Service Director - Transformation, Improvement and Quality Assurance

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Reading

11/05/2026

The job requirements are detailed below. Where applicable the skills, qualifications and memberships required for this job have also been included.

Job details

Salary

£93,804 – £109,223 per year

Contractual hours

Basis

Full time

Region

Fixed-Term / Full-Time

Job category/type

Children's Services, Managerial

Date posted

13/04/2026

Job reference

DOC0065

Contract Type: Fixed Term contract 23 months

Driving Improvement That Makes a Real Difference

Reading is changing, strengthening Children’s Services and driving consistent, high‑quality, child-centred practice across the whole system. We’ve delivered sustained positive improvements across the last year and are looking for a senior leader with the vision, drive and pace to build on those improvements and deliver consistently strong outcomes for children and families.

With the transition of children’s services back into the Council in 2025, we remain focused on continuing to drive improvement across children’s services whilst also delivering our established and ambitious transformation programme which will support the delivery of national reforms and much more. We have launched our Best Start in Life hubs with an extensive preventative partnership offer; we are about to go live with the Family Safeguarding Model (our new practice model) and will be opening three new children’s homes this summer.

The Role

As our Service Director for Transformation, Improvement & Quality Assurance, you will:

• Lead a portfolio including quality assurance, IRO’s and child protection chairs, children’s homes, fostering, permanence and our transformation programme.
• Drive improvement at pace, embedding strong, consistent practice across services.
• Lead on inspection readiness, ensuring that learning is embedded in practice.
• Contribute to creating the conditions for success, building a high‑performing, learning‑focused culture where staff feel supported, confident and equipped to deliver their best practice.
• Strengthen how data and intelligence is used to inform decision making and to drive service development and practice improvement.
• Contribute to strategic leadership across Children’s Services, shaping policy, planning and the overall direction of the service.
• Build effective partnerships with health, education, police, voluntary sector and wider council services.
• Lead on the delivery of a move from a tri-borough to a single Reading Safeguarding Children’s Partnership
• Contribute to leading the local delivery of national reforms.

Why Join Us?

We are a child-centred, ambitious and supportive senior leadership team, with a proven record of working together to deliver real, sustainable change for children. We are proud of the progress that we have made and realistic about what more there is to do.

We offer:

• A strong commitment to your continued professional development
• Supportive, transparent and responsive solution-focused leadership
• A no blame learning culture
• A Council wide commitment to drive improvement and deliver our ambitious transformation programme
• A culture that values innovation and creativity

If you are motivated by meaningful, system‑wide improvement and driven by a commitment to achieving better outcomes for children, this is an opportunity to make a significant impact.

Key Process Dates

Technical Interviews: Week commencing 18th May

Shortlisting: 29th May

Assessment Centre: 16th June

Final Interview: 24th June

How to Apply

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact: ***email_hidden***

To apply, please send your CV and a supporting statement outlining your suitability to: ***email_hidden***