Deputy Service Manager

Job Purpose

This role is a job share with another Deputy Service Manager. Both Deputies will be responsible for equally sharing duties.

This role sits within our Adult Services department, across Hammersmith, Fulham, Ealing, Hounslow and Spelthorne. 

You will be working directly with the Service Manager and be responsible for assisting with the operational delivery and service development, of a portfolio of services. Namely: 

• Safe Space Community 
• Safe Space ED 
• Hounslow Helpline 
• Nova Roots (Forensic Community Hub) 
• Spelthorne Prevention Hub 

The Role Purpose

The role of the Deputy Service Manager will be to work closely alongside the Service Manager and assist with the operational delivery of a portfolio of services. You will be there to support the rest of the team in delivering interventions on a one-to-one and group basis. The role will also involve triaging and assessing all clients accessing the service, signposting and delivering collaborative self-management plans with clients to improve mental wellbeing. The role will also include line management and supervision of Team Managers and supervision of Support Workers within the service. In addition, you will be responsible for deputising for the Service Manager in their absence. You will also be expected to provide on-call advice. 

You can download a PDF of the job description for this role at the bottom of the page.

About Us

Hammersmith, Fulham, Ealing and Hounslow Mind are a specialist mental health provider and part of the Mind Federation. We provide support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem.

The lived experience of people with mental health problems is at the heart of everything we say and do.

We campaign to improve services and are committed to empowering local residents, promoting wellbeing and supporting recovery.

We work to transform understanding of mental health in the workplace, in schools and public services.

We do this by providing a range of services that are empowering, recovery focused and preventative.

Key Responsibilities

See job description for full list of responsibilities.

• Guiding the team, supporting the team managers in responding to referrals and planning each shift in terms of staffing, activities and case allocation
• Understanding of risk and risk management
• Understanding safeguarding adults and children processes and legal requirements
• Understanding of safety planning and de-escalation
• Working collaboratively with clients to understand their needs and developing flexible and realistic crisis support packages/person centred plans 
• Listening to clients and encouraging positive steps towards self-management of crisis and recovery
• Providing advice, information, practical and emotional support to clients 
• Proactively recognising the indicators of deteriorating mental health and facilitate appropriate action, whilst liaising with relevant agencies e.g. CATT, Emergency Duty Teams, CMHTS, etc
• Maintaining accurate records, detailing interventions
• Ensuring that outcomes, outputs and impact are recorded
• Understanding CQC standards and NICE guidelines around mental health
• Create and maintain good working relationships with partner agencies
• Actively participate in training and development
• Provide guidance to support workers and volunteers
• Direct line management of team managers
• To work with service managers and assist with reporting and monitoring

Dimensions and limits of authority

1. In the absence of the Service Manager be responsible and accountable for the delivery of high-quality services
2. In the absence of the Service Manager act as a point of contact for stakeholders
3. In the absence of the Service Manager be responsible for the overall management of the staff working in the service

Person Specification

See job description for full person specification

• Minimum of 1 year working in mental health services and with clients experiencing mental health distress and crisis
• Experience of line management within a mental health setting
• Experience of de-escalation
• Experience of managing challenging behaviour and dealing with clients with complex needs
• Evidence of continual professional development
• Understanding of the Recovery Model in mental health
• Understanding of the principles of trauma informed care
• Understanding of suicide prevention and safety planning
• Experience of managing safeguarding risks and understanding legal requirements for safeguarding adults and children
• Understanding of how to report and mitigate risks 
• Understanding of the relationship between mental health and social issues and how these issues may impact on physical, mental and emotional wellbeing
• Understanding of relevant legislation and policies
• Understanding safeguarding adults and children processes and legal requirements
• Awareness of issues in mental health service provision
• A good understanding of mental health conditions
• Experience of working with vulnerable individuals
• Creative and flexible approach to working with individuals
• Ability to deal with stressful and difficult situations in a calm manner and de-escalate challenging situations
• Ability to prioritise and manage workload
• Ability to involve clients and carers in all aspects of work
• Empathy and non-judgemental approach 
• Good communication skills
• Capacity to work within an agreed shift pattern
• Experience of delivering information and advice (housing, benefits, debt etc)
• Experience of non-clinical, therapeutic interventions like psychoeducation
• Good IT skills including Word, Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint, with proven ability to input and extract information and produce reports
• Understanding of different databases such as Views, Salesforce.
• Car driver with sole ownership of a vehicle and willingness to travel to locations would be desirable. 
• Ability to work out of hours and on weekends

Closing Date

We reserve the right to change the closing date without notice depending on the number of responses received.

Equal Opportunities

We welcome applications from everyone, applicants with lived experience, LGBTQ+, people with a disability, or who are BAME are actively encouraged to apply. We are proud to have also been awarded Disability Confident employer status and therefore we ensure our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible to everyone.

We are an equal opportunities employer; and are proud to employ a workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons from all backgrounds.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

HFEH Mind are committed to creating and fostering a culture that promotes safeguarding and the welfare of all children and adults at risk. Our safer recruitment practices support this by ensuring that there is a consistent and thorough process of obtaining, collating, analysing and evaluating information from and about candidates to ensure that all persons appointed are suitable to work with children and vulnerable adults.

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.