Therapeutic and Support Services Manager TLNT1_NI

The Therapeutic and Support Services Manager will provide operational and clinical leadership across the organisation's therapeutic support and helpline services for people affected by sexual abuse and abusive relationships. The postholder will lead and support our Clinical and Helpline Coordinators to deliver high quality, trauma-informed therapeutic and helpline services to individuals directly impacted by sexual abuse and abusive relationships. While also ensuring friends, family members and professionals who are supporting those impacted receive specialist guidance and information.

The role will oversee operational service delivery, safeguarding, clinical governance, policy development, quality assurance, performance monitoring, team development, contract compliance, partnership working, funder engagement and continuous service improvement to ensure the safe and effective delivery of services that meet the individual needs of our service-users whilst complying with ethical, regulatory and legislative requirements. The postholder will work closely with senior leadership to develop and expand services, secure sustainability, and ensure the organisation remains a centre of excellence for trauma informed care and support.

Key Responsibilities

• Leadership and Service Development
  • Provide leadership for all therapeutic support and helpline services across the organisation.
  • Support organisational strategic priorities to be delivered through robust action plans that achieve impactful outcomes.
  • Lead the development of innovative, evidence-based and trauma-informed care and support pathways.
  • Ensure services reflect current best practice in responding to sexual abuse, childhood sexual abuse, domestic abuse and complex trauma.
  • Identify opportunities for service growth, innovation and diversification.
  • Contribute to funding applications, tender submissions and contract mobilisation.
  • Support organisational responses to emerging local and national policy developments.
  • Advocate for the involvement and co-production of people with lived experience in service design and evaluation.
• Operational Management
  • Oversee the effective delivery of therapeutic support and helpline services across the organisation.
  • Ensure services meet contractual targets, KPIs, quality standards and organisational objectives.
  • Monitor the service user journey end-to-end across both therapeutic and helpline services to include referrals, triage, assessment, on-going counselling, waiting times, helpline activity and service outcomes.
  • Use service data to effectively allocate and manage resources against service demands and in line with agreed budgets.
  • Address service pressures and develop solutions to improve accessibility, responsiveness and capacity.
  • Lead regular service review meetings and performance monitoring processes.
  • Ensure accurate operational reporting to funders, commissioners and senior leadership.
  • Monitor and analyse service performance data to support informed decision-making and service development.
• Line Management and Team Leadership
  • Provide direct line management, supervision and support to Therapeutic Support and Helpline Coordinators.
  • Create a positive, reflective and supportive working culture across all services.
  • Support coordinators to effectively manage staff, volunteers, therapists, associate practitioners and service delivery.
  • Conduct regular supervision, appraisal and development reviews.
  • Promote team cohesivity through team events.
  • Identify training, learning and professional development needs.
  • Promote staff wellbeing and mitigate the impact of vicarious trauma.
  • Support recruitment, induction and retention of staff and volunteers.
  • Develop leadership capability across the therapeutic support and helpline teams.
• Clinical Governance and Quality Assurance
  • Operationally lead on clinical governance across all therapeutic support and helpline services.
  • Ensure compliance with professional frameworks including: BACP Ethical Framework, Trauma-Informed Practice Principles, Relevant safeguarding and regulatory standards, Data Protection.
  • Monitor clinical quality, service outcomes and effectiveness.
  • Oversee audit programmes and quality assurance systems.
  • Ensure robust record keeping, confidentiality and information governance.
  • Lead the development, implementation and review of policies, procedures and clinical protocols.
  • Support the implementation of service accreditation and quality standards.
  • Lead learning reviews, audits and quality improvement initiatives.
  • Ensure services operate in line with organisational, contractual and legislative requirements.
• Continuous Service Improvement
  • Lead a culture of continuous improvement across all services.
  • Use service data, outcome measures, stakeholder feedback and evaluation findings to inform service development.
  • Identify trends, gaps and opportunities to improve service quality, accessibility and impact.
  • Implement and monitor improvement plans to enhance service performance and user experience.
  • Promote evidence-based practice and organisational learning.
• Clinical Consultation and Debrief Support
  • Provide clinical consultation, guidance and reflective support to coordinators and practitioners managing complex cases.
  • Support staff in managing risk, safeguarding concerns and challenging clinical situations.
  • Facilitate clinical debriefing following critical incidents, safeguarding concerns and high-risk presentations.
  • Promote reflective practice and learning across therapeutic and support services.
• Safeguarding and Risk Management
  • Act as Delegated Safeguarding Champion and first point of contact for appointed safeguarding leads, including Therapeutic Services Coordinators and Helpline Coordinator.
  • Provide safeguarding leadership across services supporting adults, children and young people.
  • Advise staff on safeguarding concerns and high-risk cases to prioritise safety and adherence with Nexus policies and procedures.
  • Support the organisation to ensure safeguarding policies and procedures remain compliant with legislation and best practice.
  • Oversee operational management of clinical risk, suicide risk, self-harm, exploitation and abuse concerns.
  • Contribute to safeguarding reviews, audits and continuous improvement activities.
• Contract, KPI and Performance Management
  • Support coordinators to manage therapeutic support and helpline service contracts effectively.
  • Monitor service performance against contractual requirements and agreed KPIs.
  • Ensure accurate collection, analysis and interpretation of service data.
  • Produce regular reports for funders, commissioners, trustees and senior leadership.
  • Monitor service outcomes and demonstrate impact through evidence-based reporting.
  • Ensure compliance with funding agreements and service specifications.
  • Identify risks to contract delivery and implement corrective actions.
  • Support contract reviews, inspections and audits.
• Funder Engagement and Stakeholder Management
  • Build and maintain effective relationships with funders, commissioners and strategic partners.
  • Lead operational reporting and communication with funders.
  • Contribute to service evaluations, funding applications and contract reviews.
  • Represent the organisation at local, regional and national forums.
  • Strengthen referral pathways and collaborative working arrangements.
  • Promote awareness of the organisation's services and impact.
• Monitoring, Evaluation and Impact
  • Lead the monitoring and evaluation of therapeutic support and helpline services.
  • Ensure meaningful outcome measurement systems are embedded across services.
  • Analyse service data to inform development, improvement and strategic planning.
  • Support the production of annual reports, impact reports and funding returns.
  • Ensure service user feedback influences service development.
  • Promote a culture of continuous learning and evidence-based practice.
• Training and Development
  • Identify organisational and service-level training needs.
  • Coordinate and support training and development activities across therapeutic support and helpline services.
  • Promote continuous professional development and ensure staff maintain appropriate competencies.
  • Support delivery of trauma-informed practice training and workforce development initiatives.
  • Encourage reflective learning and best practice across all services.
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
  • Promote inclusive, anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practice.
  • Ensure services are accessible and responsive to diverse communities.
  • Champion equality, diversity and inclusion throughout service delivery.
  • Ensure therapeutic approaches are culturally informed and responsive to individual needs.

