Operations and Partnerships Manager

• Suffolk County Council
• Address:  Endeavour House, Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 2BX - Hybrid working
• Salary: £60,135 - £66,517 per annum (pro rata for part time)
• Hours: 37 hours per week, flexible working options available
• Contract: Permanent

We are looking to recruit an Operations and Partnerships Manager to work across our Front Door services in Adult Social Care, Customer First, the Independence and Wellbeing Service and the Financial Inclusion and Advice Service.

You will have a strong commitment to supporting local communities and building services and networks internally and for the people we work with.  Bringing innovative approaches to the Front Door services for Adult Social Care in Suffolk.

We are working in new ways with colleagues, partners and communities to develop new models and approaches to our social care offer, including how we provision care, Direct Payments, financial assessments and embed strengths-based practice at every stage. We are ambitious in our use of technology and innovative digital solutions to support our ambitions and deliver improved health and wellbeing outcomes.

• Are you looking for an exciting new challenge?
• Are you looking for an opportunity to influence, develop and deliver change?

This could be the development opportunity for you. 

Reimagine the possibilities.

Your role and responsibilities 

This Operations and Partnerships Manager role combines core transformational delivery with operational leadership across the Contact and Assessment services. Providing an exciting opportunity to shape and improve the delivery of services to our residents across Suffolk. You will work closely with the Head of Contact and Assessment to help deliver major transformation in Adult Social Care, making sure it’s done safely and effectively. You’ll use your strengths to bring others along on that journey, supporting, empowering, and leading them through change. Your role will be instrumental in helping embed new ways of working and achieve cultural change, that helps deliver lasting change.

You will work alongside SME's and senior managers, to propose, plan and implement new ideas, as well as acting as an SME yourself within areas of focus. There will be expectations to update on progress at senior forums, and to engage staff throughout.

You will be passionate and proactive in ensuring the consistent evolution of the services, within business as usual as well as transformation programmes, ensuring our residents benefit from innovation and technology to receive high quality experiences with us.  

You will need 

• relevant post qualifying experience at a Team Manager/Leadership level or equivalent
• experience of leading and delivering significant programmes of change within an organisation (project management qualifications are not essential)
• strong IT and digital understanding.

This is a genuinely exciting opportunity which offers the successful post holder significant involvement and influence to make a difference in Social Care; involvement in transformation workstreams, shaping the front door approach and first point of contact journey for the people we work with, looking to manage demand in new and exciting ways and embracing technology. 

You can view a full list of requirements in theJob and Person Profile (Word). If you believe you can succeed in this role, apply. Even if you don't meet all requirements, still apply. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application.

The team 

You will work across three services, Customer First (CF), the Independence and Wellbeing Service (IWS) and the Financial Inclusion and Advice Service (FIAS), supporting the Head of Contact and Assessment role to deliver wide scale change within these services.

Customer First offer robust advice, information, equipment, digital care aids and early support at the earliest point of individuals journey into Adult and Community Services. Taking referrals from the public via live calls, webchats and portal referrals, to triage and process through to other teams where appropriate.

IWS are a centralised social care assessing team, focusing on lower-complexity, risk and preventative approaches. Their work involves, but is not limited to;

• arranging reablement services
• undertaking short-term assessments
• mental capacity assessments
• home visits where appropriate
• commissioning services
• reviewing support.

FIAS undertake a variety of roles including financial assessments to determine individuals, contributions to their cost of care, arranging and monitoring Direct Payments, Macmillan benefits advise and Appointee and Deputyship responsibilities.

Empowering Everyone 

We’re big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We’re always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in our Workforce Equality Report.

For more information 

For an informal discussion, please contact Karen Wilson (she/her) by calling (01473) 265649 or emailing [email protected]

How to apply

Step 1 - Read theJob and Person Profile (Word). 

Step 2 - Click ‘Apply Now’ to start your online application.

Step 3 - Upload asupporting statement indicating how you meet each of the criteria in the ‘Person Profile’ section of theJPP and: 

• Evidences a time when you have delivered substantial improvement to process or systems
• Describes how you have built and maintained effective partnerships with internal and external stakeholders to improve service delivery and customer outcomes 

Please use Arial font size 11 and keep your statement to a maximum of 800 – 1000 words. 

Step 4 - Upload a CV (without name and personal details). Please keep your CV to a maximum of two sides of A4

We value authentic applications that showcase your genuine skills and experiences. Applications suspected of being generated by AI may be rejected. We ask you to present your own work and ideas throughout the application process. 

Please note: Without a supporting statement and CV, your interest will not be progressed. If you require any reasonable adjustments to the application process before the next selection stage, please contact our Recruitment Team by emailing [email protected]or calling 03456 014412.If you are invited to the next stage of selection, you will have another opportunity to request adjustments for the next stages of the process. 

Closing date:11.30pm, 2 October 2025 

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts. #LI-Hybrid 

We positively encourage the use of technology to communicate, but on occasions, there may be a requirement for you to travel to locations away from your contractual base, using reasonable and suitable means available to you. If you require a reasonable adjustment due to a disability to meet the travel requirements of this role, please speak with the contact detailed below.