Director of Adult Health and Social Care

Job title: Director of Adult Health and Social Care

Salary: Director, £170,354 - £185,237

Hours: 37

Contract: Permanent

Location: Merrion House

Drive Change. Shape Lives. Lead Boldly.

Few roles offer the opportunity to influence adult social care, health integration and the future direction of a council at this scale.

Leeds is one of the UK's largest, most diverse and most dynamic cities. We serve a growing population across urban, suburban and rural communities, bringing together areas of enormous opportunity alongside significant inequalities across the city health and life expectancy.

Our Adult Health and Social Care service has strong foundations. We have a proud legacy of strengths-based practice, co-production and listening to the voices of people who draw on care and support. Our relationships with the NHS, voluntary and community sectors are well established, with programmes such as HomeFirst demonstrating the impact of integrated, person-centred services.

As our statutory Director of Adult Social Services, you'll lead a substantial and complex service supporting working-age and older adults across the city. You'll provide visible leadership through a period of significant change, responding to rising demand and increasingly complex needs while addressing market sustainability and financial pressures.

A defining focus of the role will be your leadership across the wider health and care system. You'll lead our relationships with NHS partners, bringing together the council's contribution to health integration and help implement our shared vision for improving outcomes and reducing inequalities across Leeds. You'll be an influential ambassador for the council, able to build consensus, navigate a changing health landscape and translate strong partnerships into better support for residents.

Your contribution will reach well beyond your immediate portfolio. Working alongside the Chief Executive, elected members and fellow directors as a key member of the Corporate Leadership Team, you'll help shape council-wide transformation and financial sustainability. You'll connect adult social care with children's services, housing, public health and our wider neighbourhood agenda, bringing a whole-council perspective to the opportunities and challenges facing Leeds. You will be a champion and visible leader of our work to deliver the Leeds Ambitions and our Council Plan.

We're looking for an experienced and values-led leader with the credibility to lead adult social care with authority and confidence. You'll bring a strong system leadership ethos, commercial and financial awareness, and a track record of working effectively across organisational boundaries. You'll also understand the importance of accessible and inclusive services that reflect the experiences of Leeds' diverse communities.

This is one of the most significant adult social care leadership roles in local government. It offers the opportunity to lead at scale, shape the future of health and care integration, and influence the wider direction of one of the UK's largest and most ambitious councils.

You'll join a high-performing organisation with strong political and executive leadership, talented colleagues strong values and well-established partnerships across the city. Building on solid foundations, you'll have the platform, influence and support to drive the next phase of transformation, improve outcomes for residents and leave a lasting legacy across Adult Social Care, the wider health and care system, and Leeds itself.

For an ambitious leader, this is a rare opportunity to combine statutory leadership, system influence and corporate leadership in a role where your contribution will be visible, significant and felt across the city.

If you have the ambition, experience and resilience to turn pressure into progress, we would love to hear from you.

To find out more, contact our retained consultants at Tile Hill: Chris Barrow on 07437 839048 or Anita Denton on 07725 554802, or visit Future Leeds - Leeds City Council

Closing date: Midnight on Sunday 1st November 2026

Job Description

Job purpose Lead the Adult Health and Social Care Directorate and provide strategic direction and vision for the effective delivery of a comprehensive offer of support to vulnerable working-age and older adults.

Play a full role as Corporate Leadership Team member, visible across the organisation, to ensure Leeds City Council fulfils its potential as an ambitious, inclusive organisation, engaging residents with care and empathy to provide the support they need. Advocate for adults in Leeds with our local delivery partners, and regionally and nationally.

Be the principal advisor on all aspects of strategy and service provision for adults and their carers, and strategic oversight of partnership working with NHS partners, and will be responsible for the discharge of all statutory responsibilities for adult social care functions including joint commissioning, working across directorate boundaries to enable efficient and effective delivery of directorate and wider corporate priorities.

