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Healthwatch Brent, Westminster and RBKC

Healthwatch was set up in 2013 to champion the rights of health and social care users, and hold the health and social care system to account for how well it engages with the public. During 2026/27 these services are preparing for transition while continuing to build on their legacy.

Healthwatch’s remit covers all publicly funded health and social care services for adults and children.

Healthwatch Brent, Healthwatch Westminster and Healthwatch Kensington & Chelsea are three of 152 local Healthwatch organisations. The Advocacy Project Hosts three services. We’re building on the important work that’s been done to date,  planning for the future while bringing new insights from the voices of seldom heard and hard to hear groups.

About the role

Are you an accomplished Health and Social care manager looking for a new exciting challenge?  Are you adept at managing teams and services through change? Passionate about the role of independent voice and the value of lived experience in the NHS?  The Healthwatch senior manager role is for you.

As Healthwatch senior manager for The Advocacy Project you will play a central role in shaping the strategic and operational management of our Healthwatch services. This includes direct support to Healthwatch managers in Westminster, Kensington & Chelsea, and Brent, ensuring that the services are inclusive, effective, and of high quality.

Key responsibilities

• To Provide strategic management for effective, inclusive and high quality local Healthwatch.
• Supporting the 3 advisory boards to be at their most effective during this period.
• Working with the CEO to engage with the ICB and other stakeholders to plan for next steps
• Make sure the work of HW Westminster (HWW), HW Kensington & Chelsea (HWRBKC) and HW Brent (HWB) conforms to all required principles, objectives and statutory obligations, and meets all contractual requirements between The Advocacy Project (as host organisation) and the local authorities.
• Line management of HW managers in each borough.
• Provide leadership to make sure the patient and public voice is heard across health, social care, in a continuously changing external environment.
• Working with managers in each borough, make sure HWB, HWW and HWRBKC involve the local community, particularly seldom heard groups, in influencing local and national policy and are responsive and sensitive to the needs of community groups with protected characteristics.
• Be available to represent The Advocacy project, HWB, HWW and HWRBKC at all strategic governance and external meetings with key stakeholders, liaising with nominated Board leads regularly.
• Support local managers to develop the services to respond to emerging trends and needs, while keeping abreast of Healthwatch England best practice to continually enhance the quality of the service.
• Develop effective partnerships with key staff in health and social care services.
• Work with local managers in each borough to ensure all projects are informed and influenced by local communities and strategic partners.
• Support the effective planning and resourcing of project work, working to Healthwatch England best practice guidance.
• Ensure that project plans and intended outcomes are clearly communicated to key stakeholders.
• Work with the shared Insight and Outcomes Analyst to make sure quality systems are effective and used to demonstrate the Healthwatch service is achieving outcomes and impact,and meeting key performance indicators.
• Ensure that lived experience and service user involvement is embedded in all evaluation.
• Provide reports to key stakeholders, including The Advocacy Project Trustees,  Commissioners, Advisory Boards, Health and Wellbeing Boards and Healthwatch England demonstrating our impact.
• dentify funding opportunities and work with The Head of Business Development to support funding bids.
• Work with the borough Communications leads to make sure all relevant internal and external stakeholders receive relevant, timely and up-to-date communication about all Healthwatch projects.
• Keep up to date with current trends in health policy, service provision, current practice and matters concerning people as citizens, by reading, attending courses and networking.

General responsibilities

• Participate in team meetings, training and organisational development.
• Contribute to monitoring reports.
• Keep to our policies, including health & safety, safeguarding and risk regulations.
• Work to our mission, vision, and values.
• Work flexibly to meet the needs of the service, in line with the changing local and national landscape and carry out other projects and tasks as needed.

