Director (Adult Social Care and Commissioning)

A message from Jenny Rollinson, Executive Director for Health and Adult Social Care

In this video, Jenny shares a personal insight into the Director of Adult Social Care and Commissioning role, the impact it has on people’s lives, and why Knowsley is such a rewarding place for values-led leaders to make a difference.

Together we care logo graphic showing flower petals in vibrant blue, yellow, pink and green colours.
Care quality commission rating with purple and green background

The Role

Director (Adult Social Care and Commissioning)

  • Salary: £99,161 – £104,870 (Pay award pending)
  • Location: Huyton, Merseyside

Lead transformation. Shape the future of adult social care in Knowsley.

Knowsley Council is seeking an exceptional Director of Adult Social Care and Commissioning to lead one of the most important portfolios in our organisation and play a pivotal role in improving outcomes for adults, carers and communities across the borough.

This is a career-defining opportunity for a values-driven, professionally qualified leader who is passionate about high-quality, person-centred services and ready to lead at pace in a complex and ambitious local authority.

About the role

Reporting to the Executive Director (Health and Adult Social Care), you will provide strategic leadership and direction across:

  • Adult Social Care
  • Whole Life Commissioning
  • Safeguarding and Quality Assurance
  • Our in-house provider services, Together We Care

You will lead the next phase of our adult social care transformation, embedding strengths-based practice, modern service models, and integrated ways of working that support people in living independently, with dignity and choice.

A central part of your role will be leading the Council’s approach to Care Quality Commission (CQC) assurance, ensuring services are inspection-ready, compliant, and continuously improving in line with national best practice.

Our leaders are committed to building trusted relationships and embedding coproduction at every level, recognising this as fundamental to delivering sustainable improvement.

What you will be responsible for

As Director of Adult Social Care and Commissioning, you will:

  • Set the strategic direction for adult social care in line with the Council’s transformation agenda and statutory responsibilities
  • Lead delivery of all duties under the Care Act, Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act
  • Drive improvement in outcomes, performance, quality and resident experience
  • Oversee whole life commissioning ensuring efficiency and, shaping a resilient, sustainable local care market
  • Lead safeguarding arrangements to protect vulnerable adults
  • Transform and modernise Together We Care services to meet complex needs
  • Lead workforce, cultural and practice change across large, multidisciplinary services
  • Provide strong financial leadership, delivering agreed efficiencies and value for money
  • Act as the Council’s senior lead for CQC inspections and sector-led improvement

System leadership and partnership working

You will play a leading role in developing a truly integrated local system, working closely with:

  • Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) and NHS partners
  • Wider system partners
  • Public Health
  • The voluntary and community sector
  • Regional and national networks, including ADASS

Through collaboration and place-based leadership, you will help shape services that reduce inequalities, prevent escalation of need, and support people earlier and closer to home.

About you

We are looking for a confident, credible and collaborative leader who brings:

  • A recognised social work qualification and professional registration
  • Significant senior leadership experience in adult social care
  • Strong expertise in commissioning, market management and system integration
  • A proven track record of leading complex transformation and improvement
  • Experience of operating successfully in political and partnership environments
  • Sound financial acumen and experience in delivering within constrained resources
  • A strong commitment to co-production, equality, diversity and inclusion

Above all, you will share our ambition to deliver the very best outcomes for Knowsley’s residents and lead in line with our Knowsley Better Together values of integrity, accountability, communication and respect.

Why Knowsley?

Knowsley is a borough with a strong sense of community, pride and purpose. We are ambitious for our residents and clear about the role strong leadership plays in delivering change.

You will join:

  • A supportive and committed Corporate Management Team
  • An organisation on a clear improvement journey
  • A place where leaders are trusted, visible and empowered to make decisions
  • Services that genuinely change lives every day

This is an opportunity to lead with purpose, influence at scale and leave a lasting legacy.

Interested?

For further information and details on how to apply, please explore the candidate information via the links on this site.

For a confidential discussion about the role, please contact:

Jenny Rollinson

Executive Director (Health and Adult Social Care)

Telephone: 0151 443 4904

Email: Jenny.rollinson@knowsley.gov.uk 

Recruitment Timeline - Key Dates

  • Closing date - Noon Friday 29 May 2026
  • Assessment Centre (in person) - Thursday 18 June 2026
  • Employment and Appointments Committee (in person) - Wednesday 24 June 2026.

Supporting Information

Knowsley Knowledge

Knowsley Overview is an official council insight and intelligence website that brings together key data and information about the borough of Knowsley. It provides an accessible overview of local population, communities, services, and outcomes, with comparisons to regional and national data.

Our Offer

Our workplace offer

Knowsley Council offers a competitive salary and generous benefits package within flexible working arrangements.

Find all our employee benefits below. 

