Head of Listen to Families (London)

Be the voice that drives change. Be the bridge between families and prison healthcare.
For too long, families and carers have been shut out of the prison healthcare system, unable to support their loved ones when they need it most. Yet, their knowledge, experience, and insight are invaluable. When families are involved, outcomes improve—for prisoners, families, the NHS, and the criminal justice system as a whole.

That’s where Listen to Families London comes in. This groundbreaking project, commissioned by NHS London, is transforming how prison healthcare services engage with families and carers. Over the past two years, we’ve gathered the voices of more than 1,500 people, ensuring their experiences shape better healthcare in prisons.

The Role: Champion Lived Experience, Drive Real Change

We are looking for an inspiring individual to take this pioneering initiative to the next level. This is a rare opportunity to work at the intersection of healthcare, justice, and lived experience—ensuring that families and carers are not just heard, but listened to.

You will lead a dynamic project that operates in a quarterly cycle of listening, feedback, and action—working directly with families, NHS teams, prison services, and policymakers to make real, lasting improvements in prison healthcare.

At the heart of this project is our Family Team—a group of people with lived experience of supporting loved ones in prison. You will ensure their voices remain central to everything we do, consulting and involving them at every stage.

What We’re Looking For

We need a strategic thinker, a powerful communicator, and a fearless advocate. You’ll have:

• Experience leading service user involvement or public voice programmes.
• A deep understanding of the criminal justice system, prison healthcare, or both.
• The ability to engage with families from diverse backgrounds—understanding their struggles, frustrations, and hopes.
• Confidence to work at a senior level, influencing NHS decision-makers and challenging the system where necessary.
• We strongly encourage applications from people with lived experience—whether you’ve had a family member in prison, or have been in prison yourself.

Why This Role Matters

This is more than just a job—it’s an opportunity to challenge, influence, and change the way prison healthcare services work. If you are passionate about amplifying the voices of families, breaking down barriers, and creating a more just and compassionate system, we want to hear from you.

Join us. Be the voice that makes a difference. Apply today.

Organisation:

Pact is a highly respected independent charity, working across England and Wales to develop and deliver a range of innovative services. We provide practical and emotional support to prisoner’s children and families, to prisoners and those who have resettled back into the community. Our work is founded on core values, the first of which is a belief in the innate dignity of every human being, and our work focusses on human relationships, family and community. We are committed to achieving high standards of quality in all that we do.

What we offer:

Pact offers a range of benefits including a free advice, information and counselling service, contributory pension, corporate eye care scheme, cycle to work scheme and generous holiday entitlement. You will have the opportunity to attend training events to further develop yourself as a professional training and interventions worker. You will undergo a thorough induction process and be supported by a friendly and enthusiastic team.

How to apply:

If you feel that you meet the requirements of this exciting new role please complete an application form by clicking the 'apply now' button.

Other information:

Pact is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all applications including those with a criminal conviction (appointment to post is subject to a risk assessment).
This post is subject to a 6-month probationary period, verification of identity and proven right to work in the UK, satisfactory references from previous employers covering a 3-year period, declaration of any unspent criminal convictions (and where appropriate a satisfactory risk assessment), Prison Vetting and a Disclosure and Barring Service check. Please note that being bankrupt or having County Court Judgments may affect your ability to be successfully vetted to work in a prison.

You may also have experience in the following: Director of Family Engagement and Advocacy, Family and Carer Liaison Manager, Head of Family Involvement in Prison Healthcare, Family Voice and Support Programme Lead, Senior Manager, Prison Family Services, Director of Prison Healthcare Advocacy, Family and Justice Liaison Director, Lead Advocate for Families in Prison Healthcare, Prison Healthcare Family Relations Manager, Strategic Lead for Family Engagement in Criminal Justice, ETC.

REF-220 962