Person specification

Essential

• Excellent knowledge of and experience of working at a high strategic level with the health and social care system and the voluntary and community sector, in particular Healthwatch.
• Thorough understanding of user engagement, community development, user involvement, and co-production principles and practice.
• Comfortable and capable of engaging with senior leaders in Health and Social Care both on a one-to-one basis and at strategic meetings such as scrutiny boards.
• Experience of managing through periods of change and uncertainty
• Experience working with diverse communities and tackling discrimination and inequality.
• Relevant experience in project delivery and evaluation, including data gathering and analysis, or training in research methods, statistics, or data analysis.
• Significant leadership or line Management experience including managing, developing and motivating a staff team.
• Experience in contract management and compliance.
• Excellent communication (written and verbal) and interpersonal skills. Effective in working with a wide variety of stakeholders ranging from trustees, commissioners, partners, colleagues, and local residents.  
• Excellent organizational skills; ability to work on own initiative and plan and prioritize own workload.
• Experience managing a budget.
• Commitment to working within The Advocacy Project and Healthwatch code of conduct, equality and safeguarding policies.
• Willingness to attend further training as appropriate and to adopt new procedures.
• Willingness to promote Healthwatch and The Advocacy Project in line with our mission, vision and values.

Desirable

• Experience working with volunteer boards and high caliber volunteers.
• Evidence of ongoing personal development and training related to the role.
• Detailed knowledge of NHS systems
• Understanding the public health challenges in Westminster, RBKC, and Brent.
• Experience working with senior managers in public sector bodies.

Benefits of working for us

We’re committed to providing an empowering, flexible and supportive working environment for all our staff.

Our employee benefits include 30 days annual leave (including up to 3 days between Christmas and New Year), participation in a pension scheme with 6% employer contribution, access to a free confidential counselling service, and an interest-free travel/bike loan.

All our staff are supported to learn and develop in a variety of ways, including a monthly lecture series where we invite sector experts to talk to our staff on topical issues.

At Hestia, we are guided by our core values and are dedicated to fostering an equitable, diverse, and inclusive organisation. Our mission is to empower individuals to rebuild their lives and achieve independence. Right now, we are looking for a Team Manager to play a pivotal role in our Domestic Abuse Service in Tower Hamlets

Sounds great, what will I be doing?

Our family women refuge's offer holistic support in order to empower women and their children who have experienced trauma to lead their recovery and gain the skills and confidence to move on safely. The Team Manager is responsible for the operational running and strategic direction of the refuge. Providing line management and leadership to the staff team, leading on contract and compliance and the safety, security and maintenance of the refuge, ensuring that the building aligns with our PIPE (Psychologically Informed Physical Environment) building standards and rental income is secured. 

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The Team Manager plays a central role in ensuring the refuge is a safe, trauma-informed, and welcoming space for women and children fleeing domestic abuse. They promote an inclusive, anti-racist, and feminist approach while upholding Hestia's values of respect, dedication, and collaboration. Core responsibilities include overseeing day-to-day service delivery, ensuring compliance with safeguarding protocols, and facilitating the safe transition of service users. The manager ensures the team delivers high-quality, person-centred support, particularly for individuals with complex or intersectional needs.

In terms of operational and building management, the Team Manager is responsible for maintaining the safety, cleanliness, and functionality of the refuge in line with health and safety and PIPE (Psychologically Informed Physical Environment) standards. This includes managing relationships with landlords and housing teams, authorising repairs, handling rent collection and arrears, and addressing any security concerns. They also oversee the accurate and timely turnaround of vacant units and uphold positive community relations to ensure the refuge remains a secure and respected environment.

The role also involves leading and developing a high-performing team, ensuring all staff are well-supported through supervision, reflective practice, and training opportunities. The manager upholds staffing levels, supports volunteers and students, and manages performance and conduct issues where necessary. Quality assurance and compliance duties include monitoring performance against KPIs, using systems like INFORM and Power BI, handling feedback and complaints, and ensuring financial accountability. They also represent Hestia in strategic planning, external networks, and multi-agency partnerships to strengthen service delivery and community integration.

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What do I need to bring with me?

You'll need to be able to demonstrate the core skills this role requires as well as match our values and mission. You don't have to tick all the boxes right away; the important thing is that you're willing to learn. We also value lived experience of the areas we support, so if you feel comfortable, please do mention this on your application.

Here's what the team will be looking for

The ideal candidate should possess a solid general education, ideally with Level 2 qualifications in Maths and English, along with strong written and verbal communication skills. They should either hold a SafeLives Service Manager qualification or be willing to work towards it. Experience in supervising staff and delivering high-quality support to individuals with diverse needs and risks is essential, as is a strong understanding of risk assessment and management in domestic abuse contexts. A good grasp of performance monitoring, welfare benefits, housing legislation—particularly the rights of domestic abuse survivors under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021—is also required.

