Part-time 0.6

Starting Salary £42,089 pro rata (E Grade £42,089 - £60,328) plus pension + benefits.

Closing date: 8 November 2026

About the role

BASW is seeking two experienced social workers who are passionate about improving practice and shaping the profession to join our team as Professional Practice Leads for Northern Ireland.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in strengthening social work in Northern Ireland and offers a rare opportunity to influence the future of the profession. You will be responsible for increasing BASW’s presence, profile and impact across Northern Ireland, ensuring that the voices and experiences of social workers inform our professional practice, policy, campaigning and member offer.

The Professional Practice Leads will build strong relationships with BASW members, social workers, employers, universities, sector partners and other key stakeholders across Northern Ireland. You will help identify emerging practice and workforce issues, develop professional networks and support BASW to respond effectively to what matters most to social workers.

This role is based- and focussed on Northern Ireland but also offers opportunities, working as part of a UK-wide Professional Practice team, to contribute to BASW’s wider professional priorities while ensuring that the distinctive context of social work in Northern Ireland is recognised and represented.

Key areas of responsibility

The role will include:

  • Professional practice leadership – providing credible social work expertise and helping BASW remain connected to contemporary frontline practice in Northern Ireland.
  • Member engagement and representation – building relationships with BASW members and the wider social work community, listening to their experiences and ensuring these inform BASW’s priorities.
  • Professional identity – promoting and strengthening social work’s professional identity, values and contribution, and creating opportunities for social workers to connect as part of the wider BASW professional family.
  • Practice development – supporting the development of resources, CPD, events, professional guidance and initiatives that strengthen knowledge, confidence and capability.
  • Connecting practice and policy – identifying where legislation, policy, organisational systems and workforce pressures affect social work practice and the people social workers support and feeding professional intelligence into BASW’s policy and influencing activity.
  • Stakeholder engagement – developing and maintaining relationships with employers, universities, professional bodies, unions, regulators, government departments, voluntary organisations and other key partners.
  • Developing BASW Northern Ireland – supporting the development of the Northern Ireland National Standing Committee and wider member networks, including opportunities for members to shape BASW’s work.
  • Membership development – increasing awareness of BASW’s role and offer and helping to strengthen engagement with existing and prospective members. This includes promoting and championing BASW’s unique role supporting the social work profession. 
  • Campaigning and influencing – working closely with our policy and public affairs function, to support member-led campaigning and contributing professional practice expertise to relevant BASW campaigns and consultations.

About you

We are looking for someone who:

  • Is a qualified and registered social worker 
  • Has a strong understanding of the social work landscape in Northern Ireland.
  • Is confident engaging with social workers at all levels, from frontline practitioners to senior leaders.
  • Can build effective relationships and partnerships across organisations and professional networks.
  • Has a strong commitment to social work values, ethics and professional identity.
  • Understands the pressures currently facing the profession and can translate practitioner experience into constructive professional influence.
  • Are comfortable facilitating groups, delivering presentations and contributing to events, consultations and professional resources.
  • Can work independently while also contributing effectively to a UK-wide team.
  • Is enthusiastic about strengthening BASW’s relationship with its members and ensuring BASW is visible, relevant and responsive in Northern Ireland.

Why join BASW?

This is an opportunity to help shape BASW’s future work in Northern Ireland at an important point in the development of our new national delivery approach.

You will have the opportunity to work directly with social workers and sector partners, strengthen professional networks, support the development of BASW Northern Ireland and ensure that social workers’ voices influence both BASW’s work and the wider professional conversation.

At the heart of the role is a simple ambition: to ensure social workers in Northern Ireland feel connected to BASW, represented by BASW and part of the wider BASW professional community.

Applications must be submitted by email using the application form no later than 9.30am on 8 November 2026 to sara.hickin@basw.co.uk. We do not accept CVs.

Short-listed applicants will then be invited to an interview on 18 November 2026