Current jobs | Gloucestershire County Council

Ecology - Development Management & Biodiversity Net Gain Officer, Gloucestershire, £37,280 - £40,777 per annum

· Job title: Ecology - Development Management & Biodiversity Net Gain Officer

· Job Location: Gloucestershire

· Salary: £37,280- £40,777 per annum

· Hours per week: 37

· Contract Type: permanent

· Closing Date: 06/04/2026

· This post is not open to job share.

Do you want to be proud of the work that you do? Are you passionate about biodiversity, local nature recovery and protecting the natural and historic environment? Do you want to work in a natural and historic environment service with the same aims within glorious Gloucestershire? Then please keep reading.

About the team & role:

Gloucestershire County Council is seeking an exceptional individual for this newly created post. We require an experienced Ecologist to provide specialist advice to planning officers and developers through all stages of the development management process and to assist the Lead Ecologist with advising on the strategic planning process.

As part of a group of Ecologists within Gloucestershire County Council, you will review pre-application enquiries and planning applications and assist with shaping policy development, working with colleagues across the Planning Service to secure the best outcomes for biodiversity and nature recovery in contexts ranging from development for schools to the working and restoration of large minerals sites. The introduction of mandatory biodiversity net gain presents a significant opportunity for development in Gloucestershire to deliver a long-term benefit to biodiversity and contribute to efforts to recover nature. Gloucestershire has recently adopted and published its Local Nature Recovery Strategy.

The post presents an exciting opportunity to really shape and influence local delivery of this new approach within Planning. Alongside team colleagues, the post holder will work with Gloucestershire’s upper and lower tier planning authorities in providing guidance on securing biodiversity net gain, in developing a consistent and joined up approach within the county that meets the requirements of the Environment Act, whilst addressing the local challenges to its implementation. You will also help to provide advice about ecological matters to other services in the Council, to steer delivery of Gloucestershire's Local Nature Recovery Strategy, and in further developing and overseeing a supply of habitat banks in Gloucestershire. You will also work closely with heritage colleagues on securing mutual benefits for nature recovery and heritage management.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a friendly and supportive team, working in a large and diverse county rich in important habitats, species and heritage.

Office base will be Shire Hall, Gloucester, but the role will be flexible with a mix of homeworking, office days and site visits.

About you:

You will have a degree in Ecology or a related subject and detailed understanding of nature conservation legislation, the land use planning system and biodiversity net gain. You will understand how to secure the best outcomes for biodiversity through the planning system and will be confident in identifying a range of habitats and species and in assessing their significance. You will have experience of undertaking Habitat Regulations Assessments, in facilitating baseline ecological surveys and assessments, and in developing and securing habitat management, restoration and mitigation strategies which accord with best practice and guidance. This will include good working familiarity with the Statutory Biodiversity Metric, Biodiversity Gain Plans and Habitat Management and Monitoring Plans within either the planning or consultancy field. You will also ideally have practical experience of liaising, negotiating and agreeing S106s with landowners, developers and local authorities, and/or conservation covenants.

About us:

As part of the team in return for your hard work you will receive:

Flexible and agile working opportunities
Annual leave entitlement of 25.5 days rising to 30.5 after 5 years continuous service (pro rata)
Supportive and positive working environment
Excellent Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
Access to our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) that provides free, confidential, counselling and advice for employees, available 24 hours a day, online and by telephone
Cycle to Work scheme
Links to employee networks such as Prism (LGBT+) network and the Young Employees Network.
Gloucestershire Salary Sacrifice Green Car Scheme (T&C's apply).

How to Apply:

If you have a genuine desire to make a difference and can back this up with a proven track record of giving useful ecological advice and have a relevant qualification, we’d love to hear from you. To apply please click here and send the completed form to recruitment@gloucestershire.gov.uk

To access the Job Profile for this role, please follow the link below: -

Ecology Role Profile

Closing date: 6^th April 2026

Interview date: 23^rd April

For an informal discussion about the role, please email Heritage and Ecology Team Leader vanessa.clarke@gloucestershire.gov.uk or Principal Ecologist esther.collis@gloucestershire.gov.uk to arrange a suitable time to talk.

The council is not currently able to offer sponsorship in this role. Candidates will need to have right to work that enables them to commit to at least 6 months employment. Right to work is not transferable from a sponsored role held with another employer.

Ecology - Development Management & Biodiversity Net Gain Officer, Gloucestershire, £37,280 - £40,777 per annum

· Job title: Ecology - Development Management & Biodiversity Net Gain Officer

· Job Location: Gloucestershire

· Salary: £37,280- £40,777 per annum

· Hours per week: 37

· Contract Type: permanent

· Closing Date: 06/04/2026

· This post is not open to job share.

Do you want to be proud of the work that you do? Are you passionate about biodiversity, local nature recovery and protecting the natural and historic environment? Do you want to work in a natural and historic environment service with the same aims within glorious Gloucestershire? Then please keep reading.

About the team & role:

Gloucestershire County Council is seeking an exceptional individual for this newly created post. We require an experienced Ecologist to provide specialist advice to planning officers and developers through all stages of the development management process and to assist the Lead Ecologist with advising on the strategic planning process.