Applicants should demonstrate a strong background in working within domestic abuse services, whether in the community or in a refuge setting. They must understand and value co-production, ensuring services are developed in partnership with those who use them. Effective communication skills are key, along with confidence in using IT systems such as Microsoft Office, Teams, and Power BI. A clear understanding of safeguarding practices and health and safety legislation is crucial, with the ability to implement relevant policies effectively.

The role demands emotional resilience and the ability to work under pressure, especially in crisis situations involving traumatised or vulnerable women and children. A strong commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusive practices is essential, as is the ability to work independently within established policies and procedures. Flexibility and the ability to travel within the borough and beyond when required are also necessary for this position.

Interview Steps

We keep our interview process simple, so you know exactly what to expect.

• Shortlisting call: We have a team of dedicated recruitment specialists who will speak to you about your experience, motivations and values. They will also tell you about all the great work we do!
• Face to face interview: Now you will have face to face interview with the hiring manager. Our interviews are value and competency based.

Don't be alarmed if there are other stages in the process, it's all part of the plan for some of our roles.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Our services users come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds because it makes us stronger. We are committed to creating and maintaining a diverse and inclusive workforce and value the skills, abilities, talent and experiences, different people and communities bring to our organisation.

We are a disability confident employer

Hestia is proud to be a disability confident employer, dedicated to the employment and career development of individuals with disabilities. We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for all applicants with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria for the role they have applied for. We also provide reasonable adjustments during the selection and interview process, and throughout your employment with us.

Safeguarding Statement

Hestia is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults, children and young people who are potentially at risk, and we therefore expect all staff and volunteers to do the same. We require all staff to undertake internal and external safeguarding training throughout their employment with Hestia.

Important Information for Candidates

If your application is successful, please be aware that you will be required to undergo pre-employment checks before a formal offer of employment can be confirmed.

We reserve the right to close this job advert early should we receive a high volume of applications or if the position is filled before the closing date. We encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible to ensure their application is considered.

Salary: £62,651 per annum

Contract Type:                         Fixed Term Contract – Maternity Cover (up to 12 months)

Closing date:                         12 April 2026 at 11pm

Interview date:                      4 – 15 May 2026

About CARE

CARE International is a global humanitarian organisation leading the fight to end poverty in the world’s most challenging situations. Women and girls are at the centre of our work, because we cannot overcome poverty and inequality until all people have equal rights and opportunities. We know that when a crisis erupts, women are often the first to pick up the pieces, so we work alongside women, so they have the power to make change where it’s needed most. Founded in 1945, CARE currently works in over 100 countries and last year alone reached 53.4 million people through nearly 1,500 projects.

Why work for CARE International UK?

CARE International UK is currently developing its new 4-year Strategy working within the CARE International Vision 2030, which will launch in July 2026. The strategy will build on our focus on women’s leadership in crisis, seeking to work more directly with women’s rights/women-led organisations. The post-holder will be joining us just as we begin implementing the strategy, and this will be an exciting time to shape new and evolving ways of working with women’s rights activists from across the globe. The Advocacy and Influencing team are central to achieving the goals of the strategy by encouraging the UK  Government and other UK-based stakeholders to use their power on the world stage to counter the rollback on women’s rights.

The Head of Advocacy and Influencing is a key organisational leadership role and will be part of the CIUK Extended Leadership Team working with other heads of team and the senior leadership team to help run the organisation effectively and deliver the 4-year strategy.

About you

You will have significant experience of advocacy and/or public affairs with a track record of driving strategies that achieve measurable policy, attitude or legislative change. You will be a strategic thinker with excellent communication skills in English, and the ability to translate complex issues into plain English. You will have experience of project management and preferably budget management, particularly team or donor-funded project management. You will be media trained and confident speaking to and influencing a range of external senior stakeholders.

In past roles, you will have line managed colleagues and may have managed teams, and will know how to work with others, including in coalition with other organisations, to design and deliver advocacy campaigns. You will understand how to motivate your team to deliver against an organizational strategy. Your leadership style will be aligned with CIUK’s feminist leadership principles and values. You will have strong understanding of, and preferably experience working on, international development issues, in particular with reference to gender equality.

