Head of Service Mental Health & Learning Disability

We're looking for a kind, compassionate and resilient Head of Service Mental Health & Learning Disability to located at our Head in Caledonian Road.

£65,000.00 per annum, working 35 hours per week. Benefits include 25 days Annual Leave, pension schemes, staff discounts, healthcare and career progression.

Want to feel like you're part of one team? You'll feel at home here.

All applicants must be legally eligible to work in the UK by the start of employment as Look Ahead are not able to offer sponsorship.

What you'll do:

The Head of Service for Mental Health and Learning Disability will work in alignment with the Director of Specialist and Complex Care, and wider Senior Management Team to drive up performance, business, and financial efficiencies. The role will provide expertise and capacity to support the organisation to deliver is vision and strategic objectives.

The Head of Service will be the strategic and operational lead ensuring delivery of consistent and high quality services and performance across a defined customer group. To ensure that all Services are run effectively, well managed financially, and employees are performing at high levels. Service and Contract Managers will report directly into this role.

This is not an exhaustive list of all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time and is subject to change in accordance with the needs of Look Ahead

About you:

This is not an exhaustive list of all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time and is subject to change in accordance with the needs of Look Ahead.

Leadership Accountabilities:

Develop and maintain a culture that supports collaboration and service improvement whilst behaving as a role model to Look Ahead's values and behaviours
Provide effective, visible leadership ensuring challenging objectives are set within a performance and quality focused environment
Focus on external stakeholder management, maintaining and building new relationships to support organic growth
Lead a performance culture and deliver on budget, quality standards and full KPI compliance.
Operational Accountabilities:

Ensure that services are compliant with CQC regulatory requirements (where applicable)
Responsible for ensuring Service Managers/budget holders deliver on budget; robust budget management practices, shared learning, increasing commercial capability at management level
Maximise income through business development and remodelling
Be responsible for identifying loss making contracts and lead on negotiations with Director of Complex Specialist Services to improve financial viability
As part of wider management team support new business opportunities across directorate
Effective management of any safeguarding incidents and appropriate escalation of any emerging risks
Lead on investigations as required
Lead on ensuring all services are Inspection ready, reaching for outstanding performance and deliver and adhering to compliance with policies and procedures

Matrix Lead Responsibilities:

Knowledge of CQC and other regulatory requirements and frameworks i.e., PBS
Working with Policy Group to develop new policies relevant to area of work.
Keep informed of legislative and policy changes to improve working practices and help inform strategy.
Lead on innovation relevant to supporting adults with mental health, learning disabilities & autism
Work in partnership with other Leads across directorate to ensure consistency and share good practice
What you'll bring:

The ideal person for this role will have:

A positive attitude and ability to motivate direct reports
Proven experience of being a strategic lead across relevant services
Experience of successfully delivering in a contract and target driven environment
Proven financial management experience and delivering surplus
Previous experience of working with housing management contracts and agreements
Experience of Safeguarding and responding effectively to serious incidents

For our full job description please visit our website.

About us:

Look Ahead is a leading, not-for-profit care and support provider in London and the South East. Our vision is to build better lives through social care and housing in local communities. As an organisation we deliver over 120 services, providing support to around 6000 customers each year. Our mission is to co-design and deliver services that offer innovative social care solutions and support people to thrive. We work across mental health, homelessness, young people and learning disabilities so there are plenty of opportunities to grow and progress your career with us.

We have a strong social purpose and we live and work by our values:

We focus on Excellence and innovation.
We are Caring and Compassionate.
We are Inclusive and Trusted.
We work in Partnership and are One-Team.
Look Ahead is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk, and expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment.

If your application for this role is unsuccessful, but we feel that you would be suitable for another role, we may contact you to discuss alternative opportunities. If this occurs you would not need to submit another application for the alternative role.

We reserve the right to close this advert early if we are able to appoint to the vacancy before the advertised closed date.

We are committed to diversity and inclusion at work and are accredited with Silver in the Inclusive Employers Standard 2021. We are a proud member of the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants of all backgrounds.