About the role

This position is a maternity cover role for a duration of up to 12 months.

As the Social Work Team Lead (SWTL) you will monitor and lead the operational delivery of the SSAFA Personal Support & Social Work Service.

This role provides leadership and oversight to a small team who provide non-statutory welfare support to all serving RAF personnel and their immediate family. The team are located at RAF stations which includes RAF Marham, RAF Wyton, RAF Honington, RAF Halton, RAF High Wycombe. The role is hybrid with access to an office at RAF High Wycombe. This role is part of the wider South Region.

You will be responsible and accountable for caseload management within the team and ensure effective cover for all stations within the area of responsibility.

In this role, you will ensure that the PS&SWS is actively promoted and professionally represented in a variety of forums and in work with RAF People and Families Team. Working closely with Station Commanding Officers, as well as with relevant Local Authorities, Health, and other civilian agencies as well as other military organisations and charities.

About the team

2025 marks 35 years since SSAFA began delivering an independent non-statutory, and confidential service, for the Royal Air Force community across the UK, and this is an exciting time to be joining as we were recently successful in our bid to continue delivering this service.

We are transforming our ways of working to be innovative, to ensure our service is even more inclusive and accessible to meet the needs of a modern RAF.

We are a hard-working team from diverse professional backgrounds.  Although we all have our own area of responsibility, we support each other in delivering the best possible service to our military community.

Find out more about the 36 year history of the Service Personal Support & Social Work Service.

About you

To carry out this role successfully you will have a recognised Social Work qualification and evidence of further post qualification social work training.

The successful candidate will have experience of managing a team and resources with demonstrable experience of working in the field of children and families or adults services.

You will have excellent IT skills including experience of using a case management system as well as having experience of implementing and adhering to quality assurance processes in support of service delivery.

You must be prepared to travel in the course of your work. A full driving licence and use of a car are essential.

About SSAFA 

SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity is a trusted source of support for serving personnel, veterans and their families in their time of need. In 2023 our trained teams of volunteers and employees helped more than 53,000 people, including veterans, serving personnel (regulars and reserves) and their families.  

SSAFA understands that behind every uniform is a person. And we are here for that person and their family, any time they need us and in any way, they need us.

Diversity and Inclusion at SSAFA 

SSAFA exists to support a diverse range of beneficiaries within the armed forces community, and we believe diversity within our teams is key to ensuring we can deliver our services effectively. We thrive on differences and believe it is critical to our success as a worldwide charity. SSAFA is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace that seeks to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We therefore encourage applications from all genders, races, religions, ages and sexual orientations, as well as parents, veterans, people living with disabilities, and any other groups that could bring diverse perspectives to our business. 

SSAFA is committed to using the Disclosure & Barring Service to ensure we, as an employer, safeguard those we serve.  

Further information about the role

Download a copy of the job description here.

Review the benefits that SSAFA has to offer here.

If you have any queries or would like to speak to someone about this role, please contact Joanne Harper at Joanne.Harper@ssafa-fhs.org.uk

No agencies please. Any unsolicited submissions from agencies will be accepted as a direct application from the candidate and no fees will be payable.

Closing date: Midday on Thursday 20 February 2025.

Interviews: Week commencing 10 March 2025.