families.

Why Wigan?

Our recent Ofsted inspection rated us Good with Outstanding features, recognising the strength of our practice and culture. Inspectors highlighted that our teams are:

"Highly positive about working in Wigan and value being part of the 'Wigan Way'."

And that:

"Leaders have established a culture that combines high expectations with kindness and inclusion. Staff feel valued and supported, and high-quality personal supervision promotes reflection and professional growth."

This is what you can look forward to:

  • 96% permanent workforce across Children's Social Care, providing stability, consistency and strong relationships
  • A permanent and experienced management structure
  • Lower caseloads that enable meaningful practice
  • A strong culture of reflection, learning and development
  • Access to our Aspire to Lead leadership development programme
  • A full month every year dedicated to professional development, delivered through two practice fortnights
  • Opportunities to influence service development and shape innovative approaches to safeguarding

About the Role

As a Team Manager, you will provide effective leadership, support and supervision to social workers and other practitioners within the Family Safeguarding Service. You will promote high standards of practice, drive performance and ensure children receive timely and effective interventions that improve their outcomes.

You will work collaboratively with partner agencies and multidisciplinary colleagues to deliver Wigan's Family Safeguarding model, supporting practitioners to undertake strengths-based interventions that reduce risk and build on family resilience.

This is a rewarding opportunity for someone who is passionate about developing others, leading excellent practice and making a real difference to the lives of children and families.

About You

We are looking for an experienced and inspiring social work manager who is passionate about delivering outstanding services for children and families. You will have a strong track record of leading high-quality practice, supporting and developing staff, and achieving positive outcomes for children. You will be a confident decision-maker who can motivate others, drive continuous improvement and foster a positive team culture where practitioners feel supported, challenged and valued. Above all, you will share our commitment to relationship-based practice and collaborative working.

Our children and young people tell us they want professionals who are kind, thoughtful, responsible and flexible; people who take the time to listen, prioritise their needs and are committed to helping them be happy and safe. If these values reflect your approach to leadership and practice, we would love to hear from you.

About Us

Wigan Council has been voted ‘Overall Council of the Year’ at the APSE (Association for Public Service Excellence) Awards. We are signed up to the Greater Manchester Continuous Service Commitment ensuring that your service will be continuous or 'unbroken' between the supporting organisations.

The Progress with Unity plan is a place movement for change for the next decade, bringing a new era for Wigan Borough. It draws on the strengths of our individual organisations, recognising that together we can achieve much more for our communities by delivering on our 2 place missions; create fair opportunities for all children, families, residents and businesses and make our towns and neighbourhoods flourish for those who live and work in them.

We are proud to support flexible working patterns, when the service can accommodate this. We also take a blended approach to where we work, depending on the work we do. This may include working from home, the office, or the community. We like to thank our employees for their hard work and commitment by giving them the opportunity to access a range of exclusive rewards and benefits click here to find out more about working for #TeamWigan.

We understand that to attract and retain great leaders, we need to invest in your career. From day one, you'll have access to excellent support, development opportunities and progression pathways.

To be appointed to this role you must be able to prove your right to work in the UK. Please visit the link below to check you qualify to apply. Please note, at present we are not a licenced sponsor. Prove your right to work to an employer: Overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Prove your right to work to an employer

If you would like an informal chat about this role, please contact Emma Graham on e.graham@wigan.gov.uk or Laura Higham l.higham2@wigan.gov.uk who will be happy to talk to you about the role.

Interview date: 19th August 2026

This position is subject to Enhanced Disclosure Procedures plus child barred list check

The employer is committed to safeguarding

If you have completed the GM Elevate (Leadership Development) Programme, please indicate this within the ‘About You’ or ‘Supporting Statement’ section of your application.

To view the details relating to this position, please click the links below:

Supporting Documents

Job Specification
DBS Applicant Information
Privacy Notice

Ready to apply?

Location

Wigan Life Centre South, College Avenue, Wigan, WN1 1NJ, United Kingdom

Job ID

3257

Supporting You Through Every Step of Your Journey

We want every candidate to feel welcomed, informed and confident when applying for a role with us.

This section brings together everything you need to succeed - from guidance on writing an authentic application to understanding how to use AI responsibly.

You’ll also find information about our Greater Manchester commitments, including our inclusive employment schemes and standards, as well as tools to help you explore your potential pay, benefits and entitlements. We’re here to ensure you have the support you need at every stage.

Working for a local authority in Greater Manchester

Local authorities across Greater Manchester are proud to be part of a shared commitment to widening access to employment and ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

These commitments span a number of long‑standing schemes and initiatives designed to open doors, remove barriers and ensure all applicants feel valued and respected throughout their employment journey.

Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter

People in an urban setting with a car, buildings, and recycling bin.

Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter

Find out more

Our Guaranteed Assessment Scheme

Cityscape with people, aircraft and military vehicles.

Our Guaranteed Assessment Scheme

Find out more

Greater Manchester Continuous Service Commitment

People, buildings, and a van in a purple cityscape.

Greater Manchester Continuous Service Commitment

Find out more

Greater Manchester People Inclusion Standards

People with disabilities and different backgrounds in a community

Greater Manchester People Inclusion Standards

Find out more

Your Pay, Your Benefits, Your Future

Explore easy‑to‑use tools that help you understand your take‑home pay and how different employment situations may affect the financial support available to you and your household.

  1. Calculate Your Take‑Home Pay

    Use this salary calculator to estimate your net pay after tax, National Insurance, and pension contributions.

    Estimate your Income Tax for the current year (Gov.uk)

  2. Check Your Benefits Entitlement

    See how changes in employment, hours or salary may affect your benefits and household income.

    Turn2us Benefits Calculator

Applying Authentically With AI: Our Greater Manchester Approach

Across Greater Manchester’s local authorities, we want to hear your genuine experiences, skills and motivations, expressed in your own words.

To keep our recruitment process fair and inclusive, please complete your application personally and follow the instructions carefully. AI can be used to support you - for example, to help structure your answers or as a reasonable adjustment - but your application should still reflect your authentic voice.

Applications that depend too heavily on AI‑generated content may not progress to shortlisting.

This guidance outlines acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI, along with suggestions for using it in a way that supports you while keeping your application true to you.

  1. What Is AI and How Do We Use It Across Greater Manchester?

    AI refers to technology that can create or refine content, such as text, ideas, summaries, or planning. It can help improve productivity, problem-solving, and creativity.

    We’re open to using innovative digital tools where they can help us work smarter and deliver better services for our residents. However, every use of AI is carefully considered to make sure it is ethical, responsible, and aligned with public-sector values.

    When it comes to recruitment, we take a human-centred approach.

    This means:

    • A trained hiring manager reads every application

    • Shortlisting is based on objective criteria required for the job

    • Interviews are conducted in person or via teams by the hiring manager for the role

    • All hiring decisions are made by hiring managers, not algorithms

    AI does not make decisions in our recruitment process and our managers are being upskilled to spot AI in applications, particularly when this might have been used in a way that doesn’t feel genuine. If something in an application raises a question or concern, we will test this out with assessments or at the interview stage to confirm authenticity.

    Our aim isn’t to catch anyone out but to make sure we’re getting to know the real you, giving every candidate a fair chance and finding the right person for the role.

  2. Using AI in Your Application

    When it comes to job applications, what matters most to us is you. We want to see your personality, your experience, and what excites you about joining our team. 

    We recognise that AI can be a helpful tool to support accessibility during the application process. If you choose to use AI for support, please read the instructions carefully and make sure your application is written in your own words, reflecting your genuine skills, knowledge, experience and enthusiasm.

    We’re looking forward to hearing your story.

  3. How to use AI Effectively and Responsibly

    Your application is your chance to show us:

    • Who you are

    • What you can bring

    • The values you hold

    • Why you want to make a difference

    AI can help you organise your thoughts or improve clarity but it cannot express your unique voice, experiences, or motivations.

    AI is most helpful when used to:

    • Help you structure the information you are providing to evidence the criteria

    • Give examples of how to use STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result)

    • Proof-read to highlight grammar or spelling errors

    • Provide inspiration if you're finding it difficult to find the right words to explain something

    But remember: your honesty, lived experience, and motivations are irreplaceable.

  4. Do’s and Don’ts for Using AI in the Recruitment Process

    Do:

    • Use AI as a supportive tool, not a replacement

    • Ask AI to help tidy up your writing or clarify structure

    • Use it to brainstorm examples, then rewrite them in your own voice

    • Reflect on AI suggestions and adapt them to match your experience

    • Use AI to help with research, but express your understanding yourself

    Don’t:

    • Copy and paste AI-generated content directly into your application

    • Let AI exaggerate or invent experience you do not have

    • Rely on generic statements that don’t reflect the specific role requirements

    • Remove your individuality, we want to hear your voice

Stay Safe When Applying

To protect yourself from recruitment scams, please only apply for roles through the official greater.jobs website and associated recruitment systems. We will never ask for your personal information outside of this process.