Director of Operations Mental Health - 35 hours per week, home based in the North West - Driver

About The Role

Job Purpose
Alternative Futures Group Has An Ambition To Be The Leading Third Sector Provider Of Inpatient And Community Mental Health Services Over The Next 2 Years. The Director Of Operations Mental Health Will Deliver The Necessary Strategies, Processes And Performance To Ensure That We

• Are a trusted partner in ICB provider collaboratives shaping strategy and delivery of specialist mental health hospital services.
• Deliver flexible service models that are responsive to commissioner need and reduce pressure on NHS and Local Authority partners.
• Provide sector-leading levels of quality, safety, outcomes and value for individuals, commissioners and society across hospital and community mental health services.
• Meet our growth targets through the expansion of current hospital sites and the development of new hospital and community schemes in existing and new geographies.

The Director of Operations will be responsible for the performance of the Mental Health Division and implementing the strategic mental health agenda for the organisation from an operational, clinical, quality and corporate perspective.

Dimensions

• Overall responsibility for a Mental Health division consisting of 6 independent hospitals, approximately 65 community supported living schemes and step-down outreach support currently delivering c £20million of income.
• Overall responsibility for an operational budget for salaries and non-pay items c £15million.
• Direct line management responsibility for 4 reports currently.

Principal Accountabilities

• To contribute a high level of specialist expertise and understanding of mental health operational service issues and to ensure adoption of best practice and continuous improvement of operational and corporate performance.
• To ensure successful execution of a continued programme of service development and growth which maximise revenues.
• Develop opportunities for innovation and new services and support models which enhance the strategic ambitions of the organisation
• To contribute to the development of cost-effective organisational structures and processes within operations, to deliver services to agreed performance standards.
• Ensure that the robust performance management arrangements are used to regularly and effectively monitored operational delivery and that corrective action is taken when necessary to achieve acceptable outcomes.
• To develop and nurture significant relationships with funders and partners that open up opportunities for growth and secures current contracts.
• Negotiate and agree both internally and where appropriate externally the financial resources to be allocated for existing and planned services, including the identification of efficiency savings, and ensure that services are managed within the available budgetary framework.
• To ensure that our models of support are always best practice and value for money and to encourage creativity and innovation in the development of new ways of working
• Support the Chief Operating Officer Mental Health on the design and delivery of priorities from AFG’s Strategy and Annual Business Plan.
• Support the Chief Operating Officer Mental Health in the provision of advice and guidance to the Executive and Board on all operational matters within AFG and the wider health and social care sector.
• Support the design and implementation of the organisation’s new digital care management system.
• Support the Chief Quality Officer on the design and implementation of an annual quality and safety strategy.
• Contribute to the wider strategic activities of the organisation.
• Ensure the integrity and accuracy of mental health KPIs (financial, operational and quality) provided to the organisation for the purpose of assurance and decision making.
• Responsible for the effective day-to-day management of the Mental Health division senior management team personnel and activity to maximise resource effectiveness and prioritisation.
• Ensure the Mental Health division operates within its budget at all times.
• Support the Chief Quality Officer in the Nominated Individual role to maintain regulatory compliance, oversight and assurance across all mental health services at all times.
• Analyse areas of risk across the mental health division and allocate resources accordingly.
• Ensure staff are led, managed and supported by just and compassionate leadership.
• Provide quarterly supervision and appraisal with direct line reports so job roles and responsibilities are clearly understood and that personal objectives are being met.
• Responsible for dealing with any disciplinary and capability concerns, including acting in a professional advisory capacity for organisation-wide disciplinary/capability hearings/investigations.
• Make a monthly divisional business report and presentation to the Executive.
• Make a quarterly divisional report and presentation to Trustees at Quality & Safety Committee and/or Finance & Performance Committee.
• Update the quarterly Board Assurance Framework for Trustees to provide assurance on known risks and highlight any emerging risks.
• Attend and contribute to Board level workshops, training and other events.

Person Specification – Essential Requirements

Skills And Knowledge

• Excellent problem solver.
• Highly resilient and able to work at a pace and manage competing priorities.
• Agile thinker able to take decisions.
• Highly numerate and excellent analytical skills.
• Excellent communication skills (both verbal and written) to both financial and non-financial individuals.
• High degree of IT literacy.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders.
• Ability to both adapt existing and develop new quality, operational and financial models.
• An understanding of all relevant health and social care legislation and regulatory frameworks
• Fluent on the policy context of the care sector
• Excellent project management skills

Values and Attitudes

• Commitment to Public Service values (the Nolan Principals) and principles and the values of Alternative Futures Group
• Commitment to developing self and others
• Passion for making a positive difference in the lives of others

Experience

• At least 5 years’ senior operational leadership experience working in an adult health or social care field.
• Experience of working within a creative and innovative environment, and using a range of reporting tools and evidence to inform and improve practice.
• Experience of strategic risk management and reporting.
• Experience of managing in organisations undertaking significant change, whether as a consequence of market disruption or organisational re-engineering.
• Experience of working directly with Senior Executives and Board Members including the preparation and presentation of papers/reports/business cases and analysis of data at Board and Executive meetings.
• Experience of project managing complex strategic projects within scope, budget and timescale.
• Experience managing multi-site estates and facilities management issues.
• Experience of CQC regulatory compliance framework and maintaining high standards of quality and safety.

Qualifications And Training

• A professional or management qualification in a relevant field e.g. health, social care, regulations, operations, etc.
• Demonstrable continuous professional development.

Other

• Car driver with full license.
• Ability to travel across the North West and wider.
• Expectation to be in services at least 2 days per week.
• Participate in Level 3 on-call

With our extended flexible working options, you can also choose to work a 9-day fortnight or a 4.5-day week, supporting our employees with their work life balance.

We offer a car allowance of between £7,840 – £9,800 per annum

This role is Band IV as per our structure.

Interview Dates

1st stage – 4th December – Liverpool in person
2nd stage – 10th December

Previous applicants need not apply

About Us

We’re Alternative Futures Group, a health and social care charity providing specialist support for people with a learning disability or mental health condition.

We’re proud to have been positively changing lives and enabling people to achieve amazing outcomes for over 30 years.

We have a vision to create a world where amazing people do amazing things every day. Our skilled and experienced teams work with every person we support to create a personalised, outcome-focused plans to achieve their aspirations.

As a ‘values based’ employer, the people that work for us genuinely care about the people they support, and we are seeking likeminded people to join our team. If you are passionate about working in Health and Social Care and have a real desire to make a positive difference to the lives of the people we support then we would love to hear from you.

At AFG we also recognise the contribution and value that our staff make. We would not be able to provide the life changing support that we do without people like you!

In return for your contribution we will support you throughout your career and we provide a wide range of employee benefits, career development and lifestyle support services to ensure that you too feel supported, fulfilled and valued from day one of your employment with us.