Regional Development Manager – Fostering
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Oct 20, 2026. First seen by Alion on Oct 13, 2026.
Contract to start ASAP
Duration: 12 weeks with a possible extension.
Regional Development Manager - Fostering
Hours: Full-time (37 hours per week)
Contract: 12 Week Temporary Contract, ending 17 January 2027
Support the Growth and Development of Fostering Services Across the Region
We're recruiting an experienced Regional Development Manager - Fostering to join Cardiff Council, supporting the development, growth, and strategic delivery of fostering services across the region.
This is an excellent opportunity for someone with experience in fostering, children's services, service development, recruitment, stakeholder engagement, commissioning, or regional partnership working.
You'll work closely with fostering teams, local authorities, partner agencies, carers, communications teams, and senior stakeholders to strengthen fostering provision, improve recruitment and retention activity, and support the delivery of high-quality services for children and young people.
About the Role
As a Regional Development Manager - Fostering, you'll support the strategic development of fostering services across the region, helping to increase placement capacity, improve service performance, strengthen partnership arrangements, and support the recruitment and retention of foster carers.
You'll play a key role in coordinating development activity, identifying opportunities for growth, and ensuring that fostering services are responsive to local demand and aligned with wider children's services priorities.
What you'll be doing:
- Leading and coordinating regional fostering development activity
- Supporting the recruitment and retention of foster carers
- Developing and implementing strategies to increase fostering capacity
- Working with local authorities and partner organisations to strengthen regional fostering provision
- Identifying gaps in placement provision and developing plans to address them
- Supporting marketing, engagement, and recruitment campaigns aimed at prospective foster carers
- Building strong relationships with foster carers, fostering teams, and external stakeholders
- Monitoring recruitment and retention performance and identifying areas for improvement
- Using data and management information to inform service development and strategic planning
- Supporting the development of regional policies, procedures, and service standards
- Working with senior managers and operational teams to align fostering development activity with wider children's services priorities
- Supporting partnership working across local authority boundaries
- Coordinating stakeholder engagement events, meetings, and workshops
- Developing business cases, proposals, and reports to support service development
- Supporting improvements in placement sufficiency and matching
- Promoting best practice in fostering recruitment, assessment, and support
- Working with communications and marketing teams to raise awareness of fostering opportunities
- Supporting service transformation and continuous improvement activity
- Identifying emerging risks, challenges, and opportunities across the regional fostering landscape
- Providing regular updates and reports on progress, performance, and outcomes
- Supporting compliance with relevant legislation, statutory guidance, and local policies
- Representing the service at regional meetings, forums, and partnership groups
Requirements
We're looking for a strategic, proactive, and highly organised professional with strong experience in fostering, children's services, or service development.
You'll ideally have:
- Experience working within fostering, children's services, social care, or a related field
- Experience in service development, programme management, or strategic delivery
- Strong knowledge of fostering services and the needs of children in care
- Experience supporting foster carer recruitment and retention
- Experience working across multiple teams, organisations, or local authority areas
- Strong stakeholder engagement and partnership-working skills
- Experience using data and performance information to drive improvement
- Ability to develop strategies, plans, and improvement programmes
- Strong project management and organisational skills
- Experience preparing professional reports, business cases, and presentations
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to influence and engage senior stakeholders
- Understanding of placement sufficiency and commissioning challenges
- Strong knowledge of safeguarding and children's services
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines
- Experience leading change or service transformation
- Local authority or public-sector experience would be advantageous
- A relevant qualification in Social Work, Management, Commissioning, or a related discipline would be advantageous
- Eligibility to work in the UK
- Ability to provide three years of references/work history
- Ability to complete a Criminal Convictions Declaration
- Ability to sign a Confidentiality Agreement
Why Apply
- Competitive Umbrella rate of £33.01 per hour
- Opportunity to work with Cardiff Council
- Senior development role within fostering services
- Opportunity to influence regional fostering strategy and service growth
- Work with local authorities, fostering teams, carers, and partner organisations
- Opportunity to support improvements in foster carer recruitment and retention
- Gain valuable regional children's services experience
- 12-week temporary assignment
- Full-time 37-hour working week
Benefits
- Weekly Pay
- Company Pension
- Ongoing Agency Support
Additional Information
Client: Cardiff Council
Job Title: Regional Development Manager - Fostering
Location: County Hall, Atlantic Wharf, Cardiff, CF10 4UW
Start Date: 26 October 2026
Contract Duration: 12 weeks, ending 17 January 2027
Hours: 37 hours per week
Pay Rate: Umbrella: £33.01 per hour
Employment Type: Temporary
Number of Positions: 1
Job Types: Full-time, Temporary contract
Contract length: 12 weeks
Pay: £33.01 per hour
Benefits:
- Company pension
Application question(s):
- Do you have experience working within fostering, children's services, social care, or a related environment?
- Do you have experience in service development, strategic delivery, or programme management?
- Have you supported foster carer recruitment, retention, or placement sufficiency?
- Do you have experience working across multiple local authorities, partner agencies, or regional services?
- Are you confident using performance data and management information to drive service improvement?
- Do you have experience preparing strategies, business cases, reports, or improvement plans?
- Please confirm your current location and whether you can reliably travel to County Hall, Atlantic Wharf, Cardiff, CF10 4UW as required.
Experience:
- Fostering / Children's Services: 2 years (preferred)
- Service Development / Programme Management: 2 years (preferred)
- Foster Carer Recruitment / Retention: 1 year (preferred)
- Local Authority / Public Sector: 1 year (preferred)
Education:
- Relevant qualification in Social Work, Management, Commissioning, or related discipline (preferred)
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: In person
Disclaimer: On applying for this vacancy, you agree that your personal details will be passed onto our client for their consideration of your suitability for the role. I acknowledge that it is my responsibility to notify iWork Recruitment Limited of any hirer who I do not want my details to be passed onto.
OR118235-10-26