As part of a group of Ecologists within Gloucestershire County Council, you will review pre-application enquiries and planning applications and assist with shaping policy development, working with colleagues across the Planning Service to secure the best outcomes for biodiversity and nature recovery in contexts ranging from development for schools to the working and restoration of large minerals sites. The introduction of mandatory biodiversity net gain presents a significant opportunity for development in Gloucestershire to deliver a long-term benefit to biodiversity and contribute to efforts to recover nature. Gloucestershire has recently adopted and published its Local Nature Recovery Strategy.

The post presents an exciting opportunity to really shape and influence local delivery of this new approach within Planning. Alongside team colleagues, the post holder will work with Gloucestershire’s upper and lower tier planning authorities in providing guidance on securing biodiversity net gain, in developing a consistent and joined up approach within the county that meets the requirements of the Environment Act, whilst addressing the local challenges to its implementation. You will also help to provide advice about ecological matters to other services in the Council, to steer delivery of Gloucestershire's Local Nature Recovery Strategy, and in further developing and overseeing a supply of habitat banks in Gloucestershire. You will also work closely with heritage colleagues on securing mutual benefits for nature recovery and heritage management.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a friendly and supportive team, working in a large and diverse county rich in important habitats, species and heritage.

Office base will be Shire Hall, Gloucester, but the role will be flexible with a mix of homeworking, office days and site visits.

About you:

You will have a degree in Ecology or a related subject and detailed understanding of nature conservation legislation, the land use planning system and biodiversity net gain. You will understand how to secure the best outcomes for biodiversity through the planning system and will be confident in identifying a range of habitats and species and in assessing their significance. You will have experience of undertaking Habitat Regulations Assessments, in facilitating baseline ecological surveys and assessments, and in developing and securing habitat management, restoration and mitigation strategies which accord with best practice and guidance. This will include good working familiarity with the Statutory Biodiversity Metric, Biodiversity Gain Plans and Habitat Management and Monitoring Plans within either the planning or consultancy field. You will also ideally have practical experience of liaising, negotiating and agreeing S106s with landowners, developers and local authorities, and/or conservation covenants.

About us:

As part of the team in return for your hard work you will receive:

Flexible and agile working opportunities
Annual leave entitlement of 25.5 days rising to 30.5 after 5 years continuous service (pro rata)
Supportive and positive working environment
Excellent Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
Access to our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) that provides free, confidential, counselling and advice for employees, available 24 hours a day, online and by telephone
Cycle to Work scheme
Links to employee networks such as Prism (LGBT+) network and the Young Employees Network.
Gloucestershire Salary Sacrifice Green Car Scheme (T&C's apply).

How to Apply:

If you have a genuine desire to make a difference and can back this up with a proven track record of giving useful ecological advice and have a relevant qualification, we’d love to hear from you. To apply please click here and send the completed form to recruitment@gloucestershire.gov.uk

To access the Job Profile for this role, please follow the link below: -

Ecology Role Profile

Closing date: 6^th April 2026

Interview date: 23^rd April

For an informal discussion about the role, please email Heritage and Ecology Team Leader vanessa.clarke@gloucestershire.gov.uk or Principal Ecologist esther.collis@gloucestershire.gov.uk to arrange a suitable time to talk.

The council is not currently able to offer sponsorship in this role. Candidates will need to have right to work that enables them to commit to at least 6 months employment. Right to work is not transferable from a sponsored role held with another employer.

Archaeologist – Development Management , Gloucestershire, £37,280 - £40,777 per annum

· Job title: Archaeologist – Development Management

· Job Location: Gloucestershire

· Salary: £37,280 - £40,777 per annum

· Hours per week: 37

· Contract Type: permanent

· Closing Date: 30/03/2026

· This post is not open to job share.

Do you want to be proud of the work that you do? Are you passionate about protecting, conserving and enhancing the historic and natural environments? Do you want to work in a natural and historic environment service with the same aims within glorious Gloucestershire? Then please keep reading.

About the team & role:

Gloucestershire County Council is seeking an exceptional individual to help protect and manage the rich and varied historic environment of Gloucestershire. Your primary responsibility will be to work as part of a busy team providing archaeological planning advice to the County Council, District Planning Authorities, and other agencies and developers. This will involve preparing formal responses to pre-application enquiries and planning applications, writing briefs outlining programmes of assessment and mitigation, and commenting on project designs and monitoring fieldwork and post-investigation assessment and analysis through to reporting, publication, archiving and public engagement.

Gloucestershire has an outstanding archaeological resource of all periods and types including monuments, below ground remains, historic buildings and landscapes. High development pressure, including several key growth areas for housing and employment alongside large scale infrastructure and energy renewal schemes produces one of the most challenging and rewarding environments for archaeological heritage management. You will also be working closely with ecology colleagues on encouraging delivery of joint benefits for nature recovery and heritage management within planning schemes.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a friendly and supportive team, working in a large and diverse county rich in heritage.

