Deputy Operations Manager - HMP (London South East)

At Turning Point, we are recognised leaders in supporting people to recover from addiction and rebuild their lives. Our prison wellbeing service plays a critical role in reducing harm, supporting recovery and improving safety across the custodial environment. An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the leading prison drug and alcohol service in London, based within HMP Thameside. This is a rare opportunity to work within a highly visible, innovative and ambitious service committed to delivering excellence across recovery, treatment, psychosocial interventions, partnership working and reducing drug-related harm within the prison / community.

This role sits alongside an experienced, passionate and demanding Operations Manager who expects high standards, accountability and professionalism from those around him. The successful candidate will join a team that prides itself on energy, resilience, creativity and a relentless commitment to doing the right thing for service users. This is not an entry-level leadership role. We are looking for an experienced and credible operational lead with a proven track record within substance misuse, criminal justice, healthcare or custodial settings.

Role Responsibility

Your focus will be on ensuring the safe, effective and innovative delivery of the prison drug and alcohol service, maintaining high standards across clinical governance, psychosocial interventions, recovery support and operational performance.

• Support the Operations Manager in leading and developing a high-performing multi-disciplinary drug and alcohol team within a complex custodial environment.
• Ensure the delivery of high-quality interventions and recovery-focused care to service users across the prison.
• Lead on operational performance, quality assurance, compliance, audits and service improvement activity.
• Maintain strong partnership working with HMPPS, healthcare providers, commissioners, security departments and external agencies.
• Use performance data, PHOF indicators and service outcomes to drive continuous improvement and evidence-based practice.
• Support continuity of care pathways from custody into the community, ensuring effective communication with external treatment providers and stakeholders.
• Line manage Team Leaders and senior staff, providing supervision, performance management, support and professional development.
• Promote a visible culture of accountability, professionalism, compassion and recovery throughout the service.
• Contribute towards strategic development, innovation and implementation of new recovery initiatives within the prison.
• Ensure all safeguarding, risk management, information governance and legal requirements are consistently maintained.

The Ideal Candidate

We are looking for an exceptional leader who is resilient, credible and passionate about recovery and rehabilitation.

• Significant experience within substance misuse services, criminal justice, healthcare or custodial settings.
• Proven experience managing teams and operational service delivery within complex environments.
• Strong knowledge of NHS Models of Care, continuity of care pathways and Public Health Outcomes Framework (PHOF) data.
• Experience working with commissioners, stakeholders and partner agencies.
• High levels of competence in IT systems, data analysis, compliance and governance processes.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills with the ability to influence, challenge and motivate others.
• The ability to remain calm, decisive and solution-focused under pressure.
• A visible passion for supporting vulnerable individuals and advocating for meaningful recovery opportunities.

We want a leader who takes ownership, stands by their decisions and leads from the front. Someone who understands that success in this environment is built on consistency, integrity, resilience and relationships. You will be joining a service that already has a strong reputation within the London prison estate and is committed to becoming an example of best practice in prison wellbeing work. If you are ambitious, driven and ready to help shape the future of prison substance misuse services, we would welcome your application.

About us

As a leading health and social care provider with more than 300 locations across England, we take real pride in the services we offer. We run all of our services on a not-for-profit basis; instead, we invest every penny back into our services and people. We never stop believing in change for the better, and we work constantly to improve the lives of the people we support.

What Benefits Will I Receive?

We know reward looks different to each person and so whether its ways to make your money go further, a culture supporting recognition and celebration, or opportunities to boost your career we want to support you in every way we can with our total reward package that includes:

• 35 days paid holiday a year + Bank Holidays, increasing to 36 days + Bank Holidays after 2 years service. Plus the option to buy additional holidays and spread the cost.

Join our team and discover the comprehensive benefits we offer by following this link to explore all the exciting perks available to our employees. Turning Point Benefits.

We reserve the right to close this advert early if we are able to appoint to the vacancy before the advertised closing date.