Assistant Director MHST & PCN

Assistant Director MHST & PCN

The closing date is 17 December 2025

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Children's Services Directorate in Essex as an Assistant Director for Children and Young Peoples Mental Health Services. The post holder will be responsible for operational management of the community CAMHS portfolio: Mental Health Support Teams, Primary Care Roles and SET CAMHS teams, working as part of the leadership team to develop, lead and manage Southend Essex and Thurrock Children and Young Peoples Mental Health Services (SET CAMHS).

The Assistant Director will be required to work with the ICB and system partners, supporting the Trust's vision in developing and transforming Children and Young Peoples Mental Health Services to ensure the very best system of care is provided through creative partnerships with patients, carers and staff.

You will need to demonstrate strong people skills and the ability to work across organisational boundaries. In addition, you will be a decision maker and be able to motivate colleagues across multidisciplinary teams to deliver the highest quality services. If you have a passion for transforming services and a strong track record of managing and leading multi-disciplinary teams we would love to hear from you.

Main duties of the job

Please refer to JD for post holder responsibilities, which will include:

• Ensuring high quality, patient focused care across all services
• Building relationships with Directors
• Line management of the Head of Service

The post will require a high level of visibility in teams across the county.

Applicant requirements to include:

• Experience at Band 8b or equivalent Service Manager/Head of Service level
• Strong leadership qualities
• Evidence of transformative changes in previous roles to demonstrate areas of service improvement

Qualifications

• Educated to Masters degree level or equivalent level of experience (5 years at senior management level)
• Professional qualification NMC or HCPC

Experience

• Extensive experience, expertise and understanding of performance and change management, business planning, budget setting and commissioning processes, within a public sector setting
• Track record of significant achievement in directing and managing the delivery and improvement of services within an organisation of comparable size, scale and complexity
• Proven experience of successful achievement of organisational change
• Proven record or establishing constructive interagency partnerships
• Senior management experience within the Public Sector
• Successful track record of delivering services to ethnic minority communities; experience of undertaking audits within a clinical setting.

Skills/Abilities

• Management skills and well-developed interpersonal skills especially when handling conflict and change
• Ability to perform under pressure, quickly and effectively, making timely managerial decisions and following through agreed decisions
• Ability to work independently and as part of the operational management team
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills

Knowledge

• A robust understanding of national health and social care strategy and policy, particularly in relation to mental health; excellent understanding of commissioning and the impact on providers.
• Knowledge of key theories of staff management, motivation, leadership and supervision and quality improvement techniques.
• Robust working knowledge of key policies such as Safeguarding, Risk Management, Health and Safety, Disciplinary, Grievance and Attendance Management.

Other / Leadership

• Outstanding leadership, influencing, negotiating and interpersonal skills (relating to NHS Leadership Qualities Framework)
• Open, participative, dynamic and supportive leadership and management style
• Stamina, energy and enthusiasm and the ability to work under pressure
• Ability to build alliances and secure ownership of proposals across organisational boundaries
• Ability to balance vision with pragmatism where appropriate

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Address

Essex Based (Base within Essex to be decided on appointment)

Salary

£76,965 to £88,682 a year (plus 5% HCAS) pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full time

Reference number

395-EC398-25

Job locations

Essex Based (Base within Essex to be decided on appointment)

Trust

NELFT North East London Foundation Trust