Country Director - Wales - Fostering 

Permanent | Full or Part Time

A rare opportunity to take the lead on the growth, performance and future direction of established fostering services across Wales.

We’re delighted to be supporting a leading fostering organisation with the recruitment of a Country Director for Wales. This is a senior leadership position with responsibility for two fostering agencies in Wales and a combined team of around 32 employees.

This is much more than an operational role. You’ll be responsible for leading the strategy, people and performance of the services, whilst ensuring children and young people remain firmly at the heart of everything the organisation does.

The role

As Country Director, you’ll be accountable for three key areas of fostering success:

• Recruiting and retaining foster carers

• Growing and sustaining placements

• Delivering excellent outcomes for children and young people

You’ll work closely with the Registered Managers, COO and wider leadership team to drive growth, operational excellence and regulatory performance, whilst ensuring the services continue to meet all CIW/CIS requirements.

You’ll also act as the organisation’s Responsible Individual (RI), providing strategic oversight of safeguarding, compliance, quality and service delivery.

There’s a strong commercial element too, with responsibility for developing relationships with Local Authorities, supporting fee negotiations and tenders, identifying new opportunities and ensuring the agencies remain competitive within the fostering market.

You’ll be responsible for

• Providing strategic leadership across both Welsh fostering services

• Leading and developing a high-performing team and Registered Manager

• Driving foster carer recruitment, retention and placement growth

• Ensuring excellent safeguarding, quality and regulatory compliance

• Building strong relationships with Local Authorities and key stakeholders

• Identifying opportunities for service development and commercial growth

• Leading business planning, performance and financial management

• Creating a culture where staff and foster carers feel supported, valued and engaged

• Championing outstanding outcomes for children and young people

What we’re looking for

We’re looking for an experienced senior leader within fostering or children’s social care who can combine strong operational leadership with commercial awareness and a genuine commitment to improving outcomes for children.

You’ll need to be confident operating at strategic level, influencing senior stakeholders and leading teams through growth and change. Experience of regulatory requirements, safeguarding and fostering services is essential, alongside the ability to build strong relationships with Local Authorities and external partners.

Most importantly, you’ll be someone who can bring energy, vision and leadership to an established service and help shape its next chapter.

The package

Salary: to be discussed + £4,000 car allowance
Contract: Permanent – full time or part time considered, with a minimum of 3 days per week
Location: Wales, covering North and South. (please note postholder does not need to live in Wales, but happy to be present in offices)

Benefits include:

• 27 days’ annual leave, increasing with service to 32 days + bank holidays

• Buy/sell holiday scheme

• Bonus schemes

• Salary sacrifice pension

• Enhanced family leave

• Employee Assistance Programme

• Life Assurance

• Plus further benefits accessed by the organisations flexible benefits platform

Interested?

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced fostering leader to take genuine ownership of the strategy, growth and future direction of two Welsh fostering services, with the opportunity to make a real difference to children, young people, foster carers and the teams supporting them.

If you’re ready for your next senior leadership challenge, we’d love to hear from you.

Contact Sarah Leigh or Kate Bowen today on 02922 400519 for a further discussion.