About the role

The Head of Advocacy and Influencing is a leadership role with significant responsibility for external analysis and positioning for CIUK - including through regular updates to the board Impact and Transformation Committee. The role is responsible for providing strategic direction for CIUK and CI’s advocacy and influencing and leading the team to deliver UK and globally facing advocacy campaigns. The role is responsible for ensuring high quality publications and managing sign off and profile risks as part of CIUK’s risk management strategy. The Head of Advocacy and Influencing will also act as a senior external spokesperson for the organization to the media, parliament and public events. The role has significant responsibility for positioning and meeting expectations of donors who fund the team’s work.  The Head of Advocacy and Influencing is critical for ensuring the CEO and SLT have up-to-date power analysis, political analysis and policy lines for external engagement with high level targets.  

As the manager and contract holder for the Centenary Action Group campaign and fundraising coordinator and a standing member on the Steering board of the Centenary Action Group, the role also manages CARE UK’s role as a convener and ally of the UK women’s rights movement in line with our global commitment to shift the power and localization.

The role covers four main areas of responsibility:

Strategic Leadership & Delivery

Play a key role in the delivery of CIUK’s new 4-year strategy. Lead cross-organisational teams to deliver high quality policy analysis, advocacy and campaign strategies to UK government, parliamentary and private sector targets. Work with communications to design and deliver integrated campaign plans.

External representation and relationship management

Build the visibility and reputation of CIUK by building and managing key external relationships in government, parliament, private sector and across the sector, including in coalitions and alliances. Provide strategic advice on political developments, external opportunities, and risks, ensuring timely and well-informed positioning, and prepare the CEO/SLT for high-level external engagements. Serve as a senior spokesperson for CIUK in political, media, and public forums. Work with the CARE confederation to develop advocacy lines and approaches.

Thought leadership and Policy Development

Provide strategic leadership of the Gates Foundation partnership, delivering against expectations and securing further funding from this and other donors. Ensure a rigorous evidence base for CIUK’s policy agenda, both by working with CIUK’s team of thematic experts, as well as commissioning and managing research projects where needed. Prepare and approve briefings, position papers, op-eds and other communications in support of CARE UK’s influencing goals. Oversee CIUK’s strategic role in Centenary Action, including representation on the Steering Group and overall coordination. 

Team and line management

Set and drive the advocacy and influencing team’s annual plans and contribution to the organisation’s strategic priorities. Be accountable to delivering on team KPIs and organisational KPIs that link to the team’s work, and for managing the team’s budget. Play a key role in the leadership of the Programme and Policy department. Provide strong line management to direct reports and demonstrate a strong personal commitment to CIUK’s equity, diversity and inclusion goals and feminist leadership principles.

Right to Work in the UK

All applicants must have the legal right to work in the United Kingdom at the time of appointment. Proof of right to work will be required as part of the recruitment process. For more information, please visit the UK Government's guidance on right to work. Where you do not have current right to work in the UK, then this will be discussed with you as part of the recruitment process. Please note that not all roles are eligible for sponsorship and further information (should you require sponsorship to work in the UK) on eligibility can be found here.

Safeguarding 

CARE International UK has a zero-tolerance approach to any abuse to, sexual harassment of or exploitation of, a vulnerable adult or child by any of our staff, representatives or partners. CARE International UK expects all staff to share this commitment through our Safeguarding Policy (link here) and our Code of Conduct (link here). They are responsible for ensuring they understand and work within the remit of these policies throughout their time at CARE International UK.

Safeguarding our beneficiaries is our top priority in everything we do, including recruitment. All offers of employment at CARE International UK are subject to: 

· Satisfactory references. CARE International UK participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme (link here).  In line with this Scheme, we will request information from successful applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. 

· Appropriate criminal record checks (including a Bridger check, link here).

By submitting an application, the applicant confirms his/her understanding of these recruitment procedures. 

Equality and Diversity

We are committed to Equality and value Diversity. We are a Disability Confident Employer and particularly welcome applications from disabled people. We guarantee interviews to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role (see person specification). If you require the candidate brief or need to submit your application in an alternative format, because of a disability, please do get in touch by sending an email to HR.

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and respected. We particularly welcome applications from people of underrepresented backgrounds, including those from Black, Asian and other ethnic minority communities, and individuals who identify as LGBTQ+.