Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Lead in London

The iHV believes that there is no health without mental health and that healthy parents and healthy parent-infant relationships are the foundation for good mental health across the life course and, in turn, a healthy society. Perinatal and infant mental health is the golden thread that is woven through all our organisational workstreams and why it is so important that we recruit someone with the passion, skills and experience to effectively lead this work. The postholder will work within the Innovation and Research Department to lead the perinatal and mental health portfolio of the Institute of Health Visiting.

Main duties of the job:

• To influence and strategically lead the PIMH agenda for health visiting at a national level.
• To lead on the development of new iHV perinatal and infant mental health workstreams.
• To provide specialist expertise and leadership on the development, delivery and quality assurance of the iHV mental health training programmes and for all research and project collaborations.
• Linemanagement of the Mental Health Team, including training and supervision, and supporting Director of Innovation and Research with any new recruitment.
• Support Director of Innovation and Research to prepare PIMH-related bids and contribute to projects and practice developments where mental health expertise and input is required.
• Deliver iHV training in mental health commissioned from a range of organisations and contribute to the evaluation of the delivery of the mental health programmes.
• Provide specialist expertise to iHV staff or external consultants delivering perinatal and infant mental health training for health visitor and multi-professional groups.
• Lead on the planning, development and delivery of regional Forums for perinatal and infant mental health Champions and the Specialist Health Visitor PIMH Special Interest Group.
• Provide PIMH expertise and peer review to MH aspects of all iHV research, policy and projects.
• Represent the iHV at PIMH-related regional and national meetings, steering groups and stakeholder events.

About us:

The iHV is the leading professional body for health visiting in the UK. With a growing membership, we are an optimistic organisation, and we can see a bright future ahead. This role provides a unique opportunity to join us as we seek to strengthen health visiting across the UK and improve outcomes for the babies, children, families and communities that we serve. This role is vital to our work, supporting health visitors (and their teams) to deliver on their key purpose to improve health and reduce inequalities.

We offer:

• A dynamic and supportive work environment - working with a team of people who are genuinely committed to our charity's core mission and values and making the iHV a 'great place to work'.
• Hybrid and flexible working options. This post will require some UK travel.
• Holiday - 25 days annual leave, plus bank holidays (pro rata for part-time staff).
• Workplace pensions - the IHV has a generous organisation pensions scheme, with 10% employer contribution and a personalised employee contributions to suit your needs.
• Team Away Days - we gather together as a whole team once a year for our 2-day away day and at regular intervals online and at our conference throughout the year.

Job responsibilities:

To apply, applicants must download and complete the application form and send this together with their CV to the email provided.

Person Specification:

• Experienced trainer including as a perinatal/infant mental health Champion, and with delivering training to multi-professional and non-professional groups.
• Ability to critically appraise, synthesise and present evidence and policy on PIMH and its relevance to health visiting.
• Have well established PIMH networks and relationships at a local/national level.
• Able to demonstrate engagement with national level activities in the field of perinatal and infant mental health.
• Demonstrable senior leadership skills - has successfully led practice development/quality improvement projects.
• Group facilitation skills including managing group dynamics and experience of handling disruptive or challenging group members.
• Has participated in committees and working groups.
• Knowledge of contemporary, evidence-based, policy and research in relation to perinatal and infant mental health.
• A good understanding and working knowledge of what makes an optimum integrated perinatal mental health system/pathway and the roles and responsibilities of those who may contribute to that.
• A good understanding of commissioning arrangements for PIMH in the UK.
• Understanding of contemporary HV practice in PIMH and the current challenges and opportunities.
• Values the importance of lived experience and coproduction.
• Knowledge of how to demonstrate impact in perinatal and infant mental health, (outcome measurement tools, qualitative accounts).
• Experience of quality assurance and benchmarking.
• Able to negotiate and secure co-operation of peers and senior colleagues in other organisations.
• Ability to build credible relationships with influencers.
• Able to work collaboratively with a wide range of individuals, work across organisations and within a team.
• Excellent verbal and written communication, networking, and negotiation skills.
• Confident at presenting, delivering training and to chair large meetings.
• Able to manage challenging situations and conversations.
• A self-starter, with strategic thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Very organised, with the ability to work on own initiative, respond to sudden unexpected demands and manage a wide range of competing priorities effectively.
• Proven ability to think strategically with respect to planning training opportunities.
• Outcomes focused.
• Interested in research and evaluation, with a good understanding and ability to critically appraise research.
• Proven leadership skills.

Values, Behaviours and Other Criteria:

• Demonstrates knowledge and understanding of equality of opportunity and diversity, taking into account and being aware of how individual actions contribute to and make a difference to the equality agenda.
• Self-motivated and self-aware.
• Commitment to team-working and relationship building with respect and consideration for the skills and contributions of others.
• Committed to personal development and growth.
• Promote others not self-promoting.
• Able to be assertive when needed.
• Creative.
• Experience of conference and event planning.
• Experience of responding to policy consultation.
• Experienced in using all Microsoft Office applications, knowledge of Adobe programmes, and some knowledge/experience of platforms e.g., Eventbrite, SurveyMonkey.
• Prepared to work flexibly, within a team with a commitment to ensure success of the iHV.
• Ability to travel as necessary access to a vehicle/good road and rail links.

Qualifications:

• Health visitor (SCPHN) with postgraduate qualifications and experience in PIMH.
• Holds completed MA or MSc.
• Educator Community Practice Educator, PG Cert Ed, or other teaching qualification, or be able to demonstrate significant experience of teaching or training.
• Active NMC registration.
• Member of the iHV.
• Has held post as a Specialist Health Visitor in PIMH.
• Certified in the Alarm Distress Baby Scale Training (ADBB) (preferably ADBB Referent level).
• iHV PIMH Champion (has completed the iHV Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Champions and Emotional Wellbeing Visits Champion Training).
• Holds a leadership or management qualification or equivalent.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.