Are you an experienced and dedicated social work professional looking for a leadership role within a forward-thinking local authority? West Berkshire Council is seeking a Principal Social Worker for Adults to join our busy and supportive team.
About the Role
As the Principal Social Worker for Adults, you will play a crucial role in ensuring the highest standards of social work practice within the Adult Social Care Service. You will be responsible for:
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Providing professional leadership and support to social work practitioners, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and excellence in service delivery.
- Ensuring effective safeguarding arrangements are in place, working collaboratively with other agencies to protect the most vulnerable members of our community.
- Advising and informing the Executive Director and senior management team on social work issues, contributing to strategic decision-making and service development.
- Representing the Council at external forums and partnerships, advocating for the needs and rights of service users.
- Leading on the implementation of national social work initiatives and reforms, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.
About You
The ideal candidate will possess the following skills and attributes:
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Extensive experience as a social worker within an adult social care setting, with a sound understanding of the challenges and complexities involved.
- Registered with Social Work England and hold a relevant social work qualification.
- A proven track record of leading and managing teams, inspiring and motivating colleagues to achieve positive outcomes for service users.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build effective relationships with a range of stakeholders.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with the capacity to make informed decisions in a fast-paced environment.
Why Work for West Berkshire Council?
West Berkshire Council is committed to supporting and developing its employees. In addition to a competitive salary, we offer a range of excellent employment benefits, including:
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Flexible working arrangements to promote work-life balance.
- Access to a wide range of relevant training and professional development opportunities.
- Local Government Pension Scheme.
- Family friendly policies to support your personal and professional commitments.
- A range of local discounts on shopping, services, and leisure activities.
- You will also be entitled to a generous annual leave entitlement starting at 30 days per annum (plus public holidays) Rising by an additional 5 days after 5 years’ service.
Please note that the closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
For an informal discussion to learn more about the role, please contact Paul Coe on 07876 391174 or email
[email protected].
Join us at West Berkshire Council and make a positive impact in our community while advancing your career.
Explore everything that a career with West Berkshire Council has to offer here: Working with Us
Interview date: 22 June 2026
Equal Opportunities
The Council supports Equal Opportunity of employment and positively encourages applications from people who fall within any of the nine protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010.
How to apply
Please now complete a short online application form. You will then be able to upload your CV.
This role has been identified as public facing in accordance with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016; the requirement to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence in English applies.
This role involves regulated activity with adults at risk. As such, appointment is subject to an Enhanced DBS check with the relevant Barred List(s).
In this post you will be required to maintain continuous registration with the DBS Update Service for the duration of your employment.
This privacy notice applies to job applicants applying for vacancies with West Berkshire Council https://info.westberks.gov.uk/pnapplications
AI in Applications
We recognise that candidates may choose to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support the preparation of their job applications. When used appropriately, AI can be a helpful aid in structuring responses, checking clarity, and improving presentation.
However, applications must reflect your own skills, experience and understanding. If an application appears to rely excessively on AI-generated content, it may not meet the required standard and could be rejected.
We encourage all applicants to ensure their submissions are authentic, tailored to the role, and clearly demonstrate their own knowledge, experience and suitability.