Financial

  • Competitive salary, which rises annually to the next increment of our pay scale for most roles
  • Annual Pay Awards which are negotiated nationally and apply to all employees
  • Financial well-being offers and support, including affordable borrowing
  • 24-hour financial advice from our Employee Assistance Programme
  • Car mileage payments
  • Free car parking
  • Access to a salary sacrifice scheme to lease hybrid and electric vehicles
  • A home goods and electricals salary sacrifice scheme
  • Transparent pay structures so you are paid fairly in line with peers and know what you will be paid as you develop your career with the council

Development

  • Engaging comprehensive induction programme
  • Fully embedded apprenticeship and graduate development programmes with tailored support and development
  • Collaborative working with educational establishments to support development initiatives and opportunities
  • Levy funded vocational and degree level qualifications available
  • Full programme of CPD for work-based learning and development opportunities
  • A wide variety of roles, helping you to try different careers and apply your skills in new areas
  • Opportunities for getting involved in innovative projects and initiatives to support continuous improvement
  • Strong culture of employee engagement as well as reward and recognition – supporting you to be the best you can be

Pensions

  • Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme.  Unlike many private sector pensions which are defined contribution (DC), LGPS is a defined benefit (DB) scheme. This means:
    • Pension is based on salary and length of service.
    • Provides a guaranteed income for life after retirement.
    • Less risk for the employee compared to DC schemes.

Whereas most DC schemes are based on performance of market investments.

  • LGPS pensions are inflation-protected, increasing annually in line with the Consumer Prices Index (CPI), helping maintain purchasing power over time.
  • The council will typically contribute 9.3% towards your pension, compared to lower contributions in many DC schemes.
  • The scheme includes ill health and death benefits which includes immediate access to your pension if you are retired early due to ill health and a lump sum death benefit of 3 times your salary as a lump sum and survivors pensions for dependents.
  • Members of the pension scheme can also opt for early retirement from 55 (with reductions to pension benefits).
  • You can find out more about our pensions at Merseyside Pension Fund (mpfmembers.org.uk)
  • Ways to top up your pension benefits, including shared cost salary sacrifice, meaning more savings on National Insurance and Income Tax and the option to voluntarily make additional pension contributions.

Wellbeing

  • 36 hour full time working week
  • Generous annual leave entitlement with an additional two concessionary days over the festive period plus public holidays. Entitlement varies depending on grade, illustrated below, in addition to public holidays.

Entitlements below are based on full time hours and will be pro rata for part time employees.

Grade (Days) Basic Leave Continuous Service (Days) After 3 Years Continuous Service (Days) After 5 Years Continuous Service (Days) After 10 Years (Days)
Grade A-E 23 24 28 29
Grade F-G 24 25 28 30
Grade H-L 26 27 29 32
Grade M-Q and PMG 1-2 28 29 31 34
PMG 3-5 and Directors 30 31 33 36
  • Option to buy additional annual leave
  • Flexible working
  • Hybrid working in many roles
  • Active travel support with a cycle-to-work scheme
  • 24-hour health and wellbeing support with access to qualified counsellors and practitioners
  • Occupational health services
  • Workplace adjustments
  • Access to a wide range of wellbeing support material including lifestyle assessments and recommendations, information about different health and wellbeing subjects and healthy eating recipes.
  • Free flu jab
  • Free eye tests for DSE users
  • Access to a range of health programmes, such as weight management and smoking cessation sessions
  • The council has strong Trade Union representation through Unison, GMB and Unite and you will have the option to join.

Discounts

  • A range of lifestyle savings and discounts available to all employees, including high street retailers, dining out, cinema, holidays, days out, health and fitness and beauty
  • Discounted gym memberships
  • Access to reduced-cost travel passes
  • Discounts available through mobile phone providers
  • All local authority employees are eligible for Costco membership

Family and Carers support

  • Maternity Leave
  • Paternity leave
  • Shared parental leave
  • Unpaid emergency leave support
  • Family-friendly policies supporting fostering, fertility treatment, fostering, adoption and caring responsibilities
  • Carers passports to make sure you’re supported to manage caring responsibilities alongside work
  • Menopause policy, passport, and support

Employee Networks

  • The Changies offers a safe, informal space for men to connect and support each other.
  • The Carer’s Forum offers support to employees with caring responsibilities.
  • The Disability Workers’ Group advocates for disabled employees and helps shape inclusive policies.
  • The LGBTQ+ Forum supports LGBTQ+ staff, promotes visibility, and influences inclusive change.
  • The Multi Faith and Belief Workers’ Group raises awareness of diverse beliefs to reduce discrimination and improve service delivery.
  • The Neuro Diversity Network offers  a place for employees who are neuro diverse to come together and support each other.
  • The United in Diversity Network challenges discrimination and promotes cultural diversity and race equality.
  • The Women’s Operational Workers’ Network focuses on sex equality in employment and policy development and runs Menopause Café’s.
  • The Youth Employee Network empowers young staff to share experiences, develop skills, and influence workplace culture.

The employee networks work together on joint projects across the organisation.

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