Speech and Language Therapy Manager

Job Overview

Croydon's Children's Speech and Language Therapy team has two Band 8A Management posts. Each post leads on different areas of clinical specialism with joint responsibility for the overall management of the Speech and Language Therapy service.

Key Responsibilities

• Overall responsibility for developing service provision in the following clinical specialisms: Early Years, EHCP assessments, ADOS, stammering and deaf service.
• Joint responsibility for the day‑to‑day running of the Children's Speech and Language Therapy team alongside the SLT Therapy Manager – Eating and Drinking and Complex Needs Lead.
• Jointly deliver the team's KPIs and performance targets with support from the Head of Children's Therapies.
• Provide clinical support, supervision and line management of the speech and language therapy team in your designated areas of specialism.
• Ensure high‑quality, evidence‑based therapy pathways are in place with appropriate outcome measures in your designated areas of specialism.
• Ensure clinical audit, staff development and quality improvement become embedded within the service and part of daily clinical practice.
• Provide high‑quality assessment and treatment to children and young people within a defined clinical caseload.
• Work within a multi‑agency and disciplinary approach contributing to integrated clinical practice.

Required Qualifications

• Recognised Speech and Language Therapy qualification and HCPC licence to practise.
• Evidence of successful completion of specialist short courses relevant to Children's SLT, Master’s or equivalent level of training.
• ADOS training.
• Knowledge of evidence‑based intervention approaches and outcome measures with a paediatric caseload.
• Knowledge of clinical governance structures and measuring clinical effectiveness.
• In‑depth knowledge of national policies, legislation and procedures concerning children, young people and families.
• Knowledge of best practice in multi‑disciplinary and multi‑agency teamworking, including collaborative working with families.
• Knowledge of SLT models and frameworks for paediatric settings.
• Knowledge of the current evidence base for Early Years SLT, bilingualism and multicultural issues, stammering and Deafness provision.
• Knowledge of performance and change management.

Key Experience and Skills

• Extensive experience as a qualified SLT in Children’s Community settings.
• Experience managing an early years paediatric caseload to a clinically competent standard.
• Experience of multi‑disciplinary working and skill‑sharing.
• Experience of providing clinical supervision and appraisals.
• Experience of developing and providing training to families.
• Experience of high‑quality service development initiatives and clinical audits.
• Experience of using clinical outcomes.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including observation, listening and empathy.
• Excellent time and workload management skills.
• Highly developed problem‑solving skills.
• Leadership and team‑playing skills.
• Competent computer skills.
• Assertive, adaptable and able to take initiative.
• Experience of managing staff, including performance management and change management.
• Experience of developing clinical pathways and protocols.
• Experience of inter‑agency planning, consultation and working.

Opportunity

Step into a role where your expertise genuinely influences the quality of care children receive. As our new Early Years & Mainstream Communication Lead you will guide the development of a service committed to delivering exceptional outcomes and evidence‑based practice.

You will be based in our purpose‑built Child Development Centre (CDC), working alongside a multidisciplinary team and within easy reach of central London and Surrey.

Professional development is at the heart of our service. You will have access to regular in‑service training, reflective practice, research opportunities, and leadership support from the Head of Children's Therapies and the wider AHP workforce.

The Trust offers a range of internal and external leadership and management programmes to support your growth. You will play a key role in shaping how our first Babies, Children and Young Persons Strategy comes to life within Speech and Language Therapy practice.