At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a team to deliver high-quality supported housing services for diverse service users.
- Company: Join Nacro, a champion for education, housing, and justice reform.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, career progression, and professional development opportunities.
- Other info: Flexible working, travel opportunities, and a commitment to diversity and inclusion.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in people's lives while developing your leadership skills.
- Qualifications: Experience in support planning and managing teams, with excellent communication skills.
The predicted salary is between 37781 - 37781 £ per year.
Total Salary: £37,781 per annum. This comprises a base salary of £37,581 + £200 unsociable hours allowance.
Contract: Full Time – Permanent
Working Hours: 37.5 hours per week - Monday- Friday
Location: Wrexham Covering: North Wales - Wrexham, Saltney, Flintshire, Bangor and Denbighsh
DBS requirement: Enhanced DBS and HMPPS Check
The successful candidate will also be expected to participate in the CAS-2 on-call rota, which covers weekends, evenings and bank holidays. These shifts will be fairly allocated amongst the CAS-2 National Management Team and will include providing cover for the CAS-2 Emergency Out of Hours Duty Manager service, requiring occasional one-day weekend working.
This role requires regular travel across an allocated area and therefore, a Full Driving License and access to your own vehicle with business insurance are essential.
This role offers a starting salary within Nacro’s pay structure of £37,581 pro rata entry with expected progression to £38,708 established within the first year, subject to meeting clear criteria and performance standards, with further pay progression available in the future. Nacro’s pay framework provides transparent progression points and supports ongoing professional development and career growth.
We are Nacro, we believe that everyone deserves a good education, a safe and secure place to live, the right to be heard, and the chance to start again, with support from someone on their side. That’s why our housing, education, justice, and health and wellbeing services work alongside people to give them the support and skills they need to succeed. And it’s why we fight for their voices to be heard and campaign together to create lasting change. We see your future, whatever the past.
This role is part of the Community Accommodation with Support, Tier 2 (CAS-2) programme, directly commissioned by the Ministry of Justice and operating nationwide across England and Wales. Nacro deliver the Community Accommodation Support service (CAS) which is a national service across England and Wales. The service allows Courts to make greater use of bail by providing accommodation in the community with support for adult defendants who could not otherwise be bailed. CAS also provides support for adults released from Custody in the last three months of their sentence on Home Detention Curfew (HDC) and other Licence Orders.
As a Service Lead, you will lead and motivate a team of Support Workers to deliver high-quality, effective supported housing and housing management services. You will oversee services for a diverse range of service users, including young people, individuals experiencing homelessness, and prison leavers, ensuring support is person-centred and tailored to individual needs. You will be responsible for driving service performance, maintaining compliance with contractual requirements, achieving financial targets, and promoting a positive, safe, and supportive environment for both staff and service users.
Key Responsibilities:
- Effectively lead and deliver services which comply with the regulatory framework.
- Meeting service quality standards and ensuring your team are adhering to all operational and policy standards.
- Be the accountable lead for the service.
- Ensuring all service user support and safety plans are in place, are in date and reflect individual needs.
- Ensuring your staff team understand and meet the agreed financial standards on voids, arrears and re-lets.
- Acting as a lead operational partner liaising with other agencies, partners and commissioners as required.
- Agreeing service level agreements with external agencies that can provide specialist support to your service and build and maintain effective working relationships both externally and internally.
- Work collaboratively with other internal support services – such as Quality, Policy and Safeguarding as well as Finance, IT and HR in order to ensure we are providing the best service to our users.
- Promoting service user involvement in service design and delivery.
- Managing the rota and on-call arrangements to ensure that appropriate support is in place and participate in that rota.
About you:
This is an exciting opportunity to join our team as a Service Lead to manage and lead a team of Support Workers to deliver high quality, effective supported housing services and housing management services to a range of service user groups (including those on Bail, prison leavers and those going through the criminal justice system) that meet their needs, contractual requirements, and organisational financial targets. You will be able to demonstrate extensive knowledge of support planning and safeguarding as well as experience of working with vulnerable adults with complex needs (such as substance misuse, physical health, mental health, seeking employment and housing support).
