Corporate Director of Children’s Services
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- Employer:
- Trafford Council
- Location:
- Stretford
- Salary:
- Competitive Salary
- Closing date:
- 9th October 2026
- Job Ref:
- GSe135915
Description
Trafford is an ambitious borough with high aspirations for its children and young people. We are seeking an exceptional leader to become our next Corporate Director of Children’s Services and help shape the next phase of our improvement journey.
Following our recent Ofsted inspection, we have been honest about the challenges we face and are committed to delivering the improvements that children, young people and families deserve. This is a leadership role with purpose, impact and visibility, offering the opportunity to shape the future of services and make a lasting difference to lives across Trafford.
You will be joining a council that is fully committed to improvement and where delivering the best start in life for children and young people is a corporate priority. Strong political and corporate support, alongside established partnerships across education, health, policing and the voluntary sector, provide a solid platform for the journey ahead.
Importantly, this is not about starting from scratch. Alongside the areas identified for improvement, there are real strengths to build on, dedicated staff, talented leaders and a workforce committed to improving outcomes. There is a shared determination across the organisation and our partners to create services that are safe, effective and centred on the needs of children and families.
We are looking for a credible and inspiring leader with a strong track record of driving improvement, building effective partnerships and delivering better outcomes. You will provide visible leadership, inspire confidence, empower colleagues and ensure children and young people remain at the heart of every decision, positioning Trafford at the forefront of national children’s services reforms.
The journey ahead will be demanding, but with strong political, corporate and partnership support, we are confident in our ability to deliver lasting improvement. Our EPIC values of Empowerment, People-centred decision-making, Inclusion and Collaboration underpin everything we do and will be central to your leadership approach.
This is a rare opportunity to help shape Trafford's future, influence lives and leave a legacy for children, young people and families. If you share our ambition, we would love to hear from you.
To view the job description and person specification, please scroll to the bottom of the page, tick to agree to the privacy policy, then click 'Continue to full details'.
How to Apply
- Please submit your CV along with a Supporting Statement addressing the person specification criteria, evidencing how you meet the criteria.
- Detail any employment or education gaps.
- Be ready to provide the names, positions, organisations and contact details for two referees; one should be your current or most recent employer. Referees will be contacted for those proceeding to final stages. We will always gain your permission before we contact referees.
- Let us know any difficulty you may have with the indicative timetable.
- Check that your contact details are correct before you submit.
Once you have submitted your application, you will receive an automated email confirmation. If you do not receive, please email contactus@gatenbysanderson.com
Contact
The following consultants are managing this role and will be happy to answer any questions that are not covered in the person specification on the next webpage.
- Contact:
- Philip Emms
- Telephone:
- 07590 225 472
- Contact:
- Emily Lockwood
- Telephone:
- 07384 258 626