Principal Social Worker - Adult Social Care - 37 Hours

Application Deadline: 8 February 2026

Department: Adults & Community Services

Employment Type: Permanent

Location: Torbay Council

Reporting To: Divisional/Assistant Director

Compensation: £66,227 - £70,323 / year

Description

Job Description & Person Specification >

Torbay is a glorious part of the UK. A magnet for tourists sitting on the beautiful Tor Bay and next to the stunning natural landscape of Dartmoor National Park. We benefit from a wonderfully mild climate making this a hugely attractive place to live and work. We are an agile unitary authority, and you’ll soon discover this is a place where you can make things happen quickly. We have real momentum, with once in a generation investment taking place across our three towns of Torquay, Paignton and Brixham. We have a shared sense of purpose and ambition and everyone who works here has the same thing in common - to see a healthy, happy and prosperous Torbay.

We are seeking a Principal Social Worker to continue to support best practice and workforce development of our front-line teams.

This role will be working with the statutory DASS role and the Divisional Directors of Adult Social Care, where we have long pioneered a truly integrated approach to the delivery of services with health, and combines it with wider services to our residents with our Community Services team, meaning that this is a role that really makes a difference to lives of our residents.

Whilst you will be able to demonstrate significant knowledge and understanding of the current legislation around Adult Social Care, it’s equally important that you share our ambitions for Torbay. You will be key to building strong and meaningful relationships with the community and oversee the provision of good quality statutory community services.

This post will be carrying out Regulated Activity. As such the post will require an Enhanced Criminal Record Check plus an additional Barred List Check. The check will reveal any spent and unspent convictions and adult cautions (which have not been filtered), any local Police information and a check of either the Adult, Child or Adult and Child Barred Lists.

If you are viewing this advert on a job board, you can access the full job description by placing the below URL into your browser:
https://www.torbay.gov.uk/jobs/job-descriptions/principal-social-worker-adult-social-care/

For an informal chat please contact Gary Patch on 07585 982673, gary.patch@torbay.gov.uk, or Anna Coles on 07766 160574, anna.coles@torbay.gov.uk.

Interviews are expected to be conducted during the week commencing 16th February 2026.

This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

Our adverts do sometimes close early - even where there's a published deadline - so if you're keen, please apply as soon as possible.

Skills

Essential:

Strategic leadership with ability to influence across complex health and social care systems.
High level analytical and problem solving skills; able to balance competing pressures and manage risks.
Skilled in quality assurance, governance, supervision, reflective practice and case consultation.
Strong partnership, relationship building and negotiation skills across multi agency environments.
Project and programme discipline: planning, prioritisation and performance management.

As this post meets the requirements of the Immigration Act 2016 (part 7), the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.

Knowledge

Essential:

Extensive knowledge of adult social care legislation, policy and guidance, including the Care Act, Mental Capacity Act and Mental Health Act.
Best practice in adult social care, social care governance and practice models.
National agendas for social care reform and professional standards (including Professional Capabilities Framework and LGA Standards for Employers).

Experience & Qualifications

Essential:

Professional Social Work qualification (e.g., CSS, CQSW, DipSW, Degree in Social Work) or equivalent.
Registration with Social Work England or equivalent regulatory body.

Skills

Knowledge

Experience & Qualifications

About Torbay Council