Area Practice Manager - North Dorset

Room to practise. Support to grow. 

We are looking for a motivated Area Practice Manager to join our North Dorset Locality Team within Adult Social Care on a full time basis. This is a key leadership role where you will shape practice, support your team to thrive, and ensure people receive high-quality, person-centred support.

Dorset Council Adult Social Care is rated ‘Good’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), recognising the strength of our practice, leadership, and workforce culture. Inspectors highlighted “a clear sense of community across Dorset”, with leaders working positively in partnership to meet the needs of local people.

Peer support across our teams is described as “unbeatable”, reflecting the strong relationships and collaborative culture you will be leading and building upon.

As an Area Practice Manager, you will:

• Lead a multi-disciplinary team including Social Workers, Occupational Therapists, and Assessment Support Coordinators
• Create the conditions for high-quality, strengths-based practice
• Support staff to develop confidence, manage risk, and make informed, evidence-based decisions
• Act as a visible and accessible leader, modelling good practice and professional curiosity
• Support the Locality Manager in the day-to-day leadership and management of your team
• Drive strengths-based, person-centred practice, promoting independence and positive outcomes
• Provide guidance on complex cases, supporting staff to work confidently with risk and complexity
• Lead on performance, quality assurance, and practice improvement
• Work collaboratively with health, housing, and community partners in a joined-up, multi-agency system

In Dorset, leadership is visible and valued. The CQC recognised “an open culture… with visible leadership and robust management arrangements”, alongside a learning offer that is “highly praised by all staff.”

You will play a central role in shaping and embedding change, ensuring services respond effectively to both organisational priorities and the needs of the people we support.

About you

You are an experienced social worker or occupational therapist, ready for your next step; or a current team manager looking for a new challenge.  You will be a leader who can influence practice, develop people, and build strong, effective teams.

You will:

• Hold a registered qualification in health or social care
• Bring substantial post-qualification experience, including working with complex cases and managing risk
• Have a proven ability to lead, motivate, and develop staff, creating a positive and accountable team culture
• Be confident in resource and budget management
• Have strong experience of partnership working across health, community, and voluntary sectors

You will also be:

• Adaptable, approachable, and resilient
• Committed to strengths-based, person-centred practice
• A strong communicator, able to manage challenge and facilitate constructive conversations
• Dedicated to continuous professional development, for yourself and your team

Why join Dorset

We offer hybrid and flexible working, alongside:

• Regular, reflective supervision
• A strong learning and development offer, including leadership apprenticeships
• Access to mentoring, coaching, and CPD

We also offer:

• Local Government Pension Scheme
• Minimum 27 days annual leave (plus option to purchase more)
• Access to wellbeing and support services

Our teams have a strong local identity. In North Dorset, you will lead a team that knows its community and works closely together to support it.

For an informal conversation please contact [email protected]

You must have a vehicle (or transport we deem suitable) available for use as needed. 

At Dorset Council, it's not just about the work we do, it's about how we do it. Hear directly from our employees about what makes Dorset Council special in this short video:

At Dorset Council, we are working together to create a fairer, more prosperous, and more sustainable Dorset for everyone, now and in the future.

We:

• provide essential services that support over 300,000 residents
• work in partnership to make a real difference
• value every role and the impact it has on our communities
• support our employees to grow, develop, and thrive

You will:

• be part of a team that works together for a better Dorset
• have access to a range of benefits and support
• receive training and development opportunities to help your career progress

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation where different skills, perspectives, and backgrounds strengthen both our council and the communities we serve.

We welcome applications from everyone and are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. If you declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role, we will offer you an interview. We also want our recruitment process to be accessible, if you need any reasonable adjustments, just let us know on your application.

This role is UK-based, and we will need to confirm your Right to Work as part of the appointment process. We use generic job descriptions and person specifications, so the job title in any attachments may differ from the advert. If needed, we will provide additional details in a context statement.

If you’re passionate about making a difference, we’d love you to join us.

Find out more about how to apply.