Service Manager

We're looking for a kind, compassionate and resilient Contract Manager to join our Mental Health service in Islington.

£38,000.00 per annum, working 40 hours per week. Benefits include 25 days Annual Leave, pension schemes, staff discounts, healthcare and career progression.

This role is a Fixed Term Contract until 31st March 2024.

Working Monday to Friday 9:00am-5:00pm

Want to feel like you're part of one team? You'll feel at home here.

This role requires a valid Right to Work for the UK as Look Ahead are not a sponsoring organisation.

What you'll do:

Islington Young People Assessment Centre is a Supported Housing Service in Islington, in a 24 hour staffed high support property. Our customer base is made up of young people who are leaving the care system, unaccompanied asylum seeking children, young people who present themselves to the council who are experiencing homelessness or young people who are at risk of homelessness.

Contract Managers are responsible for the effective management of all contracts within their designated patch, including line managing the relevant front line staff. Leadership and competence development in direct reports is a key responsibility of the role. Post-holders may also carry client group specialism responsibilities, linking in with other Managers and Head of Operations to ensure focussed integration of specialisms across the whole organisation.

This is not an exhaustive list of all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time and is subject to change in accordance with the needs of Look Ahead

About you:

This is not an exhaustive list of all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time and is subject to change in accordance with the needs of Look Ahead.

Drive business planning activities within your contract, ensuring relevant and challenging objective setting and ongoing performance tracking, developing turn around action plans as may be necessary
Work with the Young People directorate, contributing to and delivering the vision and strategy of our pathway
Maintaining excellent relationships with the local council, commissioning team, landlords, and housing team
Using sound financial and accounting principles, manage contract budgets to deliver on corporate and local contract financial targets
Successfully lead and motivate your team to ensure the championing of and maintenance of a positive local culture within your service
Where appropriate to role, carry client group specialism activities, linking in with other Managers and Heads of Operations to ensure focussed integration of specialisms across the whole organisation
Lead quality visits, using Look Ahead's local indicators to monitor quality/performance, set targets and lead action plans to ensure highly rated services that reflect requirements of local funders and local and national standards

For all full job description please visit our website.
What you'll bring:

Ability to lead and motivate staff to deliver excellent services
Is fundamentally calm and resilient, does not let emotion adversely affect them or obscure their judgement
Has a practical and logical mind
Excellent organisation skills
Thrives on change and enjoys dynamic diverse environments
Is confident with high levels of self-esteem
Is respectful, articulate and sensitive in style of communication
Is motivated towards excellence and improvement of personal performance with a can do attitude
Ability to cope positively with challenging and diverse behaviour
Enjoys social interaction and the company of others, joins in local activities to encourage customer involvement
Exudes a warm friendly presence and open behaviour
Able to work as part of a group or team as well as being self motivated
Essential:

Educated to degree level or equivalent
Experience of managing contracts and resources and delivering to budget and performance targets
Experience of delivering to housing management performance targets
Experience of effectively managing and developing staff to ensure delivery of services performance targets within contract
Experience of successfully managing external partnerships to ensure successful delivery of services
Holds relevant CMI/NVQ Level 5, or Business/Management Qualification, or be willing to be willing to work towards a Level 5 ILM to meet regulation standards (Ofsted)
Desirable:

Other relevant professional memberships and/or specialist qualifications
About us:

Look Ahead is a dynamic, leading, not-for-profit care and support provider in London and the South East. As an organisation we deliver over 110 services, providing support to around 7000 customers each year. We work across mental health, homelessness, young people and learning disabilities so there are plenty of opportunities to grow and progress your career with us.

Look Ahead is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk, and expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment.

If your application for this role is unsuccessful, but we feel that you would be suitable for another role, we may contact you to discuss alternative opportunities. If this occurs you would not need to submit another application for the alternative role.

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

We are committed to diversity and inclusion at work and are accredited with Silver in the Inclusive Employers Standard 2021. We are a proud member of the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants of all backgrounds.