Lead Clinician - Occupational Therapist in Portsmouth

Are you looking for an employer who can offer you opportunities for growth and development in your clinical career, all whilst working within a friendly multidisciplinary team in a rewarding education setting? Do you want to have opportunities to participate in research projects, special interest groups and form part of a wider clinical network that meets regularly for training & development? Do you want to have flexibility and be able to work creatively to deliver specialist assessments and interventions fostering independence within an education setting?

How about working for an employer who has been awarded a ‘Great Place to Work’ for the 5th year running? Does working 4 days a week with FULL pay sound like a dream? It doesn't have to be! Have a better work/life balance and come and work for Outcomes First Group!

In a world where the demand for clinical support is increasing daily, we understand the importance and value of the work you carry out. Your unique skills and expertise are critical to building better outcomes for our pupils. This is why we aim to have a multidisciplinary clinical team for each of our sites to provide this vital provision in collaboration with our education teams. Creating an environment where our pupils can truly flourish and grow in independence is key.

About the Group: Outcomes First Group is the leading provider of world-class education. Our schools are a vital part of local communities in England, Scotland and Wales, with a renowned reputation for quality and positive outcomes for the children and young people we educate for. Our Acorn schools are there to meet the social and emotional needs of pupils who have faced trauma or adversity, equipping them for life’s important steps. Our Options Autism schools support autistic pupils to value their uniqueness and access the world in their own way. Another division, Momenta Connect, supports young people to overcome barriers and engage with education. While our most recent addition, Blenheim Schools, enables outstanding futures through high-quality independent and international schools.

Our Vision: Empower every child, whatever their ability, with a world-class education that nurtures potential, inspires lifelong learning, and equips them to thrive in a diverse and evolving world.

Our Mission: We commit to unlocking our pupils’ potential through personalised learning, innovation, and opportunity, supporting growth and aspirations.

Our Promise: WE LISTEN. We never assume. WE WORK TOGETHER. To make the remarkable happen. WE ARE ACCOUNTABLE. To each other and for one another. Our Promise describes the sort of people we are and our commitment to how we treat each other, work together and behave. It represents what’s truly important to us as individuals and as a team.

The role: We are looking for a Lead Clinician – Occupational Therapist to manage our in-house Clinical Team at Dibden Park School. The postholder will work collaboratively with both the school’s Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and the Regional Clinical Lead. The role will be split between clinically leading the team and holding a therapy caseload. Working collaboratively with the team, the postholder will deliver bespoke assessment and intervention plans for our students who may present with complex profiles of need as a result of autism and other types of neurodivergence, developmental trauma and social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs.

Meeting the needs of EHCP plans will be a primary focus in this role, target led, via the OFG ‘all’, ‘group’ and ‘individual’ clinical ways of working, embedded into our clinical practice. They will also be responsible for coordinating the line management of the members of the onsite clinical team and leading on the service development of the clinical school-based service, alongside the school SLT and Regional Clinical Lead.

Our Clinical Teams help maintain a person-centred, empowering approach always putting the pupils we support at the forefront of everything they do. All our settings maintain a strong safeguarding culture, and the pupils we support are heard, respected, and involved in decisions that affect them. We strive for excellence, which is why we are one of the leading service providers in the UK.

With this in mind, we are looking for a Lead Clinician who shares our vision to use innovative approaches to enhance the quality of life and outcomes of the pupils we support.

Essential Criteria:

• HCPC registered Occupational Therapist
• Valid and up to date professional Registration & membership of professional body e.g. BPS
• Minimum 2 years post qualification experience preferably in a child/education setting, preferably management experience.
• Experience within the specialist client group; working with autistic individuals and/or those with complex needs.
• Clear and concise report writing relating to clinical and research activities
• Experience of providing supervision and supporting a therapy team
• Ability to work independently
• Ability to work dynamically and within a growing and developing clinical service
• Experience of multi-professional work with teams or services within the designated specialty preferred
• Full UK valid driving licence and access to own vehicle

Why work for us? Alongside working with a network of over 350 clinical colleagues with regular forums for peer reflection and practice development, Outcomes First Group offer an array of flexible benefit options:

• Your health and wellbeing are important to us, so you’ll get an exceptional reward and flexible benefits package including: Life Assurance, Pension scheme with options to increase your contributions.
• “Your Wellbeing Matters” – access to a wide range of first-class mental health support services and physical health checks.
• You’ll work 80% of your contractual hours for 100% of your pay, giving you more time to do the things that make you happy. 4DWW is subject to successful completion of probation and is not a contractual benefit.
• Family Growth Support - inclusive benefits package covering enhanced maternity and paternity leave, along with paid fertility treatment support.
• A wide range of health, wellbeing, and insurance benefits.
• 100’s of discount options valid in the UK and abroad.
• Cycle to Work Schemes.
• Electric Car Purchase Scheme.
• Critical illness cover.

At Outcomes First Group we are committed to the safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our pupils and young people. All successful applicants will be subject to social media checks and successful applicants to a fully enhanced DBS.

We reserve the right to close vacancies early, please submit your application at the earliest opportunity. Outcomes First Group is committed to carrying out a fair, thorough and efficient recruitment process in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education.