Location: Medway
Salary: £44,180.28
Hours: Full-time, 37 hours a week
Contract: Permanent
Every role at North Kent Mind contributes to improving mental health and wellbeing outcomes for people and communities across Dartford, Gravesham, Swanley and Medway. By working together to deliver high-quality, person-centred support, we help ensure that people experiencing mental health challenges receive the support and respect they deserve.
About North Kent Mind
North Kent Mind is an independent mental health charity supporting people living in Dartford, Gravesham, Swanley and Medway.
We provide a wide range of services that help improve mental health and wellbeing, including counselling, community support, children and young people’s services, wellbeing programmes and employment-related support.
Our vision is that everyone experiencing a mental health problem receives the support and respect they deserve. We are committed to delivering high-quality, person-centred services that make a meaningful difference in our local communities.
About the Opportunity
We are seeking an experienced and motivatedClinical Leadto join our team.
Reporting toDirector of Children and Young Persons Services, this role will play a key part in Clinical Leadership across the Medway Therapeutic Allianceand contribute to the continued success and sustainability of North Kent Mind.
Reporting to the Director of Children and Young People’s Services, the Clinical Lead provides clinical leadership, professional oversight and expert guidance across therapeutic services, ensuring safe, effective and high-quality support for children and young people.
The Clinical Lead is responsible for maintaining high standards of clinical practice, safeguarding, quality and governance across services. The role provides expert guidance on complex clinical decision-making, supports workforce development through consultation, training and supervision frameworks and drives continuous improvement through service user outcomes and quality assurance activity.This rolewill contribute to service development, influence wider mental health systems and represent North Kent Mind at local and strategic forums.
This is an exciting opportunity for someone who wants to combine professional expertise with meaningful social impact while helping shape the future of mental health support across North Kent.
Whether working directly with people accessing our services or supporting the teams who deliver them, you will be part of an organisation committed to improving mental health and wellbeing across North Kent.
Key Responsibilities
The successful candidate will:
- Provide clinical leadership and professional oversight across Children and Young People’s Services.
- Support complex clinical decision-making, risk management and safeguarding practice.
- Lead on clinical governance, quality assurance and continuous improvement activities.
- Use audits, outcomes, feedback and learning to strengthen service quality and improve outcomes.
- Develop workforce capability through consultation, reflective practice, training and supervision frameworks.
- Work collaboratively with colleagues, partners and people with lived experience to inform service development.
- Represent North Kent Mind within partnership forums, networks and strategic meetings.
- Contribute to service innovation, influencing system-wide improvements that benefit children, young people and families.
About You
The successful candidate will have:
- A postgraduate qualification (Level 7 or above) in a relevant mental health, clinical, therapeutic, nursing, psychology, social work or related discipline.
- Current registration, accreditation or membership with a recognised professional body (e.g. BACP, UKCP, HCPC, NMC, Social Work England or equivalent).
- Significant experience working within children and young people’s mental health, emotional wellbeing or therapeutic services.
- Experience supporting complex clinical decision-making, safeguarding and risk management.
- Strong knowledge of child development, children and young people’s mental health, and evidence-informed therapeutic practice.
- Experience providing professional consultation, guidance and support to practitioners and managers.
- Experience leading or contributing to quality improvement, governance or service development initiatives.
- Excellent communication, influencing and partnership-working skills.
- A commitment to trauma-informed, person-centred and co-produced approaches to service delivery.
It would be advantageous if you also have:
- A qualification in clinical supervision, leadership, safeguarding, quality improvement or service development.
- Experience developing supervision, reflective practice or workforce development frameworks.
- Knowledge of Prevent, Child Exploitation, contextual safeguarding, Mental Capacity and wider safeguarding frameworks.
- Experience working with commissioners, inspection frameworks or contractual quality requirements.
- Experience representing services at local, regional or strategic partnership forums.
- Experience using service outcomes, feedback and lived experience insights to inform service development and improvement.
Why Join North Kent Mind?
As part of our team, you will:
- Make a genuine difference to people’s lives.
- Contribute to services that improve mental health and wellbeing.
- Be encouraged to develop professionally and personally.
- Help shape the future of mental health support across North Kent.
25 days annual leave, increasing to 30 days with length of service, plus bank holidays (pro rata for part-time employees)
Occupational pension scheme
Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
Learning and development opportunities
Wellbeing support and initiatives
Family-friendly and compassionate leave policies
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
North Kent Mind is committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued, respected and supported. We recognise that a diverse workforce strengthens our organisation and helps us better understand and meet the needs of the communities we serve.
We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, experiences and perspectives and are committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion throughout our recruitment, employment and development practices.
We are committed to ensuring our recruitment process is fair, accessible and inclusive. Reasonable adjustments will be considered and supported at every stage of the recruitment process and throughout employment where required.
Safeguarding Commitment
North Kent Mind is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and to creating safe environments in which they can thrive. We expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment and to uphold our safeguarding responsibilities at all times.
As part of our safer recruitment approach, the recruitment and selection process for this role will assess the candidate’s suitability to work with children and young people. Successful applicants will be subject to appropriate pre-employment checks, which may include an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check with Children’s Barred List check, verification of qualifications, employment history, references and right-to-work checks, as appropriate to the role.
North Kent Mind is committed to safeguarding children and young people from harm, abuse and exploitation. We seek to recruit and retain individuals who share our values and who demonstrate a commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.
Additional Role Requirements (if applicable)
Enhanced DBS required
Professional registration required
Driving licence and access to a vehicle required
Regular travel across Kent and Medway
Occasional evening or weekend working
Recruitment Process
Applications will be assessed against the criteria set out in the Person Specification. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview and may be required to complete a role-related assessment.
Any offer of employment will be subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks applicable to the role.
Closing Date:16thOctober 2026
Interview Date: Interviews may be held as suitable applications are received.
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if sufficient applications are received.
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Clinical Lead employer: North Kent Mind
North Kent Mind is an exceptional employer dedicated to fostering a supportive and inclusive work environment for its staff. With a strong focus on employee growth, you will have access to ongoing training and development opportunities while making a meaningful impact in the lives of children and young people in Medway. Our collaborative culture encourages innovation and teamwork, ensuring that you feel valued and empowered in your role as a Children & Young People’s Practitioner.
