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- Tasks: Lead and motivate a team to deliver excellent mental health services in Croydon.
- Company: Look Ahead, a leading not-for-profit care provider with a strong social purpose.
- Benefits: Generous salary, up to 30 days annual leave, and extensive training opportunities.
- Other info: Join a diverse team committed to excellence and innovation in social care.
- Why this job: Transform lives daily while thriving in a supportive and dynamic environment.
- Qualifications: Degree level education and experience in managing contracts and staff.
The predicted salary is between 46852 - 46852 £ per year.
We're looking for kind, proactive and resilient Service Managers to join our Mental Health service in Croydon. £46,852.00 per annum, working 40 hours per week.
Want to feel like you have an exciting future? You'll feel at home here. Making you feel at home means helping you thrive in every way. That's why we offer a wide range of benefits, award-winning Learning & Development and a culture that welcomes all. These aren't token gestures - we've thought long and hard about how best to support our team. After all, our people are doing something amazing: helping to transform lives every day.
Our benefits include:
- Annual leave increasing up to 30 days with length of service
- Free DBS
- Exclusive discounts and cashback via Reward Gateway® and opportunity to buy a Blue Light Card
- Fully paid induction programme and further training
- ILM courses and Apprenticeship Programmes
- Cycle to work scheme
- Employee Assistance Programme for 24-7 confidential support
- Online wellbeing resources
- A generous pension - we will contribute up to 4% and life assurance cover up to £10,000 (T&Cs apply)
- Quarterly Staff Awards to reward & recognise our amazing staff's commitment and contribution
All applicants must be legally eligible to work in the UK by the start of employment as Look Ahead are not able to offer sponsorship.
What you'll do:
- Drive business planning activities within your contract, ensuring relevant and challenging objective setting and ongoing performance tracking, developing turnaround action plans as may be necessary
- Using sound financial and accounting principles, manage contract budgets to deliver on corporate and local contract financial targets
- Successfully lead and motivate your team to ensure the championing of and maintenance of a positive local culture within your service
- Work to continuously improve staff competence, ensure ownership of all staff issues and speedy and effective conflict resolution
- Responsible for reporting all staff changes to HR and Payroll departments, as appropriate e.g. starters, leavers, additional hours etc.
- Responsible for maintaining quarterly staff succession plans
- Deliver effective, professional and commercially focused briefings and supervision meetings with staff and ensure that information, reporting & communications flow up/down is effective
This is not an exhaustive list of all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time and is subject to change in accordance with the needs of Look Ahead.
About you:
- Ability to lead and motivate staff to deliver excellent services
- Is fundamentally calm and resilient, does not let emotion adversely affect them or obscure their judgement
- Has a practical and logical mind
- Excellent organisation skills
- Thrives on change and enjoys dynamic diverse environments
- Is confident with high levels of self-esteem
- Is respectful, articulate and sensitive in style of communication
- Is motivated towards excellence and improvement of personal performance with a can-do attitude
- Ability to cope positively with challenging and diverse behaviour
What you'll bring:
Essential:
- Educated to degree level or equivalent
- Experience of managing contracts and resources and delivering to budget and performance targets
- Experience of effectively managing and developing staff to ensure delivery of services performance targets within contract
- Experience of successfully managing external partnerships to ensure successful delivery of services
- Holds relevant CMI/NVQ Level 4 or other Business/Management Qualification
Desirable:
- Other relevant professional memberships and/or specialist qualifications
About us:
Look Ahead is a leading, not-for-profit care and support provider in London and the South East. Our vision is to build better lives through social care and housing in local communities. As an organisation we deliver over 100 services, providing support to thousands of customers each year. Our mission is to co-design and deliver services that offer innovative social care solutions and support people to thrive. We work across mental health, homelessness and complex needs, young people and care leavers and learning disabilities so there are plenty of opportunities to grow and progress your career with us.
We have a strong social purpose and we live and work by our values: We focus on Excellence and innovation. We are Caring and Compassionate. We are Inclusive and Trusted. We work in Partnership and are One-Team. Look Ahead is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk, and expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment.
If your application for this role is unsuccessful, but we feel that you would be suitable for another role, we may contact you to discuss alternative opportunities. If this occurs you would not need to submit another application for the alternative role. We reserve the right to close this advert early if we are able to appoint to the vacancy before the advertised closed date. We are committed to diversity and inclusion at work and are accredited with Silver in the Inclusive Employers Standard 2021. We are a proud member of the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants of all backgrounds.
Service Managers - Croydon, London employer: Look Ahead
Contact Detail:
Look Ahead Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Service Managers - Croydon, London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the mental health sector, especially those who work at Look Ahead. A friendly chat can open doors and give you insights that a job description just can't.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by researching common questions for Service Managers. Think about how your experience aligns with their values of excellence, compassion, and teamwork. We want to see your passion shine through!
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your leadership skills during the interview. Share specific examples of how you've motivated teams or handled challenging situations. Remember, they’re looking for someone who can thrive in dynamic environments!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our amazing team at Look Ahead.
We think you need these skills to ace Service Managers - Croydon, London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Kindness: When writing your application, let your kindness shine through. Use examples that highlight your proactive and resilient nature, especially in challenging situations. We want to see how you can make a positive impact on our team and the lives of those we support.
Be Specific About Your Experience: Make sure to detail your relevant experience managing contracts and resources. We love specifics! Share how you've successfully led teams and met performance targets, as this will show us you're the right fit for our dynamic environment.
Highlight Your Values: We’re all about excellence, compassion, and inclusivity. In your application, reflect on how your personal values align with ours. This helps us see that you’re not just looking for a job, but a place where you can thrive and contribute meaningfully.
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets to us directly. Plus, it shows you’re keen on joining our amazing team at Look Ahead. We can’t wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at Look Ahead
✨Know Your Stuff
Before the interview, make sure you thoroughly understand the role of a Service Manager and the specific responsibilities outlined in the job description. Familiarise yourself with Look Ahead's mission and values, as this will help you align your answers with their expectations.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Service Manager, you'll need to lead and motivate your team. Prepare examples from your past experiences where you've successfully managed staff or resolved conflicts. Highlight your calmness and resilience in challenging situations, as these traits are essential for the role.
✨Prepare Questions
Interviews are a two-way street! Think of insightful questions to ask about the company culture, team dynamics, and opportunities for professional development. This shows your genuine interest in the role and helps you assess if it's the right fit for you.
✨Practice Makes Perfect
Conduct mock interviews with a friend or family member to practice your responses. Focus on articulating your thoughts clearly and confidently. The more comfortable you are with your answers, the better you'll perform during the actual interview.