Senior independent living practitioner jobs in Manchester

At We Are Survivors, every role exists for one reason: to support male survivors of sexual harms and the people who stand alongside them. While each position has a different focus, they all contribute to helping survivors feel safer, more connected, and better able to move forward in their lives.

The ISVA supports male survivors throughout the criminal justice process, from making an initial report through to the conclusion of any investigation or court proceedings. Alongside providing specialist advocacy within the criminal justice system, the role ensures survivors understand their options, have their voices heard, and receive consistent emotional and practical support throughout their journey. The ISVA also works holistically, recognising that recovery extends beyond the legal process and helping survivors access the wider support they need. We are particularly keen to hear from men who want to support other men through the criminal justice process. We will provide training for the right candidate.

You'll be someone who is comfortable working with trauma and has experience in mental health, support, or community engagement. We're particularly interested in hearing from people who have worked with men, sexual harms, and their loved ones, but we also recognise that great people bring transferable skills and different experiences. If you're committed to learning, building trusting relationships, and making a meaningful difference, we'd love to hear from you.

At We Are Survivors, our values shape how we work every day. Transparency underpins our relationships, creating the openness that abuse so often takes away. Integrity is at the heart of everything we do, recognising that trust is fundamental to healing. Understanding means we take every survivor and their experiences seriously, meeting people without judgment and with genuine compassion. Being Responsive means we're committed not only to supporting survivors today, but also to predicting, educating, and preventing sexual harm against boys and men in the future.

If you're passionate about creating a society where no male survivor is left behind, and you share these values, this could be the role for you.

Why Join Us?

· a competitive salary.

· annual leave package with incremental rises plus bank holidays.

· company sick pay.

· Birthday annual leave.

· monthly clinical supervision.

· pension contribution.

· and a range of discount and benefit programmes.

External Affairs and Strategy Specialist

Location:  Home Based, Expectation of travel
Working Hours: 37
Contract Type: Permanent
Salary: £38,960.00 - £48,960

Flexibility in terms of hours and possible part time hours to be considered.

Please note: The salary listed reflects the full earning potential for this role. Starting salaries depend on experience and progression within the band. 

About Waythrough 

Waythrough was formed in 2024 following the merger of Humankind and Richmond Fellowship. Together, we’ve created one of the largest mental health and social support charities in England. 

Every year, we support around 125,000 people through nearly 200 services – and it’s all made possible by our 3,500 brilliant staff and volunteers.

Make a real difference in your community 

Are you passionate about helping others live safer, healthier, more independent lives? Join our team at Waythrough and support people facing challenges around mental health, substance use, housing or domestic abuse. This is more than just a job – it’s a chance to build meaningful relationships and create lasting change. 

About the Role

As the External Affairs and Strategy Specialist, you will help shape Waythrough’s external influence, ensuring the organisation understands and responds to an increasingly complex political, policy and social environment. Working closely with senior leaders, you will support strategic decision-making, build key partnerships and drive campaigns and policy projects that create positive change for the people we support.

This is a home-based role with some travel required, including attendance at our joint All Party Parliamentary Group (five or six times per year), and service visits, team away days and wider meetings as required. . You will work closely with colleagues across the organisation, particularly the Communications team, to ensure our external voice is informed, impactful and rooted in lived experience.

Key Duties

• Monitor and interpret political, policy and sector developments, identifying emerging risks, opportunities and trends.
• Build strong relationships across Waythrough to identify subject matter experts and ensure external positions are informed by operational and lived experience.
• Lead and coordinate elements of national campaigns, maintaining momentum and working collaboratively with Communications colleagues to maximise impact.
• Brief senior leaders on external affairs issues and provide high-quality research, papers and recommendations to support organisational decision-making.
• Represent Waythrough at parliamentary groups, policy alliances, external forums and partnership meetings.
• Develop policy submissions, consultation responses, speeches, presentations and campaign materials.
• Build and maintain relationships with senior stakeholders, including parliamentarians, sector bodies and partner organisations.
• Ensure the voices of the people we support remain central to all advocacy, policy and campaign activity.

About You

You are a confident and proactive relationship builder who thrives in a complex and fast-moving environment. Working as part of a small team, and with support and coaching from the Director, you'll be comfortable seeking out expertise across the organisation, collaborating with a wide range of colleagues and influencing senior stakeholders.