Office base will be Shire Hall, Gloucester, but the role will be flexible with a mix of homeworking, office days and site visits.

About you:

You will have a degree or equivalent in archaeology or a related subject, a good working knowledge of British archaeology including substantial fieldwork experience, well-honed analytical and communication skills, excellent team-working skills and the ability to work under pressure to tight deadlines with minimal supervision.

You will also ideally have relevant experience as a development management archaeologist including competence in dealing with a variety of development-led archaeological casework, including large-scale complex applications and proposals. Alternatively, or in addition, you will have significant experience in leading archaeological project delivery and management as a consultant or contractor. You will require a driving licence and must be able to drive to sites otherwise not easily accessible. Frequent site visits are a key component of the job.

About us:

As part of the team in return for your hard work, you will receive:

Flexible and agile working opportunities
Annual leave entitlement of 25.5 days rising to 30.5 after 5 years continuous service (pro rata)
Supportive and positive working environment
Excellent Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
Access to our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) that provides free, confidential, counselling and advice for employees, available 24 hours a day, online and by telephone
Cycle to Work scheme
Links to employee networks such as Prism (LGBT+) network and the Young Employees Network.
Gloucestershire Salary Sacrifice Green Car Scheme (T&C's apply).

How to Apply:

If you have a genuine desire to make a difference and can back this up with a proven track record of giving useful historic environment (archaeological) advice and have a relevant qualification, we’d love to hear from you. To apply please click here and send the completed form to recruitment@gloucestershire.gov.uk

To access the Job Profile for this role, please follow the link below: -

Archaeologist- Development Management Role Profile

Closing date: 30th March 2026

Interview date: 7^th April 2026

For an informal discussion about the role, please email Heritage and Ecology Team Leader vanessa.clarke@gloucestershire.gov.uk to arrange a suitable time to talk.

The council is not currently able to offer sponsorship in this role. Candidates will need to have right to work that enables them to commit to at least 6 months employment. Right to work is not transferable from a sponsored role held with another employer.

Archaeologist – Development Management , Gloucestershire, £37,280 - £40,777 per annum

· Job title: Archaeologist – Development Management

· Job Location: Gloucestershire

· Salary: £37,280 - £40,777 per annum

· Hours per week: 37

· Contract Type: permanent

· Closing Date: 30/03/2026

· This post is not open to job share.

Do you want to be proud of the work that you do? Are you passionate about protecting, conserving and enhancing the historic and natural environments? Do you want to work in a natural and historic environment service with the same aims within glorious Gloucestershire? Then please keep reading.

About the team & role:

Gloucestershire County Council is seeking an exceptional individual to help protect and manage the rich and varied historic environment of Gloucestershire. Your primary responsibility will be to work as part of a busy team providing archaeological planning advice to the County Council, District Planning Authorities, and other agencies and developers. This will involve preparing formal responses to pre-application enquiries and planning applications, writing briefs outlining programmes of assessment and mitigation, and commenting on project designs and monitoring fieldwork and post-investigation assessment and analysis through to reporting, publication, archiving and public engagement.

Gloucestershire has an outstanding archaeological resource of all periods and types including monuments, below ground remains, historic buildings and landscapes. High development pressure, including several key growth areas for housing and employment alongside large scale infrastructure and energy renewal schemes produces one of the most challenging and rewarding environments for archaeological heritage management. You will also be working closely with ecology colleagues on encouraging delivery of joint benefits for nature recovery and heritage management within planning schemes.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a friendly and supportive team, working in a large and diverse county rich in heritage.

Office base will be Shire Hall, Gloucester, but the role will be flexible with a mix of homeworking, office days and site visits.

About you:

You will have a degree or equivalent in archaeology or a related subject, a good working knowledge of British archaeology including substantial fieldwork experience, well-honed analytical and communication skills, excellent team-working skills and the ability to work under pressure to tight deadlines with minimal supervision.

You will also ideally have relevant experience as a development management archaeologist including competence in dealing with a variety of development-led archaeological casework, including large-scale complex applications and proposals. Alternatively, or in addition, you will have significant experience in leading archaeological project delivery and management as a consultant or contractor. You will require a driving licence and must be able to drive to sites otherwise not easily accessible. Frequent site visits are a key component of the job.

About us:

As part of the team in return for your hard work, you will receive:

Flexible and agile working opportunities
Annual leave entitlement of 25.5 days rising to 30.5 after 5 years continuous service (pro rata)
Supportive and positive working environment
Excellent Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
Access to our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) that provides free, confidential, counselling and advice for employees, available 24 hours a day, online and by telephone
Cycle to Work scheme
Links to employee networks such as Prism (LGBT+) network and the Young Employees Network.
Gloucestershire Salary Sacrifice Green Car Scheme (T&C's apply).

How to Apply:

If you have a genuine desire to make a difference and can back this up with a proven track record of giving useful historic environment (archaeological) advice and have a relevant qualification, we’d love to hear from you. To apply please click here and send the completed form to recruitment@gloucestershire.gov.uk

To access the Job Profile for this role, please follow the link below: -

Archaeologist- Development Management Role Profile

Closing date: 30th March 2026

Interview date: 7^th April 2026

For an informal discussion about the role, please email Heritage and Ecology Team Leader vanessa.clarke@gloucestershire.gov.uk to arrange a suitable time to talk.

