Fostering Team Manager - Portsmouth

Fostering Team Manager – Portsmouth / Isle of Wight | Five Rivers (Non-Statutory)

Fostering Team Manager (Permanent) – Five Rivers | Non-statutory fostering service (independent provider)
Covering Isle of Wight & Sussex | Location requirement: must live in Portsmouth or ideally Isle of Wight
Hybrid / some office working | Up to £48,905 + £5,100 car allowance

Five Rivers are recruiting a Fostering Team Manager to lead fostering practice across the Isle of Wight & Sussex region within their non-statutory fostering service. This is a brilliant role for a manager who wants to focus on supporting foster carers, placement stability and outcomes, without the structure of statutory local authority caseholding.

Non-negotiable location requirement: due to the geography and travel demands of the patch, applicants must live in Portsmouth or ideally the Isle of Wight.

The role

You will lead a team delivering high-quality supervision and support to foster carers, maintaining strong safeguarding practice and consistent standards across the patch.

Leadership and oversight

• Lead, develop and performance-manage a team of Supervising Social Workers (and associated staff).
• Deliver regular reflective supervision and practice oversight, ensuring consistent quality and confident decision-making.
• Manage allocation, capacity and priorities across the patch to keep support responsive and effective.

Complex oversight and safeguarding

• Provide management oversight on complex matters including allegations, safeguarding concerns, placement stability risks and critical incidents.
• Ensure timely escalation, defensible decision-making and clear communication with partner agencies.

Quality assurance, compliance and service improvement

• Quality assure assessments, reports and recording; maintain audit readiness and strong governance.
• Monitor outcomes and KPIs, embedding learning and improvement where required.

Partnership working

• Maintain strong relationships with Local Authorities and stakeholders across the patch, ensuring Five Rivers deliver a reliable, solutions-led service.

Requirements (essential)

• Proven Team Manager experience within fostering (or closely aligned leadership with fostering responsibility).
• Strong understanding of fostering practice, safeguarding and quality assurance.
• Confident people leadership: performance management, coaching and supervision.
• UK-based experience required.
• Location requirement (essential): must live in Portsmouth or ideally the Isle of Wight.
• Ability to travel across IOW & Sussex and meet office-working requirements as needed.

Package

• Salary up to £48,905
• £5,100 car allowance
• Hybrid / some office working model
• Permanent post with defined geographic remit

Apply / enquire
Josh Da Costa
jdacosta@sheldon-phillips.com | 07513 834554 | 01635 226350

Also recruiting: Five Rivers are also hiring a second Fostering Team Manager based in Salisbury (SP1) covering Hampshire/Wiltshire/Dorset (2–3 days office). Ask for details.