Lead policy officer jobs

Do you want to support people with mental health issues in a moment of crisis? Are you calm, non-judgemental and able to work effectively with people experiencing distress?

If you can embody our values of Hope, Courage, Togetherness, and Responsiveness, and want to help others build resilience and manage their wellbeing, we’d love to hear from you.

Services Manager (Nightlight Crisis)
Reference: 346
Salary: £41,000 - £42,000 per annum
Hours: Full time, 37.5 hours per week
Typical working pattern: 10am-6pm or 11am-7pm, with some flexibility required
Contract: Permanent
Reports to: Director of Crisis, Counselling and Children & Young People
Working base: Watford Wellbeing Centre or Hemel Crisis House – can be negotiated

About the Nightlight Crisis Service

Hertfordshire Mind Network (HMN) has been delivering Nightlight, part of Hertfordshire’s crisis alternatives pathway, for the last 8 years. We are proud to provide urgent support, crisis intervention and emotional support to people experiencing a mental health crisis in Hertfordshire as an alternative to statutory pathways. We provide support to adults across Hertfordshire 7 days a week, 365 days a year through our Helpline, Crisis Cafes and 24/7 Crisis House.

We aim to provide a safe space for people in crisis to talk and feel supported, be listened to without judgement, access relevant support with problem solving and facilitate access to external services when necessary.

As a senior member of our diverse team, you will work closely with service users in crisis by using a person-centred approach to ensure that each individual is supported with dignity and respect. By honouring the individual experience of each service user, we are able to respect their autonomy as well as encourage and facilitate positive steps towards management of crisis and recovery.

The objectives of HMN’s Nightlight Crisis provision is to:

• Improve the mental and emotional wellbeing of people experiencing a mental health crisis in Hertfordshire.
• Provide 24/7 365 support for individuals experiencing a mental health crisis.
• Increase early access to help for people experiencing a mental health crisis in Hertfordshire, by providing a clear and effective pathway to other services provided by HMN and other third sector and statutory providers.
• Remain a source of independent support for all service users.
• Provide an alternative pathway to people in distress and crisis to support better outcomes and reduce the demand on statutory crisis services and emergency services.

About the Role

As a member of the HMN Senior Management Team (SMT) and the Service Manager for our Crisis provision across Hertfordshire (Nightlight), you will be leading the total provision of our 24/7 365 week Crisis House, Daylight, Helpline and Crisis Cafés. You will also oversee our A&E Liaison Project, supporting staff operating in A&E to divert individuals into community crisis provision.

You will ensure the provision is safe, effective and person centered; be accountable for achieving KPI’s, data reporting to Commissioners and the wider SMT & CEO, and develop the service using evidence based data, strategic thought & planning.

The successful candidate will be highly proficient manager with proven knowledge, skills and abilities as a leader and manager and have experience of developing and delivering mental health services within a health and social care setting, strong experience of managing the delivery of contracts, working to deadlines and achieving outputs, significant proven knowledge and skills around services working with adults with mental health needs and demonstrable understanding of relevant legislation and policies such as the Data Protection Act, Safeguarding and Protection of Vulnerable Adults, Safeguarding Children and the Mental Health Act and they will have a willingness to travel to locations across Hertfordshire.

We offer:

• Annual leave entitlement of 25 days per year pro rata, rising in increments to a max. of 29 days after 5 years employment (plus 8 days Bank Holidays)
• An additional day of leave each year for your birthday following completion of probation period.
• Ongoing training relevant to your role.
• An Employee Assistance Programme.
• Health cover (after 6 months employment) – compensation payment for Optical, Dental, Chiropody and Therapy Treatments.

Being able to drive and having access to your own vehicle is essential for this role.

Closing date for receipt of applications is Monday 25th May 2026.
Interviews to be held on Monday 1st June 2026 at our Watford Wellbeing Centre
N.B. Please quote reference number 346 when completing your application for this role.

Interested? 

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position. 

We welcome applications from all suitably-qualified candidates, irrespective of gender, disability, marital or parental status, racial, ethnic or social origin, colour, religion, belief, or sexual orientation. In addition, during the various stages of recruitment, specific measures can be taken to ensure equal opportunities for candidates with disabilities or special needs.

Hertfordshire Mind Network is committed to the Disability Confident and Mindful Employer charters. We actively recruit staff who have a lived experience of mental ill health. Our inclusive approach recognises the unique skills, knowledge, and perspectives that lived experience brings to our team.

No agencies please.

Employability Coordinator 

Our team is growing and we're looking for a skilled, people-focused coordinator to join us in making a real difference for young carers across Dorset.

We are recruiting an Employability Coordinator to plan, coordinate, and deliver our Employability Programme, supporting young carers aged 14 to 25 through key transitions from school into further education, higher education, and work. 

This is more than a programme delivery role. You'll be the primary point of contact for day-to-day activity, building trust with young carers, partnering with schools, colleges, and employers, and making sure every young person gets a consistent, high-quality experience. 

You'll play a key role in growing the programme's reach and impact, designing workshops and events including our Employability Celebration Event and Careers Convention, facilitating our TEMPO group for 14- to 25-year-olds, and opening up 'days in the workplace' that show young carers what's possible. 

