Principal Social Worker

About the Role

Join Islington Council and help us build a fairer borough for all.

We are committed to making Islington the best council in the country—a place where everyone, regardless of background, can thrive. We want every employee to feel valued, inspired, and empowered to deliver outstanding services to our residents.

Islington Council is seeking a Principal Social Worker to join our Adult Social Care Senior Management Team, working in partnership with the Principal Occupational Therapist to support the delivery of practice excellence as part of our ambitious plans for the residents of Islington.

If you are ready to lead, inspire and make a lasting impact, with a passion for excellence in social work practice that makes a real difference, we would encourage you to apply.

We live by our ‘Be Islington’ values—Collaborative, Ambitious, Resourceful, and Empowering (CARE). We are dedicated to tackling inequality, racism, and injustice, and we celebrate diversity in all its forms.

As Principal Social Worker, you will:

• Provide strategic leadership and professional oversight for social work practice across Adult Social Care.
• Drive quality assurance, best practice, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Work in partnership with the Principal Occupational Therapist and lead on workforce development, including CPD, learning opportunities, and career development for social workers and social care practitioners.
• Champion strengths-based, person-centred approaches that enable residents to live healthy, fulfilling, and independent lives.
• Collaborate with colleagues, partners, and stakeholders to deliver innovative solutions and high standards of practice.
• Advise senior leaders and represent Islington at local, regional, and national networks.
• Work in partnership with the Head of Safeguarding and other key stakeholders to ensure compliance with statutory frameworks, including the Care Act, Safeguarding, and the Mental Health Act.

We are looking for someone who:

• Holds a professional social work qualification and is registered with Social Work England.
• Has substantial senior-level experience in adult social care, including leading complex casework and managing budgets.
• Demonstrates expertise in strengths-based practice, safeguarding, and relevant legislation.
• Is a credible leader, able to inspire, influence, and build strong relationships across the council and with external partners.
• Is committed to equality, diversity, and continuous professional development.
• Can balance strategic vision with attention to detail and performance improvement.

• Enhanced DBS clearance required.
• Willingness to meet out-of-hours commitments as needed.
• This post is politically restricted and subject to the council’s policy on pecuniary and personal interest.

Islington Council is an accredited Healthy Workplace, London Living Wage Employer, Disability Confident Committed, Stonewall Diversity Champion, and more. We offer agile working, a supportive environment, and the opportunity to shape the future of social care in a vibrant, diverse community.

Apply now and help us deliver our vision for a fairer Islington.

For an informal conversation please feel free to contact Wendy McDermott, Email: wend

Islington is a place rich with diversity and culture. As a council our sense of purpose couldn’t be clearer: we serve. It’s in the logo. We are committed to challenging inequality in the borough and as one of the largest employers we know that to look after the place and the planet, we have to look after our people. Together we can change the future.

We are determined to create a more equal Islington, where everyone who lives here has an equal chance to thrive.

To do this, everyone who works at Islington Council lives by a set of values which guide us in everything that we do: collaborative, ambitious, resourceful, and empowering. They spell out ‘CARE’, which is what we think public service is all about.

We are committed to challenging inequality in the borough and as one of the largest employers we know that…