You have excellent communication skills, a strong understanding of politics and policy, and the confidence to work closely with directors and executive leaders. You can balance multiple priorities while maintaining focus on what matters most, and you are motivated by ensuring that campaigns, policy positions and external messages are genuinely informed by the experiences and voices of the people we support. Above all, you'll bring initiative, curiosity and a willingness to get stuck in and make things happen.

What We Offer

We value the people who make a difference every day. Alongside meaningful work, you’ll enjoy a comprehensive benefits package:

• 27 days’ annual leave, rising to 32 after 1 year (plus bank holidays)

• Pension scheme with 4.5% employer contribution, matched up to 6.5%

• Life assurance (3× annual salary)

• Enhanced sick pay and family-friendly pay

• Birthday leave and the option to buy up to 5 extra days’ annual leave

• Professional fee reimbursement for relevant qualifications

• 24/7 online GP access and Employee Assistance Programme

• Recognition and long service awards via our Way to Go and Aspirations portals

• £500 Recommend a Friend bonus

• Cycle to Work scheme and Credit Union membership

• Discounts via Blue Light Card, Charity Discounts, Extras and Tickets for Good

• Free will writing service and wellbeing initiatives throughout the year.

Inclusion and accessibility 

Waythrough is proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and communities, especially those with lived experience of the issues we support. 

We have signed up to the Disability Confident Scheme  - all applicants are welcome, and adjustments can be made to enable fair participation.

Service Manager

Location: Bury 

Salary: £36,500

Contract Type: Permanent

Please note, this is an on-site role only. Due to the nature of our Refuges and Outreach services, it is essential that our teams are present and accessible, enabling us to provide safe, responsive and high-quality support to those who need us most.

This post is open to women only as permitted under Schedule 9, Part 1 of the Equality Act 2010. 

About Safenet

We provide domestic abuse services across the Northwest of England, including refuges for women and children, safe houses for men, community support, and extra support for those facing addiction, mental health, or other issues.

We understand the serious impact domestic abuse can have, especially on health and wellbeing, and provide support and guidance to help survivors live safely and securely.

Safenet is part of the Calico Group. Here’s what makes The Calico Group unique: each of our specialist companies collaborates and innovates together to have a greater impact than they could alone.

Our shared vision, flexible group structure, and expanding range of services help us adapt to the fast-changing environment and times in which we work.

“A future where everyone can live safe, happy and healthy lives free from abuse,  violence and exploitation in their homes, streets and communities.”

About the role

As Service Manager – Safe Accommodation, you will lead the operational delivery of refuge and other safe accommodation services for adult survivors, children and young people. Working closely with the Area Operational Lead and as part of the Senior Leadership Team, you will provide practical, values-led leadership to frontline teams, ensure accommodation is safe, well-managed and responsive, and oversee high-quality, trauma-informed and survivor-led support. You will also play a key role in housing management, performance oversight, partnership working and ensuring services remain compliant, effective and sustainable.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day operational delivery of refuge and safe accommodation services, ensuring support is safe, timely, trauma-informed and survivor-led.

• Provide effective leadership, supervision, reflective practice and case management oversight to staff, supporting wellbeing, accountability and professional development.

• Oversee referrals, admissions, allocations and move-on processes to ensure survivors receive an appropriate, equitable and responsive service, with risk managed effectively throughout their stay.

• Monitor service quality, performance, occupancy, voids and outcomes through audits, data, survivor feedback and reporting, and use this insight to drive continuous improvement.

• Ensure compliance with safeguarding, housing management, health and safety, legal, contractual and organisational requirements, maintaining accurate oversight of governance and risk.

• Build and maintain strong partnerships with statutory, voluntary and community organisations to strengthen referral pathways into and out of safe accommodation and improve outcomes for survivors.

• Plan rotas, cover arrangements and on-site presence to ensure safe staffing levels across services, including 24-hour provision and out-of-hours on-call support where required.
• Contribute to strategic development, identifying emerging need, supporting service improvement and helping to shape high-quality, inclusive and psychologically informed accommodation-based support.

For further information about the role, please visit the Role Profile.

What we are looking for

We welcome applicants from a range of relevant backgrounds; direct refuge experience is not essential, but you do need to bring credibility, confidence and compassion from related fields.