The council is not currently able to offer sponsorship in this role. Candidates will need to have right to work that enables them to commit to at least 6 months employment. Right to work is not transferable from a sponsored role held with another employer.

Educational Psychologist - Gloucestershire, £51,893 - £61,664 (+ up to 3 SPA) per annum

Job Title: Educational Psychologist
Job Location: Gloucester, Cheltenham and Stroud
Salary: £51,893 - £61,664 (+ up to 3 SPA) per annum
Hours per Week: 37 Full time
Contract Type: Permanent
Job Requisition Number: 11478
This post is not open to job share

About the Team & Role

Gloucestershire’s Educational Psychology Service is part of STEPS (Specialist Teaching & Educational Psychology) a friendly, supportive and innovative team of Educational Psychologists and Advisory Teachers that promote child development and learning through a consultation service to schools and work closely with SEND specialists across the county.

As a highly regarded service, we have received additional funding and the team is expanding with further posts in 2026 and 2027. The expansion is to facilitate the broad range of activities EPs and our consultees value and recognise make a difference, building relationships and inclusion by working pre and post EHCNA as well as promoting projects and wider application of psychology within education.

The team model of service delivery based upon consultation and planned working. We are passionate about consultative ways of working. We believe that psychologists are best effective when they are in schools/settings with enough time to do a range of work, alongside a comprehensive workforce development offer and strategic projects.

All EPs contribute to our strategic development areas of work led by our specialist leads. These are based on mobility and transition; removing barriers to learning; communication and interaction; resilience and emotional wellbeing and supporting vulnerable groups. This includes highly valued programmes such as building capacity in schools; mental health in schools; ELSA and ELKLAN along with our Conference and training offers to SENCOs.

About You

What are we looking for?

4 new and existing vacancies for this school year and September 2026. (we are looking for experienced EPs and those qualifying in autumn 2026).

We are looking for flexible, creative and solution focussed psychologists to join our team.

You will be keen to apply psychology to create change and support positive outcomes for young people and their families. Whilst you will understand the importance of high-quality casework you will also be clear that educational psychology has so much more to offer.

You will be dynamic and enthusiastic about the role of the EP in bringing about positive outcomes.

You will be passionate about using consultative models.

You will be keen to apply psychology at a strategic level and through workforce development.

About Us

Are you looking for what we offer?

The opportunity to work in an exciting and growing consultation service with scope to deliver a range of different work as part of your service to schools.
Work with other creative EPs
Weekly project work and strategic work activities as a core task for all EPs and a chance to follow interests.
Managed workloads and limits on EHCNA work
Career development opportunities and specialist roles
A reduced contact area for newly qualified EPs (with a day a week for development activities in the first year).
A variety of work in both rural and urban settings in a fantastic part of the country.
A strong CPD programme and training opportunities
A strong induction support package
A strong admin team that lets you focus on applying psychology
An established programme of professional supervision and peer support
Extremely competitive pay and benefit package
(Soulbury A Scale 5-10 +3 SPA points).
Offer a welcome package (subject to conditions)
25.5 days annual leave rising to 30.5 days after 5 years’ service, plus bank holidays.
Membership of the generous Local Government Pension Scheme
Safe, supportive, and positive working environment with regular, robust supervision and informal support.

What do our EPs say about the team?
“The range of work here at GCC, really is a selling point”.
“The 0.8 allocation for NQEPs …this as a means of supporting NQEPs is incredibly helpful”.
“I think one of the key things about Gloucestershire is the variety of work that you can be involved with, and the autonomy to work in the way that you feel is right for the situation (aligned to Gloucestershire EPS principles) when working with schools (opening up things like Solution Circles, training, staff drop-ins, workshops, group interventions, supporting staff with interventions etc etc!)”.
“Having a patch of schools means you can build relationships”.
“Opportunities for joint working and learning from each other”.
“I enjoy doing the summer projects/collaborating on work with EP or AT colleagues”.
“CPD opportunities”.

If you want to find out more, please see the job profile in the link and/or contact Greg Cotton (Deputy PEP) at greg.cotton@gloucestershire.gov.uk for an informal chat about the role.

How to apply

If you feel you have the skills, desire and experience required to make a positive difference then please submit your application and personal statement today please click here and send the completed form to recruitment@gloucestershire.gov.uk

Additional Information

To access the Job Profile for this role, please follow the link below:-

Job profile - Educational Psychologist

This Position is subject to an Enhanced DBS with barred list check.

The council will consider sponsorship for this role, in line with Home Office regulations and subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks

Educational Psychologist - Gloucestershire, £51,893 - £61,664 (+ up to 3 SPA) per annum

Job Title: Educational Psychologist
Job Location: Gloucester, Cheltenham and Stroud
Salary: £51,893 - £61,664 (+ up to 3 SPA) per annum
Hours per Week: 37 Full time
Contract Type: Permanent
Job Requisition Number: 11478
This post is not open to job share

About the Team & Role

Gloucestershire’s Educational Psychology Service is part of STEPS (Specialist Teaching & Educational Psychology) a friendly, supportive and innovative team of Educational Psychologists and Advisory Teachers that promote child development and learning through a consultation service to schools and work closely with SEND specialists across the county.

