Director of Clinical Insights and Development. Job in Barnet LilyLifestyle Jobs

Grief Encounter was set up in December 2003 to ensure that bereaved children and their families receive the best possible support following the death of a parent, sibling and someone close. We deliver both local and national bereavement services.

Location: Mill Hill Broadway, London NW7 4ST. Visits to our Bristol office will be required.

Contracted hours: 40 hours a week (including one hour paid meal break daily), 5 days a week. Part‑time minimum 4 days per week considered.

Responsible to: Chief Executive. Working closely in collaboration with: Director of Income Generation and Growth; Director of Clinical Operations.

Responsible for: Matrix management of a small team of staff focused on participation, clinical partnerships, innovation and impact.

Our Vision A world where no child grieves alone.

Our Mission To help bereaved children, young people and their families find hope and healing.

Our Values

• Compassion: We lead with empathy and kindness, putting people first.
• Excellence: We deliver the highest quality and make a meaningful difference.
• Integrity: We act honestly, ethically, and with courage and dignity.

Purpose of Role

Grow, diversify and future‑proof income through innovation, partnerships and system influence in the bereavement sector and beyond. Lead the development of innovative, evidence‑informed clinical services that expand the charity's reach and impact for bereaved children and families. Drive future income generation from clinical initiatives, ensuring all development work reflects the organisation's values of Compassion, Excellence and Integrity and is grounded in ethical, professional and bereavement care standards. Ensure that all funded clinical services are delivered to a high standard, achieving both impact and income objectives. Ensure children and young people's voices are reflected in the services we provide.

Director Responsibilities

• Lead with Compassion: create environments where children, families, and staff feel seen, heard, and respected.
• Act with Integrity: ensure transparency, accountability and ethical decision‑making in all aspects of service delivery.
• Strive for Excellence: embed continuous improvement, evidence‑informed practice, and high professional standards.
• Act as an ambassador for the Charity, influencing policy, lobbying and building external partnerships.

Promote a culture of dignity and respect at work, where all staff feel psychologically safe and valued. Adherence to relevant professional codes of conduct (e.g., clinical, therapeutic, safeguarding). Delivery in line with recognised bereavement care standards and best practice.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic & Values‑based Leadership

• Co‑lead clinical services in a way that consistently reflects our organisational values.
• Ensure services are designed and delivered with compassion, equity and inclusion at their core.
• Contribute to organisational strategy as a senior leader.

Service Delivery & Performance

• Working closely with the Director of Clinical Operations.
• Ensure all services are delivered safely, effectively and in line with contractual and income expectations.
• Maintain a strong focus on access, timeliness and quality of care.
• Ensure services respond sensitively to the needs of bereaved children and families.
• Develop processes and mechanisms to strengthen the participation of children and young people in the development of our services.
• Ensure the voices and stories of beneficiaries are heard and inform our practice at all levels.

Innovation & Influence

• Lead new service design and promote innovation.
• Create pilot programmes and scalable models.
• Form strategic partnerships (NHS, schools, local authorities).
• Demonstrate thought leadership by participating in sector debate, system influence, advocacy and lobbying.
• Drive the development of impactful partnerships that leverage resources and utilise expertise.

Workforce Leadership & Dignity at Work

• Lead and support clinical leaders to create inclusive, respectful team cultures.
• Embed dignity at work principles, addressing behaviours that undermine respect or psychological safety.
• Ensure staff are supported to work within professional and ethical boundaries.
• Promote reflective practice, supervision and continuous professional development.

Quality, Safeguarding & Professional Standards

• Hold accountability, with the Director of Clinical Operations, for clinical governance and safeguarding.
• Deputise as Designated Safeguarding Lead for the charity if absent.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant professional, ethical and regulatory standards.
• Maintain high‑quality supervision and oversight of clinical practice.
• Ensure services align with recognised bereavement care frameworks and standards.

Income Delivery with Integrity

• Ensure all funded clinical services are delivered fully and responsibly.
• Balance efficiency with quality and ethical care.
• Work in partnership with Income Generation teams to ensure transparency and accuracy in reporting.

Data, Insight & Continuous Improvement

• Use data, market intelligence and feedback (including lived experience) to improve services.
• Ensure outcomes reflect both impact and quality of experience.
• Promote learning cultures grounded in reflection and evidence.
• Evaluate outcomes and evidence impact, ensuring data is shared across appropriate channels confidentially, ethically and in compliance with UK Data Protection legislation.
• Conduct or commission research and identify trends and concerns.

Collaborative Working

• Lead stakeholder engagement, working closely with supporters and beneficiaries of our therapeutic and bereavement support services.
• Work closely with the Director of Clinical Operations to ensure learning from delivery informs future service design.
• Partner with colleagues in our Income Generation Department to align delivery, evidence and funding.
• Contribute to bids, tenders and fundraising initiatives, ensuring the charity presents strong business cases for support and that bids underpin successful outcomes and innovations in priority areas.

Person Specification

Experience

• Senior leadership experience in service development, strategy or commissioning.
• Experience of influencing systems or securing funding.
• Experience in children's services, mental health or bereavement support.

Knowledge & Skills

• Strong understanding of bereavement care and therapeutic principles.
• Knowledge of ethical frameworks and professional standards.
• Advanced influencing, advocacy and partnership‑building skills.
• Good knowledge of safeguarding and relevant legislation.
• Ability to translate evidence into compelling, ethical propositions.
• Ability to effectively translate theory and data into practical solutions and initiatives.

Personal Attributes

• Values‑driven and purpose‑led.
• Creative, strategic and thoughtful.
• High integrity and credibility externally.
• Deep commitment to equity and dignity.
• Confident verbal and written communicator, able to create compelling presentations and reports.
• Curious, actively seeks information, listens and questions to enable deeper understanding.
• Non‑judgemental and empathetic.

Success Measures

• Development of high‑quality, values‑aligned service models.
• Demonstrable growth in sustainable income opportunities.
• Strength and integrity of partnerships.
• Influence on systems, policy and practice.
• Evidence of impact grounded in ethical practice.

We are committed to creating a workplace where dignity, respect and inclusion are at the heart of everything we do. All staff are expected to uphold the highest standards of professional and ethical practice, particularly in the sensitive and privileged context of supporting bereaved children and families. Due to the nature of our work, this post will be subject to pre‑employment checks including an enhanced DBS check.