As Advocacy Service Manager, you will oversee, inform and create a service delivery strategy that contributes to the effectiveness of the service and is contract compliant.
You will lead on the service delivery of the One advocacy contract, a statutory provision within Citizens Advice Mid Mercia (CAMM).
You will provide a robust, reliable, professional, consistent and boundaried service to adults within Derby City, with a small team of direct reports; staff and volunteers alike:
• IMCA
• RPPR (DoLS)
• IMHA
• Care Act
• NHS complaints
• Specialist (non-statutory advocacy).
Planning and development
• Have safeguarding is at the forefront of all practice within the One advocacy team
• Advise Dep. CEO/SMT on staffing and service delivery issues
• Co-ordinate activities, procedures and systems to promote common policies and/or practices within the appropriate service delivery area
• Implement IT and other resource strategies within CAMM guidelines
• Participate in initiatives as appropriate and contribute to the work of partners and stakeholders
• Support the strategic development of CAMM & One advocacy, to ensure its management and services to clients reflect and support the CAMM quality and diversity strategy.
Service delivery
• Record and analyse data to provide reports to Commissioners
• Supervise the work of the team to ensure that standards meet CAMM and funders contractual requirements
• Ensure service delivery and adequate cover from available staff
• Monitor, report and feedback the quality of advocacy support provided
• Maintain and develop standards of service delivery
• Research, identify and respond to advocacy needs, in particular the needs of identified vulnerable client demographics
• Ensure that appropriate systems are developed and maintained for case recording, statistics, follow up work and quality control
• Assist and advise the relevant managers on compliance with CAMM and external funders
• Provide performance reports on a monthly basis to the Dep. CEO.
Financial management
• Contribute to decisions on allocation of resources
• Oversee the team budget for expenses and training
• Responsibility for spot purchase contracts, invoices and payments.
Staff management
• Ensure all team members are aware of, and able to effectively report and disclose safeguarding concerns
• Ability to delegate as appropriate
• Attend regular meetings of the management team
• Schedule, attend and document regular team meetings
• Create a positive working environment in which equality and diversity are well-managed, dignity at work is upheld and staff can do their best, ensuring CORE values are adhered to at all times
• Ensure the effective performance management and development of staff through weekly supervision sessions, the appraisal process and learning and development, incl. the disciplinary and capability processes and reflective practice
• Able to prioritise own caseload, and that of individual team members
• Plan and allocate work, monitor achievement of deadlines and support staff as appropriate
• Ensure that the service area is adequately staffed and resourced
• In accordance with CAMM and service procedures, assist the SMT in implementing employment policies and procedures
• Encourage good teamwork and lines of communication between all members of staff
• Ensure recruitment, induction and training of new staff as appropriate.
Administration
• Oversee and monitor effective and efficient administrative systems
• Monitor an effective health and safety policy with regard to staff, equipment and premises within statutory requirements
• Maintain complaints procedures in accordance with CAMM guidelines.
Learning and development
• Undertake mentoring, coaching and effective development of staff and volunteers by checking competences, case reviews, file audits and shadowing
• Identify and implement own learning and development needs
• Maintain the service area's learning and development plan
• Identify knowledge gaps within the team and source external training
• Record all individual and team training attended, for Commissioners reports
• Identify the learning and development needs of staff through support and supervision and contribute towards CAMM’s learning and development plan.
Person specification
• The ability to commit to, and work within, the aims, principles and policies of CAMM and one advocacy
• Proven ability to manage people including the ability to recruit, develop and motivate staff and volunteers
• Able to create a positive working environment in which equality and diversity are well managed, dignity at work is upheld and staff are empowered and motivated to do their best
• Ability to monitor and maintain casework systems and procedures
• Proven ability of monitoring and maintaining service delivery against agreed targets
• Ability to communicate effectively, verbally and in writing
• Ability to analyse and interpret complex information and produce and present clear reports verbally and in writing
• Ability to ensure best use of IT systems and packages in the provision of advice services
• Ability to monitor and analyse statistics and to check accuracy of calculations
• Ability to work with a variety of organisations and to earn and maintain the trust of those people
• Ability to lead and contribute to a team, including the ability to prioritise own work and the work of others, and take decisions in the day to day running of a busy service area, with constant interruptions
• Ability to manage a budget and contribute to decisions on the allocation of resources
• Ability to plan and manage projects
• Commitment to continuing professional development (CPD)
• Adhere to CAMM CORE values at all times.
Reports to: Deputy CEO/SMT
Interviews will be held when suitable candidates apply.
This vacancy will close when a suitable candidate has been found.
An application form and guidance can be downloaded from our website or this advertisement.
All completed applications should be sent to the email address at the end of the application form.
COVID-19 considerations:
Covid-19 measures in place in all office locations.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
You have experience of working with people with mental health issues and this has given good knowledge of how to provide intense crisis support for individuals who present with complex needs. All you need is the perfect environment to put your skills to great use. Welcome to Richmond Fellowship’s Safe Haven and Crisis House service as a Crisis Recovery Worker.
A pilot within our Crisis House in Derby, Safe Haven will provide community wellbeing resource where people can access support during a mental health crisis. Its aim? To prevent escalation of mental health problems and help people develop the skills they need to cope with a future crisis. Join us, and you could soon be providing a vital crisis intervention and support service for individuals who are experiencing a psychiatric and or psychosocial crisis.
Day-to-day, you’ll support individuals in crisis in a range of ways, including low mood, depressed, anxious, manic, self-harming, and experiencing suicidal thoughts. Your challenge will be to help them develop their own coping strategies to deal with their specific crisis situations. We’ll also rely on you to liaise with clinical teams to discuss referrals and clinical presentation of people using services and make referral decisions based on this. Leading on risk management and safety planning for each client will be important too, as will identifying the triggers of their crisis and implementing a brief, structured support and safety planning programme. And, when it comes to Introducing therapeutic tools and interventions tailored to their particular needs or helping them develop domestic management and finance management skills, again, we’ll count on you.
A great listener, with a flexible yet resilient approach, you have experience working with people with mental health issues and you’re used to identifying and coordinating a range of services to meet the needs of individuals requiring intense crisis support. You also have a good understanding of current mental health and/or housing legislation and a proven ability to help individuals to engage with community activities. A flair for planning and prioritising a busy workload is important too, as is a proven ability to assess and manage risk in a non-clinical way.
There will be a lot of liaison with GPs, external agencies and community teams too, plus you’ll be supporting sessional staff and volunteers, so great all-round communication skills and the ability to keep accurate records are also a must. Above all, you have what it takes to motivate, support and advocate for people who use our services, handle sensitive and complex issues well and are happy to participate in a shift rota and on call duties as required.
This is a permanent role requiring the postholder to work 37.5 hours per week.
The salary for this role is £17,004.00- £17,230.00 per annum.
So, are you ready to take on this rewarding role that comes with some really great benefits? Apply now via our website.
Richmond Fellowship is part of Recovery Focus, a national group of charities highly experienced in providing specialist support services to individuals and families living with the effects of mental ill health, drug and alcohol use, gambling and domestic violence. We know that recovery can look and feel very different to each and every one of us. But we also know that if we provide the right support, at the right time, we can inspire recovery nationwide and that recovery is possible for everyone.
Closing Date: 2nd October 2020