We are looking for a Service Lead who is able to prioritise tasks effectively; ensuring their team are supported, Service Users needs are prioritised and contractual KPI’s are met. You will need to be adaptable and highly organised to balance your time. You will champion relationship mapping in your region, including developing links with supporting agencies, promoting CAS at external forums and being part of multi-agency meetings. You will have previous line management experience and the ability successfully lead and line manage a team. You will have excellent people skills, which will be inclusive of problem solving, and both written and verbal communication skills.
The role offers flexible working in the community (visiting staff and properties), in the South Yorkshire region. The role includes lone working, you will meet with your team regularly to discuss complex cases. You will be required to travel for training and team meetings.
At Nacro, we believe in the power of a diverse and inclusive team. We are a Ban the Box employer and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, including those with criminal records. Convictions are not discussed at application stage and will only be considered later if relevant to the role, assessed fairly, proportionately and confidentially.
Service Lead in Wrexham employer: Nacro
Nacro is an exceptional employer that champions professional growth and development, offering a competitive salary starting at £37,581 with clear progression opportunities within the first year. Our inclusive work culture fosters innovation in digital learning, empowering employees to create impactful educational experiences while making a meaningful difference in the lives of our service users across Birmingham and beyond. Join us in shaping the future of learning and be part of a team that values diversity and supports every individual's journey towards success.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Service Lead in Wrexham
✨Dive into Local Community Groups
Social work thrives on community connections, so get involved in local groups or forums specific to your interests. Whether it’s volunteering at local shelters or joining community action boards, these are great ways to boost your visibility and make direct contacts that could lead to opportunities like the one at Nacro.
✨Attend Social Work Events and Workshops
Keep an eye out for workshops, seminars, or conferences in social work. These events are fantastic for meeting professionals in the field, learning about emerging trends, and spotting job openings. Plus, you might just bump into someone from Nacro!
✨Showcase Your Passion and Expertise
Use platforms like Instagram or LinkedIn to share your journey and insights into the social work sector. Whether it’s writing about your experiences or sharing relevant articles, this helps to establish you as an engaged professional. Potential employers, like Nacro, will notice your enthusiasm!
✨Leverage Your Network
Don’t hesitate to reach out to professors, mentors, or even past colleagues who are in social work. They might have inside knowledge about openings at Nacro or be able to connect you with someone who’s hiring. Networking is key, especially in a full-time role where relationships matter.
We think you need these skills to ace Service Lead in Wrexham
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Social Work:In your cover letter, let us see your passion for social work shine through! Talk about the experiences that made you want to pursue this career—whether it’s volunteering, personal experiences, or academic projects. We want to know why this field matters to you.
Emphasise Relevant Qualifications:Make sure your CV highlights any relevant qualifications, like degrees in social work or certifications like a DBS check. If you've done any workshops or training, don’t forget to include those as well. We're keen to see your commitment to your professional development!
Detail Your Experience with Clients:Since this is a hands-on field, detailing any direct experience you have with clients is crucial. Whether it's internships, volunteer roles, or previous jobs, highlight those experiences in your CV to show us you've got the practical skills necessary for the job!
Tailor Your Application to Nacro:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to Nacro! Research our mission and values, and refer to them in your cover letter. This shows us that you understand our work and are genuinely interested in being a part of our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Nacro
✨Understanding the Role of Empathy
In social work, understanding and demonstrating empathy is key. Be prepared to share personal experiences or scenarios where you effectively showed compassion and support. This helps show that you genuinely care about the well-being of others, which is crucial in social work.
✨Demonstrating Knowledge of Frameworks
Familiarise yourself with the frameworks and models used in social work, such as the Strengths-Based Approach or the Ecological Perspective. Be ready to discuss how these frameworks apply to your work, especially if you can tie them into real-world examples or case studies you've encountered.
✨Showcasing Your Multi-Disciplinary Skills
In a full-time social work role, you'll often collaborate with healthcare professionals, educators, and law enforcement. Be prepared to describe your teamwork experiences and how you've effectively communicated with other disciplines to achieve the best outcomes for clients.
✨Preparing for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that put you in hypothetical social work situations, such as dealing with a crisis or managing a complex case. Think through your thought process for these scenarios beforehand, considering how you'd assess the situation and what steps you'd take, as this demonstrates your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
