We are a team dedicated to bringing our best to improve the quality of life of children and families impacted by childhood cancer. 

We share a common purpose guided by compassion, kindness and teamwork.  We recognise one another’s contributions in providing holistic support on enhancing our beneficiaries’ psycho-social resilience and medical well-being.

We take pride and ownership of our work. Our commitment to personal learning and professional growth goes beyond formal training as we strive towards a culture of excellence in the way we deliver on our mission.

The Head of Department, Social Work provides strategic and operational leadership for the Casework & Counselling, Community & Programmes, and Education & Employment teams, aligning departmental priorities with organisational goals.

This is a primarily managerial role focused on strengthening systems, integrating services, building team capability, and delivering high-quality psychosocial support for children with cancer and their families.

The role embeds a survivorship care approach from diagnosis, adopts a child- and family-centred community lens, and values survivors and caregivers as partners in service design and delivery. While not primarily client-facing, the incumbent brings strong practice experience and remains available to guide teams through complex or crisis situations when needed.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Strategy

• Set priorities and service direction in alignment with the Director of Direct Services and Senior Management Team

• Provide oversight across programmes and ensure strong integration and alignment across teams towards integrated, survivorship-focused medical-social-community care models

• Strengthen early intervention, care continuity, and long-term community reintegration

Team & Capability Building

• Lead and develop team leads through practice standards, and professional competencies

• Guide teams towards excellence in survivorship care through trauma-informed, co-production, and systemic practices

• Lead primarily through management, direction-setting, and culture-building, while remaining available to support teams during complex or crisis situations

• Foster a collaborative, accountable, and high-performing team culture

Practice & Service Quality

• Provide oversight of complex or high-risk cases and practice frameworks when required, ensuring ethical, child- and family-centred interventions

• Translate frontline insights into continuous service improvement, in collaboration with research team

Partnerships & Systems Integration

• Build and strengthen partnerships within the organisation and with healthcare, schools, and community agencies

• Engage survivors and caregivers as advocates and co-creators

• Represent the department in cross-sector platforms and committees

Operations & Governance

• Oversee service planning, resource allocation and service impact

• Ensure compliance with safeguarding, policies, and professional standards

Requirements

• Degree or postgraduate qualification in Social Work or related field

• 10–15 years of relevant social service experience, including leadership or management responsibility, set direction, and manage services

• Previous practice experience in casework, counselling, or community work

• Strong people leadership and partnership-building skills

• Commitment to survivorship-focused, integrated care, strong in guiding team in service operations

Personal Attributes

• Grounded in practice, child- and family-centred with a systems perspective

• Values survivors and caregivers as partners

• Collaborative and relationship-oriented, organised, and able to manage complexity, while keeping a focused strategy

• Adaptable, reflective, and solutions-focused with good eye for impactful operations