As a highly regarded service, we have received additional funding and the team is expanding with further posts in 2026 and 2027. The expansion is to facilitate the broad range of activities EPs and our consultees value and recognise make a difference, building relationships and inclusion by working pre and post EHCNA as well as promoting projects and wider application of psychology within education.

The team model of service delivery based upon consultation and planned working. We are passionate about consultative ways of working. We believe that psychologists are best effective when they are in schools/settings with enough time to do a range of work, alongside a comprehensive workforce development offer and strategic projects.

All EPs contribute to our strategic development areas of work led by our specialist leads. These are based on mobility and transition; removing barriers to learning; communication and interaction; resilience and emotional wellbeing and supporting vulnerable groups. This includes highly valued programmes such as building capacity in schools; mental health in schools; ELSA and ELKLAN along with our Conference and training offers to SENCOs.

About You

What are we looking for?

4 new and existing vacancies for this school year and September 2026. (we are looking for experienced EPs and those qualifying in autumn 2026).

We are looking for flexible, creative and solution focussed psychologists to join our team.

You will be keen to apply psychology to create change and support positive outcomes for young people and their families. Whilst you will understand the importance of high-quality casework you will also be clear that educational psychology has so much more to offer.

You will be dynamic and enthusiastic about the role of the EP in bringing about positive outcomes.

You will be passionate about using consultative models.

You will be keen to apply psychology at a strategic level and through workforce development.

About Us

Are you looking for what we offer?

The opportunity to work in an exciting and growing consultation service with scope to deliver a range of different work as part of your service to schools.
Work with other creative EPs
Weekly project work and strategic work activities as a core task for all EPs and a chance to follow interests.
Managed workloads and limits on EHCNA work
Career development opportunities and specialist roles
A reduced contact area for newly qualified EPs (with a day a week for development activities in the first year).
A variety of work in both rural and urban settings in a fantastic part of the country.
A strong CPD programme and training opportunities
A strong induction support package
A strong admin team that lets you focus on applying psychology
An established programme of professional supervision and peer support
Extremely competitive pay and benefit package
(Soulbury A Scale 5-10 +3 SPA points).
Offer a welcome package (subject to conditions)
25.5 days annual leave rising to 30.5 days after 5 years’ service, plus bank holidays.
Membership of the generous Local Government Pension Scheme
Safe, supportive, and positive working environment with regular, robust supervision and informal support.

What do our EPs say about the team?
“The range of work here at GCC, really is a selling point”.
“The 0.8 allocation for NQEPs …this as a means of supporting NQEPs is incredibly helpful”.
“I think one of the key things about Gloucestershire is the variety of work that you can be involved with, and the autonomy to work in the way that you feel is right for the situation (aligned to Gloucestershire EPS principles) when working with schools (opening up things like Solution Circles, training, staff drop-ins, workshops, group interventions, supporting staff with interventions etc etc!)”.
“Having a patch of schools means you can build relationships”.
“Opportunities for joint working and learning from each other”.
“I enjoy doing the summer projects/collaborating on work with EP or AT colleagues”.
“CPD opportunities”.

If you want to find out more, please see the job profile in the link and/or contact Greg Cotton (Deputy PEP) at greg.cotton@gloucestershire.gov.uk for an informal chat about the role.

How to apply

If you feel you have the skills, desire and experience required to make a positive difference then please submit your application and personal statement today please click here and send the completed form to recruitment@gloucestershire.gov.uk

Additional Information

To access the Job Profile for this role, please follow the link below:-

Job profile - Educational Psychologist

This Position is subject to an Enhanced DBS with barred list check.

The council will consider sponsorship for this role, in line with Home Office regulations and subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks

Children and Families Social Worker/ Senior Social Worker

· Job title: Children and Families Social Worker/ Senior Social Worker

· Job Location: Gloucestershire

· Salary: £39,152- £47,181 per annum

· Hours per week: 37

· Contract Type: permanent

· Closing Date: 22/03/2026

· This post is open to job share.

We are currently recruiting for Social Workers and Senior Social Workers in all our locality teams. Gloucestershire covers six localities: Gloucester, Cheltenham, Tewkesbury, Forest of Dean, Stroud, Cotswolds

About us

For all your hard work. You will receive the following;

between £39,152 - £40,777 per annum for a Social Worker or between £41,771 - £47,181 per annum for a Senior Social Worker subject to experience
welcome payment of £4,000*
annual retention payment of £2,000*
up to £8,000 relocation package*
flexible and agile working opportunities
25.5 days annual leave rising to 30.5 days after 5 years continuous service
an option to purchase 10 days of additional leave per year
family friendly policies and benefits to help support you and your family
supportive and positive working environment with regular, robust supervision
Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
access to our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) that provides free, confidential, counselling and advice for employees, available 24 hours a day, online and by telephone.
an in-house Occupational Health service
employee discount scheme
cycle to Work scheme
links to employee networks such as Prism (LGBT+) and the Young Employees Network
career development and qualification opportunities
access to our Social Work Academy
paid SWE registration renewal

Right child, right support, right time, every time

In our recent inspection in June 2025, our Children’s Services have been officially judged as ‘Good’ with ‘Outstanding’ elements. Ofsted also said ‘Leaders have set out a clear vision for delivering success for children, by modelling values and creating a culture where the workforce, children and families feel valued and heard; risk is managed confidently with bottom lines clearly set out.’