Responsibilities

Strategic and statutory

• Strategic and operational lead in developing and articulating a clear vision and effective framework for coordinated services to adults and their carers, in accordance with statutory legislation, guidance and Leeds City Council corporate strategy.
• Promote a values based, person-centred culture, delivering the wider vision of social care: to support people and their carers to live healthy and independent lives.
• Lead and role model cultural and organisational change, facilitating improvement in the way adult services are provided and working to ensure a seamless service across the Council's different directorates.
• Lead continuous improvement in accordance with regulatory frameworks.
• Lead health and care system integration, together with system partners, by promoting integrated strategies and commissioning arrangements.
• Optimise the use, and allocation of resources and strengthen partnerships to support people to remain living independently and promote their health and well-being.
• Contribute pro-actively to the national debate on adult social care and wider local government reform to shape and influence the future of Adult Social Services and Leeds City Council.

Advocacy and Partnership

• Champion the voice and influence of adults at the heart of decision making.
• Work with elected members, people who draw on care and support, and their carers, and community representatives in ways which support open, responsive, and accountable government providing appropriate advice relating to the work of the Directorate to Members and council officers so as to manage risk and support them in their respective roles.

Corporate Leadership Team and wider leadership

• In line with the Budget Management Accountability Framework ensure that effective budget management and control takes place across the Directorate and the planned level and quality of service provided is within revenue and capital budgets and that budget pressures are resolved.
• Contribute to effective budget management and control where involved in cross-Council programmes.
• Demonstrate active ownership of embedding a positive Equality, Diversity and Inclusion culture and ensuring adherence to the legal obligations of the organisation to the Equalities Act 2010.
• Actively and visibly lead a positive Health, Safety, Wellbeing and Fire (HSWF) culture to ensure statutory compliance under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and implement the council wide Health, Safety, Wellbeing and Fire management framework in alignment with director pledges.
• As a member of the Corporate Leadership Team, to provide strong leadership within the context of the Leeds Ambitions, Council Plan, and the city's broader strategic objectives.
• The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate to the grade.

Qualifications Relevant qualification or substantial experience in working in this field together with substantial senior leadership and management experience is essential. A professional qualification in a field relevant to the sectors covered by the post is desirable.

Essential requirements It is essential that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria.

Strategy and innovation

• Evidence of successful strategic and operational resource management, including evaluating competing priorities within tight financial limits and managing progressive and innovative budgetary arrangements.
• Evidence of ability to make reasoned and logical decisions allied with high level organisational skills.
• Experience of developing and implementing highly complex strategies leading to successful outcomes and ability to work on cross council priorities and drive successful programmes.
• Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the current local, regional, and national issues and the legislative and political context relating to the Adults Social Care agenda.

Communication and engagement

• Evidence of taking the strategic lead in forging and driving successful partnerships with a wide range of internal and external bodies including governmental and non-governmental organisations, the private and voluntary sectors to successfully deliver cross sector projects.
• Excellent communication, networking, partnership and presentation skills with the ability to influence, negotiate and establish credibility across sectors to enhance reputation and form positive relationships.
• Evidence of success in building and enhancing the reputation of an organisation, locally and nationally with external bodies, the community, and the media.

People and leadership

• Experience of managing resources to achieve improvements and excellence within financial and budgetary constraints, including the management of pooled budgets.
• Evidence of leading, shaping and influencing innovative thinking and innovative practice within current organisation.
• Experience of successful leadership and management of large-scale complex change programmes with an understanding of the strategic issues that face integrated work.
• Substantial experience of operating in a political environment.
• Detailed knowledge and understanding of local government political systems and experience of working on politically sensitive issues including significant experience of developing productive working relationships with Council Members, trade unions, and Corporate Leadership Team.
• Demonstrate knowledge and evidence examples of best practice for applicable legislation, regulations, policies, inspections and performance information and relevant strategic functions e.g. health, safety and security, confidentiality, and data protection.

Behavioural & other characteristics required

• Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct.
• Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Leeds Ambitions of health and wellbeing, inclusive growth, thriving strong communities and a resilient sustainable city.
• Be aware of, promote and comply with all policies and procedures. Upholding, and promoting the behaviours, values, and standards of the Council.
• Actively promote and deliver Leeds City Councils approach to equality, diversity, and inclusion. Supporting difference, challenging any form of abuse, and ensuring equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner.
• Carry out all duties having regard to an employee's responsibility under Health and Safety Policies.