Essential Criteria

• A recognised professional qualification in Counselling, Psychotherapy, Social Work, Mental Health, Health and Social Care, Psychology or a related discipline (minimum Level 5).
• Accredited, registered or eligible for registration with a relevant professional body (e.g. BACP, UKCP, HCPC, NISCC, NMC or equivalent).
• Evidence of ongoing Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
• Knowledge of trauma-informed practice and its application within therapeutic and support services.
• Minimum of three years' experience in a management, supervisory or senior practitioner role within therapeutic, counselling, mental health, trauma, support or related services.
• Experience supporting individuals affected by trauma, abuse, sexual abuse, domestic abuse.
• Experience managing or coordinating service delivery within a multi-disciplinary environment.
• Experience supervising, supporting or coordinating staff, volunteers, placement students or associate practitioners.
• Experience working in partnership with statutory, voluntary and community sector organisations.
• Experience managing complex or high-risk cases and supporting practitioners working with vulnerable individuals.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience working on a helpline service.
• Experience supporting volunteers and placement students.
• Experience implementing quality standards, accreditation frameworks or service audits.
• Knowledge of Outcome Based Accountability (OBA) or other outcomes measurement frameworks.
• Experience delivering training, workshops or workforce development activities.

Values and Safeguarding

This role involves work related to sexual abuse and abusive relationships. The postholder is expected to demonstrate sensitivity, professionalism, and a strong commitment to safeguarding, confidentiality, and ethical practice at all times.

Application details

ACCESS NI (Criminal Conviction Checks for Regulated Activity Posts) The successful applicant will be subject to an Enhanced Access NI check. The Access NI Code of Practice is available to applicants on request. Having a criminal record does not automatically prevent a person being employed by Nexus NI. If you are unsure what this is, please consult this website: As per Access NI Code of Practice Nexus NI has a policy on the recruitment of Ex-offenders which is available on request by sending an email to: All information disclosed will be handled in accordance with the Nexus NI policy on Keeping Information Safe which is available on request by sending an email to: A full, clean driving licence is required for this role, as the post involves regular travel between locations in the course of normal duties. Applicants must be able to demonstrate that they can meet the mobility requirements of the post. This may be through access to a driving licence and use of a vehicle, or by other suitable means, such as public transport or alternative travel arrangements. We are committed to promoting equality of opportunity and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons. In line with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (as amended in Northern Ireland) and Equality Commission for Northern Ireland guidance, we will consider reasonable adjustments to the selection process and/or working arrangements where a disability affects an applicants ability to hold a driving licence, provided that the essential requirements of the role can be fulfilled. This job description is not incorporated into the employees contract of employment. It is intended as a guide and should not be viewed as an inflexible specification. It may be varied from time to time in the light of strategic developments following discussion with the post holder.

Deadline for applications Monday 29th June 2026 at 12pm.