This marks an important step in our journey to improve outcomes for our children and young people, and we remain focused on our mission: to continue building on this success and ensure that every child and young person in our county has the opportunity to thrive.

Gloucestershire offers a range of opportunities to develop your career, supported by a phenomenal Social Work Academy offer, a developing systemic practice methodology, an ambitious leadership team and an award-winning workforce.

We are a local authority adopting, and training all colleagues in, systemic social work practice. If you would like to be part of an authority that takes a relational approach to working with families and focuses on what needs to change in the system around a child and family to enable children to thrive, then consider a role with GCC.

Our team structures are designed to ensure there is the right level of support available to staff and that caseloads are kept at a manageable level with a Team Manager, Advanced Practitioner, 4 Social Workers and an NQSW making up each team’s full complement of staff. We need resilient, driven individuals who will play their part in making our vision for Children’s Services a success. You will be joining an authority with a strong set of values that underpin the work we do: Accountability, Empowerment, Excellence, Integrity and Respect.

About you

As a Social Worker, you will be instrumental in delivering a first-class service to ensure the best outcomes for the children and young people of Gloucestershire. Through building positive relationships with colleagues within the service and partner agencies you will ensure we are able to provide support and protection for children and young people in need and at risk.

As well as your experience as a frontline social worker, there are some things we require of you to be successfully appointed to this post:

Social Work England/ Wales registration
a recognised qualification in Social Work
to have passed your Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE) (if you qualified after 2012)
a full driving licence and willingness to drive
DBS clearance (Enhanced Adults and Children’s)

If you would like to find out more about our Children's Service please take a look here: Children's Social Care Careers | Gloucestershire County Council

*Please note, all our welcome payments and retention payments are non-contractual, pro rata for part-time staff and subject to National Insurance and tax deductions.

We reserve the right to close an advertisement earlier than the stated closing date if we receive a suitable amount of applications or fill the vacancy/vacancies.

The council will consider sponsorship for this role, in line with Home Office regulations and subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks.

Under the terms of our Safer Recruitment Policy, if you are invited to interview, we will take up safeguarding references prior to your interview to understand your suitability to work with vulnerable children. These references will then be discussed in your interview. Please give details of at least two referees, one of whom must be your present and/or last employer and the other from a previous employer(s). These will need to cover the last three years of employment/education. In the case of applicants leaving full time education or not having worked since doing so, the Head of School, College or University should be one of the named referees. We do not accept references from friends or family members or workplace colleagues (who are not more senior). To ensure we process your application in a speedy and efficient way, we will contact your referees by DocuSign. Where appropriate, please inform them of your application.

To access the role profile, please follow the link below:

Social Worker Role Profile

Senior Social Worker Role Profile

How to apply: To apply please click here and send the completed form along with a personal statement to CSWrecruitment@gloucestershire.gov.uk.

This position is subject to an enhanced DBS check.

Children and Families Social Worker/ Senior Social Worker

· Job title: Children and Families Social Worker/ Senior Social Worker

· Job Location: Gloucestershire

· Salary: £39,152- £47,181 per annum

· Hours per week: 37

· Contract Type: permanent

· Closing Date: 22/03/2026

· This post is open to job share.

We are currently recruiting for Social Workers and Senior Social Workers in all our locality teams. Gloucestershire covers six localities: Gloucester, Cheltenham, Tewkesbury, Forest of Dean, Stroud, Cotswolds

About us

For all your hard work. You will receive the following;

between £39,152 - £40,777 per annum for a Social Worker or between £41,771 - £47,181 per annum for a Senior Social Worker subject to experience
welcome payment of £4,000*
annual retention payment of £2,000*
up to £8,000 relocation package*
flexible and agile working opportunities
25.5 days annual leave rising to 30.5 days after 5 years continuous service
an option to purchase 10 days of additional leave per year
family friendly policies and benefits to help support you and your family
supportive and positive working environment with regular, robust supervision
Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
access to our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) that provides free, confidential, counselling and advice for employees, available 24 hours a day, online and by telephone.
an in-house Occupational Health service
employee discount scheme
cycle to Work scheme
links to employee networks such as Prism (LGBT+) and the Young Employees Network
career development and qualification opportunities
access to our Social Work Academy
paid SWE registration renewal

Right child, right support, right time, every time

In our recent inspection in June 2025, our Children’s Services have been officially judged as ‘Good’ with ‘Outstanding’ elements. Ofsted also said ‘Leaders have set out a clear vision for delivering success for children, by modelling values and creating a culture where the workforce, children and families feel valued and heard; risk is managed confidently with bottom lines clearly set out.’

