About this role
Job summary
As the Porchlight service manager within Mental Health Together, you will lead a team of people working frontline supporting people as they begin their journey into mental health recovery. You will help to develop the Porchlight team, in all areas of their practice and making sure that quality standards are implemented and maintained. You will have an evident commitment to quality practice, making sure that support is consistently of a high standard, and that a culture of continuous improvement is developed. Managing a dispersed team, you will be a strong communicator, leading by example and skilled in understanding how to adapt your style to suit different learning and development needs.
This role is part of the established Kent & Medway service, Mental Health Together (MHT) for which Porchlight is one of the strategic partners; this is the transformed multi-agency offer, which brings all the services and agencies that support people with varying mental health needs much closer together. This ensures that people get the right care, without having to navigate service boundaries and without repeatedly telling their story.
This role is perfect for individuals with significant experience of working within a community mental health and / or wellbeing setting, with a strong focus on quality and improvement, and the ability to effectively manage a team of community-based workers.
Main duties of the job
Porchlight is one of the strategic partners for the established Kent & Medway service, Mental Health Together; this is the transformed multi-agency offer, which brings all the services and agencies that support people with complex mental health needs much closer together. This ensures that people get the right care, without having to navigate service boundaries and without repeatedly telling their story. The Senior Practitioner will support a new team of Mental Health Together Support Workers, one of several new roles which is part of a new joined-up model of care which bridges the gap that currently exists between primary (i.e. GPs) and community mental health (i.e. KMPT). Mental Health Together will support people with complex mental health needs by:
Providing support in a person-centred, holistic way Delivering needs-led and personalised trauma-informed care. Removing barriers to access, and thresholds across services working together Involving those using services and carers as equal partners in their support Building in involvement and co-production at all levels of service design and delivery
About us
Porchlight is a charity supporting people who are homeless, vulnerable, and isolated. At Porchlight, we are passionate about helping vulnerable people to reach their full potential. We strive for a fairer society where vulnerable people find stability, the most excluded are included, and where homelessness and poverty are things of the past.
Porchlight is an Equal Opportunities Employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. Porchlight is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk.
Job description Job responsibilities
The role will manage the day-to-day delivery and improvement of services.
The person will work closely with the Area Manager to develop the quality and improvement of services, monitoring their impact and effectiveness, as well as seeking insights to continually develop them. The role will ensure our services are informed by the experiences of key stakeholders.
The person will manage performance and risk related to their relevant service(s), ensuring strong and effective partnerships both in and outside of Porchlight, enabling effective support pathways for those we work with.
The role requires highly motivated and strong service leadership skills in developing staff, ensuring they work effectively and independently; the person will also need to work collaboratively with the Area Manager, colleagues, and relevant governance structures.
Role Responsibilities
Leadership & Development
Support the development of Porchlights service(s) in collaboration with the relevant Area Manager, enabling clarity of service pathways, responsiveness to need and evidence of impact. Management of effective service delivery, including quality assurance structures and systems Manage effective risk and safeguarding practice for services(s) Oversee and manage budgets, ensuring the service(s) operate within limits, identifying issues as well as service review opportunities against budget activity. Proactively establish and maintain effective partnerships and collaborations, supporting the service(s) to meet operational objectives against strategic priorities. Seek and respond to client insights, in collaboration with the Involvement Team, ensuring client involvement and co-production approaches are embedded across the service(s) which demonstrably inform development and practice.
Performance and Evaluation
Work with the relevant Area Manager in supporting the development, implementation, and management of service(s) outcome measurement and monitoring, enabling evidence of need, reach and impact. Lead on the operational mobilisation and implementation of new services when required. Manage the performance of the service(s), ensuring they meet commissioner and funder requirements, as well as quality standards. Prepare and present accurate and timely reports to line managers to demonstrate performance and identify opportunities for improvement.
Staff Management
Recruit and develop high-performing staff with the skills and competencies to provide high quality, trauma-informed services. Effectively manage a dispersed staff and volunteer team ensuring team cohesion and consistency in approach and practice, developing appropriate service-specific staff training and development Manage staff absence and capacity ensuring that services are always able to deliver quality, meeting contractual requirements and within budgets. Undertake all line management responsibilities including induction, holding regular one to ones and annual PDRs with direct line reports.
Growth & Business Planning
Build and maintain strong relationships with colleagues and external partners. Involvement in the effective strategic planning for service(s) with the relevant Area Manager and other colleagues across Porchlight Proactively identify service improvement opportunities and implement them to develop the service of the future.
General
To participate in the charitys out-of-hours on-call rota (KHC/Outreach routinely, other services may be required to cover) To be able to manage other teams outside of usual area when required. To actively contribute to the development of Porchlights ways of working and continuous improvement Any other requirements to ensure effective delivery of service(s), within reasonable expectations.
Person Specification
Knowledge & Understanding Essential
Understanding of health and social care landscape Knowledge and commitment to client involvement and co-production Understanding of client risk and safeguarding issues and application in practice, including associated statutory and practice requirements Knowledge of regulatory data protection, governance, and risk management requirements.
Skills & Abilities Essential
Skilled communicator, able to provide a leadership voice and inspire others. Ability to work under pressure to independently make changes to service delivery to ensure outcomes are achieved. Ability to analyse and interpret management information, using this knowledge to make key recommendations and improvements. The ability to identify solutions to problems and implement and evaluate them. Ability to lead and manage a team as well as lead and manage change within services.
Qualifications Essential
Relevant qualification in management at level 3 or above or commitment to work towards this. Car user with full driving licence and access to own vehicle (subject to the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995)
Personal Qualities Essential
Commitment to developing and maintaining a high level of service to colleagues, clients, partners and other stakeholders. A positive, self-motivated and enthusiastic attitude to work. Able to demonstrate autonomous decision making and deliver results. Ability to work independently.
Experience Essential
Experience of collaborating and working with multiple partner organisations Experience of making autonomous decisions to manage teams e.g. capacity planning, adapting models to meet service needs. Experience of improving and managing services, projects, or contracts.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Employer details Employer name Porchlight
Address Unit 17 Fleet House
Springhead Enterprise Park, Springhead Road
Northfleet, Gravesend
Kent
DA11 8HJ
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.porchlight.org.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)