You might come from:

• Substance misuse or addiction recovery services
• Trauma‑informed women’s services
• Mental health or psychologically informed environments (PIE)
• Housing or supported accommodation with complex needs

You will bring:

We believe in recruiting for potential as well as experience. Our ideal candidate will have:

Essential:

• Experience of managing or leading teams within domestic abuse, housing, supported accommodation, social care or a related support environment.
• Strong knowledge of domestic abuse, trauma-informed practice, safe accommodation, safeguarding for adults and children, and risk management in complex cases.
• Ability to provide effective supervision, case oversight and reflective support that promotes staff wellbeing, professional curiosity and high-quality accommodation-based practice.
• Experience of performance monitoring, report writing and using data, feedback, occupancy information and outcomes to support service improvement.
• Ability to build positive working relationships with statutory, voluntary and community partners and represent the organisation confidently in multi-agency settings.
• Excellent communication, organisational and IT skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities, coordinate rotas and maintain accurate records and reporting.
• Commitment to equality, inclusion and survivor-led practice, with the ability to model Safenet and Calico values in day-to-day leadership.

Desirable:

• ILM, CMI or another relevant management qualification, or evidence of continued professional development in leadership.
• Experience of service development, project delivery, change management or supporting new initiatives within refuge, housing or support service settings.
• Knowledge of Women’s Aid National Quality Standards, safe accommodation duties and relevant legislation and frameworks relating to domestic abuse, housing and safeguarding.
• Understanding of budget monitoring, contract requirements, housing-related processes or income maximisation within a commissioned or grant-funded service.

If you share our values and are ready to grow through continuous learning, development, and the support of a dedicated team, we want to hear from you!

Essential Core Skills  

Health & Safety Awareness 

All our employees are required to work in a safe way, wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), and keep themselves, other colleagues and customers safe.  You will be expected to update your knowledge and skills on Health & Safety if successful in your application.  

Safeguarding 

We work with adults and children who may be ‘at risk’ and expect colleagues to work in a way which protects the people we support from harm.  Our colleagues are expected to identify people ‘at risk’ and confidently report any Safeguarding concerns as appropriate within the service. 

Digital 

Across our services, we use a range of technology and systems and expect colleagues to use them effectively and safely following cybersecurity and data protection principles (UK GDPR).  Full training on specific systems is provided but a willingness to learn and develop is essential. 

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) 

The Calico Group welcomes diversity and champions the rights of those in society who may be marginalised.  Our employees are expected to be inclusive, embracing those from different backgrounds to develop a fairer society. 

If you share our values and are ready to grow through continuous learning, development, and the support of a dedicated team, we want to hear from you! 

What’s in It for You?

At The Calico Group, we value our people and offer a supportive, inclusive culture alongside fantastic benefits:

• Bravo Benefits – Exclusive discounts at popular high street brands including many retailers and restaurants.
• Westfield Health – Our company funded cash plan, with access to a Doctor 24/7 – for you and your dependents.
• Mental Health Support – Access emotional and mental well-being services through Spectrum.
• Cycle to Work Scheme – Save on commuting costs while staying active.
• Pension Options – with employer pension contributions.
• Life Assurance – Peace of mind for you and your loved ones.
• Financial Advice – Expert guidance to help manage your finances.
• Recognition Awards – Celebrate your achievements with our recognition programs.
• Meaningful learning and development programmes with regular focus on your individual growth.
• Gym Membership Discounts – Stay fit with local gym access.
• One Calico Events – Connect and unwind at our employee social gatherings.
• Paid Professional Fees – We’ll cover the cost of professional subscriptions so you can continue growing your career.

And much more! We also offer enhanced holidays, sickness, maternity, and paternity options, ensuring you feel supported when you need it most.

How to Apply

Click Apply Now to complete your application online. Applications close on 19/07/2026

We can’t wait to welcome you to our team!

This post is open to women only as permitted under Schedule 9, Part 1 of the Equality Act 2010.

SafeNet is working towards Equal Opportunities for all and actively encourages applications from disabled, ethnic minority and LBGTQI+ women who are under-represented.  SafeNet is a Registered Charity No. 1091544 and a Company Limited by Guarantee No. 3860803. 

Inclusive Hiring at Calico 

We’re committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued and can thrive. If you need any adjustments during the recruitment process or would like to discuss accessibility, please let us know.

Our Commitment to Safeguarding 

The Calico Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all our customers employees, and volunteers. Successful candidates will be subject to a DBS check (Disclosure and Barring Service) and appropriate pre-employment checks in line with our safeguarding policies.