This marks an important step in our journey to improve outcomes for our children and young people, and we remain focused on our mission: to continue building on this success and ensure that every child and young person in our county has the opportunity to thrive.

Gloucestershire offers a range of opportunities to develop your career, supported by a phenomenal Social Work Academy offer, a developing systemic practice methodology, an ambitious leadership team and an award-winning workforce.

We are a local authority adopting, and training all colleagues in, systemic social work practice. If you would like to be part of an authority that takes a relational approach to working with families and focuses on what needs to change in the system around a child and family to enable children to thrive, then consider a role with GCC.

Our team structures are designed to ensure there is the right level of support available to staff and that caseloads are kept at a manageable level with a Team Manager, Advanced Practitioner, 4 Social Workers and an NQSW making up each team’s full complement of staff. We need resilient, driven individuals who will play their part in making our vision for Children’s Services a success. You will be joining an authority with a strong set of values that underpin the work we do: Accountability, Empowerment, Excellence, Integrity and Respect.

About you

As a Social Worker, you will be instrumental in delivering a first-class service to ensure the best outcomes for the children and young people of Gloucestershire. Through building positive relationships with colleagues within the service and partner agencies you will ensure we are able to provide support and protection for children and young people in need and at risk.

As well as your experience as a frontline social worker, there are some things we require of you to be successfully appointed to this post:

Social Work England/ Wales registration
a recognised qualification in Social Work
to have passed your Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE) (if you qualified after 2012)
a full driving licence and willingness to drive
DBS clearance (Enhanced Adults and Children’s)

If you would like to find out more about our Children's Service please take a look here: Children's Social Care Careers | Gloucestershire County Council

*Please note, all our welcome payments and retention payments are non-contractual, pro rata for part-time staff and subject to National Insurance and tax deductions.

We reserve the right to close an advertisement earlier than the stated closing date if we receive a suitable amount of applications or fill the vacancy/vacancies.

The council will consider sponsorship for this role, in line with Home Office regulations and subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks.

Under the terms of our Safer Recruitment Policy, if you are invited to interview, we will take up safeguarding references prior to your interview to understand your suitability to work with vulnerable children. These references will then be discussed in your interview. Please give details of at least two referees, one of whom must be your present and/or last employer and the other from a previous employer(s). These will need to cover the last three years of employment/education. In the case of applicants leaving full time education or not having worked since doing so, the Head of School, College or University should be one of the named referees. We do not accept references from friends or family members or workplace colleagues (who are not more senior). To ensure we process your application in a speedy and efficient way, we will contact your referees by DocuSign. Where appropriate, please inform them of your application.

To access the role profile, please follow the link below:

Social Worker Role Profile

Senior Social Worker Role Profile

How to apply: To apply please click here and send the completed form along with a personal statement to CSWrecruitment@gloucestershire.gov.uk.

This position is subject to an enhanced DBS check.

Children and Families Advanced Practitioner

· Job title: Children and Families Advanced Practitioner

· Job Location: Forest of Dean and Cotswolds

· Salary: £48,226- £51,356 per annum

· Hours per week: 18.5/37

· Contract Type: permanent

· Closing Date: 22/03/2026

· The posts in Tewkesbury and Cotswolds are open to job share.

We are currently recruiting for Advanced Practitioners to join our Children & Families team in the Forest of Dean, Cotswolds and Tewkesbury.

All 3 positions are permanent with the Tewkesbury and Cotswold position being 37 hours, and the Forest of Dean position being 18.5 hours.

About us

For all your hard work. You will receive the following:

between £48,226 - £51,356 per annum subject to experience (pro rata for part-time)
£4,000 welcome payment* (pro rata for part-time)
annual retention payment of £2,000* (pro rata for part-time)
up to £8,000 relocation package*
flexible and agile working opportunities
25.5 days annual leave rising to 30.5 days after 5 years continuous service
an option to purchase 10 days of additional leave per year (pro rata for part-time staff)
family friendly policies and benefits to help support you and your family
supportive and positive working environment with regular, robust supervision
Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
access to our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) that provides free, confidential, counselling and advice for employees, available 24 hours a day, online and by telephone.
an in-house Occupational Health service
employee discount scheme
links to employee networks such as Prism (LGBT+) and the Young Employees Network
career development and qualification opportunities
access to our Social Work Academy
paid SWE registration renewal
Cycle to Work scheme (eligibility criteria and t&cs apply)
Green Car Salary Sacrifice Scheme (eligibility criteria and t&cs apply)

Our vision

Right child, right support, right time, every time

In our recent inspection in June 2025, our Children’s Services have been officially judged as ‘Good’ with ‘Outstanding’ elements. Ofsted also said ‘Leaders have set out a clear vision for delivering success for children, by modelling values and creating a culture where the workforce, children and families feel valued and heard; risk is managed confidently with bottom lines clearly set out.’