We're looking for confident, organised communicators with a track record of delivering employability, careers, or transition programmes to young people. People who can engage a 14- to 25-year-old audience, build strong partnerships with schools and businesses, and manage competing priorities with ease. 

If you're ready to bring your expertise and energy to a cause that truly matters and help young carers unlock their futures, we'd love to hear from you. 

Please visit the website for more information 

��️ Applications close 14th May 2026 

This is a challenging and rewarding position within a friendly and fast-paced charity, with clear growth amibitions and a determination to make a real impact on the employment prospects of young people with the most barriers to entering work.

This position will bring clarity, consistency and impact to marketing and communications across the charity. The focus will be to raise our profile, tell our story, and articulate our impact, to help to build meaningful relationships with diverse partners and stakeholders.

With a resonsibility for marketing, communications, brand management and stakeholder engagement events, the postholder will take a joined-up approach across digital, media, events and stakeholder communications, ensuring our brand is consistently represented, and our work reaches and engages the right audiences.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR

Experience 

• A track record (over three years) of successfully delivering in a similar or related role. 

• Delivery of high quality, effective communications across digital and print channels. 

• Creation of compelling and accessible digital and print resources and materials. 

• Management of website content and social media channels, implementing strategies and approaches to raise profiles and boost engagement .

• Engagement and liaison with local and nation al media publications.

• Writing, editing and proofreading to a very high standard. 

• Management and planning of stakeholder engagement events and activities .

• Management of high-profile Ambassadors and advocates (desirable).

• Implementation of campaigns, to drive engagement and system s change (desirable).

• Working within the education, charities and/or the voluntary youth sector (desirable).   

Skills 

• Excellent digital and design skills, with the ability to create compelling, professional and accessible resources, reports and promotional materials. 

• Engaging written communication skills, with the ability to adapt language and messaging to different platforms and audiences. 

• A flexible approach with the ability to identify the best social, digital and print channels for a wide variety of messaging, and monitoring effectiveness through accessing, collating and analysing data.

• Creativity with the ability to make connections between themes and pull together engaging content to feed into communications. 

• Exceptional communication skills, able to speak confidently with young people, professionals, funders and senior business stakeholders. 

• Highly organised, with an attention to detail, excellent project management skills, and the ability to manage multiple priorities under pressure.   

Attitude 

• Positive and solution focussed.

• Self-assured, with a ‘can-do’ approach and the confidence to bring ideas to the table. 

• Thrives in a fast-paced and busy environment. 

• Welcomes feedback, with a desire to continuously improve and develop. 

• Passionate and enthusiastic about improving young people’s lives. 

• A commitment to our organisational values, of empowerment, collaboration, reliability, quality, and learning.

WHAT WE OFFER

• £40,891 per annum

• 28 days leave (inc. 3 days between Christmas and New Year)

• 2 volunteering days

• 1 life event day

• Matched pension contributions (up to 6%)

• Flexible working (our core business hours are 10am to 3pm)

• Life insurance (5 x annual salary)

• Canada Life WeCare employee support package

Qualified Low Intensity Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP) – NHS Pathfinder Partnership

GMRC is a registered charity working with adult women who are victims and survivors of sexual violence and child sexual abuse, providing independent, specialist support and promoting and representing their rights and needs.

PLEASE NOTE

This role is restricted to female applicants only under the Genuine Occupational Requirement (GOR), Schedule 9 (Work; Exceptions), Part 1 (Occupational Requirements), of the Equality Act (2010)

We are seeking a qualified Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP) or Low Intensity Psychological Worker to support survivors of sexual trauma and their loved ones through evidence-based, low‑intensity psychological interventions.

You will work closely with a wide network of main contacts and partners, including PCFT GM Resilience Hub, TRC, Greater Manchester Rape Crisis, Manchester Action on Street Health (MASH), local authority partners, third‑sector organisations, multi‑disciplinary teams, service users and carers, and services across the adult mental health pathway.

The role operates across three sites within Greater Manchester, making the ability and willingness to travel between sites essential. You will work flexibly in partner organisation settings and in the community, collaborating with individuals, carers and multi‑agency providers to assess and identify social care needs that may present barriers to clients addressing their sexual trauma.

Key responsibilities

• Deliver evidence‑based, low‑intensity interventions for survivors of sexual harm and their loved ones
• Support clients through effective engagement, communication and practical coordination
• Work collaboratively with the Community Development team, counsellors and volunteers to ensure survivors can access appropriate and timely support
• Manage communication between clients, partners and services, contributing to joined‑up, trauma‑informed care
• Assist in supporting and working alongside volunteers where required

• Engage with women‑only services and partner organisations to ensure safe, inclusive and responsive support

About you

You will be a qualified and experienced practitioner with a background in mental health, trauma‑informed practice and engagement. Experience of working within women‑only services supporting those who have experienced sexual harm and their loved ones is highly valued, though we also welcome applicants with strong transferable skills.

If you’re passionate about supporting survivors, working collaboratively across complex systems, and making a meaningful difference to people’s recovery and wellbeing, we would love to hear from you.

Benefits

• Generous annual leave (30 days a year exc. BH pro rata for a part time post)
• Pension contributions
• Reasonable travel expenses
• Free on-site parking

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