This marks an important step in our journey to improve outcomes for our children and young people, and we remain focused on our mission: to continue building on this success and ensure that every child and young person in our county has the opportunity to thrive.

Gloucestershire offers a range of opportunities to develop your career, supported by a phenomenal Social Work Academy offer, a developing systemic practice methodology, an ambitious leadership team and an award-winning workforce.

We are a local authority adopting, and training all colleagues in, systemic social work practice. If you would like to be part of an authority that takes a relational approach to working with families and focuses on what needs to change in the system around a child and family to enable children to thrive, then consider a role with GCC.

About you

As an Advanced Practitioner you are at the heart of Gloucestershire’s practice model. You will hold an expert role within your team. Your role includes facilitating the team and service’s ability to develop and deliver complex social work practice through a combination of joint working, practice advice and guidance, and quality assurance.

You will also model Gloucestershire’s relational systemic practice model and will help promote Gloucestershire’s practice standards across the team.

Advanced Practitioners provide direction to team members around improving the quality of practice. This may include activities such as quality assuring an assessment or attending joint visits with social workers to support their learning.

As an Advanced Practitioner you may provide Newly Qualified Social Workers in the team with monthly reflective supervision and undertake one of the observations of practice, however management of the NQSW will sit with Team Managers. You will also support any Social Work students within the team.

You will have a joint lead for a particular area of practice offering a weekly consultation to practitioners from across the service to book into, to support them to develop their practice in that specific area.

You will work closely with the Social Work Academy through regular forums and training to ensure standardised practice across the teams, bringing new learning and training opportunities to social workers within your team.

As an Advanced Practitioner you will hold a small number of cases, ensuring you have dedicated time to follow your other duties.

To find out more about this role take a look at our video here: https://youtu.be/_F58gxejBqY

As well as your experience as a frontline Social Worker, there are some things we require of you to be successfully appointed to this post:

Social Work England registration
experience at Senior Social Worker level
a recognised qualification in Social Work
to have completed your ASYE year (if you qualified after 2012)
a full driving licence and willingness to drive
enhanced DBS clearance (Enhanced Adults and Children's)

If you would like to find out more about our Children's Services please take a look here: Children's Social Care Careers | Gloucestershire County Council

*Please note, retention payments are non-contractual, pro rata for part-time staff and subject to National Insurance and tax deductions.

*Please note that our relocation package is subject to terms and conditions

We reserve the right to close an advertisement earlier than the stated closing date if we receive a suitable number of applications or fill the vacancy/vacancies.

The council will consider sponsorship for this role, in line with Home Office regulations and subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks.

Under the terms of our Safer Recruitment Policy, if you are invited to interview, we will take up safeguarding references prior to your interview to understand your suitability to work with vulnerable children. These references will then be discussed in your interview. Please give details of at least two referees, one of whom must be your present and/or last employer and the other from a previous employer(s). These will need to cover the last three years of employment/education. In the case of applicants leaving full time education or not having worked since doing so, the Head of School, College or University should be one of the named referees. We do not accept references from friends or family members or workplace colleagues (who are not more senior). To ensure we process your application in a speedy and efficient way, we will contact your referees by DocuSign. Where appropriate, please inform them of your application.

Additional Information

To access the Role Profile, please follow the link below:-

Advanced Practitioner Role Profile

How to apply: To apply please click here and send the completed form along with a personal statement to CSWrecruitment@gloucestershire.gov.uk.

This position is subject to a DBS check.

Children and Families Advanced Practitioner

· Job title: Children and Families Advanced Practitioner

· Job Location: Forest of Dean and Cotswolds

· Salary: £48,226- £51,356 per annum

· Hours per week: 18.5/37

· Contract Type: permanent

· Closing Date: 22/03/2026

· The posts in Tewkesbury and Cotswolds are open to job share.

We are currently recruiting for Advanced Practitioners to join our Children & Families team in the Forest of Dean, Cotswolds and Tewkesbury.

All 3 positions are permanent with the Tewkesbury and Cotswold position being 37 hours, and the Forest of Dean position being 18.5 hours.

About us

For all your hard work. You will receive the following:

between £48,226 - £51,356 per annum subject to experience (pro rata for part-time)
£4,000 welcome payment* (pro rata for part-time)
annual retention payment of £2,000* (pro rata for part-time)
up to £8,000 relocation package*
flexible and agile working opportunities
25.5 days annual leave rising to 30.5 days after 5 years continuous service
an option to purchase 10 days of additional leave per year (pro rata for part-time staff)
family friendly policies and benefits to help support you and your family
supportive and positive working environment with regular, robust supervision
Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
access to our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) that provides free, confidential, counselling and advice for employees, available 24 hours a day, online and by telephone.
an in-house Occupational Health service
employee discount scheme
links to employee networks such as Prism (LGBT+) and the Young Employees Network
career development and qualification opportunities
access to our Social Work Academy
paid SWE registration renewal
Cycle to Work scheme (eligibility criteria and t&cs apply)
Green Car Salary Sacrifice Scheme (eligibility criteria and t&cs apply)