In Touch Manager – The Jane Moore Trust

We are currently seeking a dedicated and enthusiastic In Touch Manager to lead our In Touch Team.

The In Touch Manager role is funded by the National Lottery Community Fund, for a 2-year period. Reporting to the Head of Therapeutic Services, the postholder will be responsible for the leadership, development and operational delivery of a flexible and responsive aftercare service for young people and young adults from throughout Scotland.

What you’ll do:

● Establish and develop a flexible and responsive aftercare service to meet the changing needs of young people who have left care.
● Liaise with Managers and staff members of partnership organisations and other external agencies to ensure effective planning for each young person referred to the project.
● Establish effective systems to evidence the progress of all young people using the service(s), ensuring that progress is monitored, tracked and reviewed on a regular basis.
● Establish a database of a variety of organisations, both statutory and voluntary, which offer support services to young people, e.g. housing, employment, training, counselling, etc.

Benefits enjoyed by our workforce include:

● Annual salary benchmarking.
● Access to a well-developed comprehensive training programme, including Dyadic Developmental Practice.
● Generous annual leave entitlement.
● Additional annual leave based on length of service.
● Free confidential employee assistance programme.
● Refer a Friend Bonus Scheme.
● Access to our group pension scheme.
● Access to private healthcare
● Enhanced sick pay
● Enhanced Maternity Pay
● Paid Bereavement Leave

Job Purpose

Reporting to the Head of Therapeutic Services, the postholder will be responsible for the leadership, development and operational delivery of a flexible and responsive aftercare service for young people and young adults from throughout Scotland.

Ensuring that the vision and values of Moore House Group (MHG) are embedded in the practice of all staff within the In Touch team, the postholder effectively manages services supporting young people from the age of 15 years up to their 23rd birthday. These services will include the following: befriending; advocacy; counselling and advice; family work, support in emergency and crisis situations.

The postholder will demonstrate strong and inspirational leadership skills and make a highly effective contribution to the identification, implementation and review of strategic priorities for therapeutic services. Able to drive forward improvement and provide clear direction to In Touch staff, the postholder will continually develop staff’s practice and leadership capacity.

As a member of the wider MHG management team, the postholder will work closely with management colleagues to maximise the use of skills, expertise and resources to achieve the best possible outcomes for children and young people, their carers and families, as well as professional partners of MHG. The postholder will be expected to take on specific leadership responsibilities appropriate to their role including developing partnerships, marketing and promotion of MHG services and stakeholder engagement.

Key Responsibilities and Tasks

Establishing the Project

● Establish and develop a flexible and responsive aftercare service to meet the changing needs of young people who have left care.

● Work in conjunction with the Trustees to establish a range of policies and procedures to enable effective management and operation of the project.

● Liaise with Managers and staff members of the partnership organisations and other external agencies to ensure effective planning for each young person referred to the project.

● Be familiarise with the relevant legislation, national guidelines and initiatives which relate to young care leavers.

● Promote the project to young people, local authorities and other relevant agencies, ensuring that the project gains a high profile within the field of social work in Scotland.

● Establish effective systems to evidence the progress of all young people using the service(s), ensuring that progress is monitored, tracked and reviewed on a regular basis.

● Establish and participate in a 24-hour emergency service to offer support and advice, either by telephone or in person, depending on the needs of the situation.

● Establish a database of a variety of organisations, both statutory and voluntary, which offer support services to young people, e.g. housing, employment, training, counselling, etc.

● Ensure that all In-Touch staff have access to induction, support and supervision, as well as staff development and training opportunities which enable them to meet organisational expectations and to build the necessary skills and competences to be highly effective.

● Carry out regular reviews and set priorities in service development plans.

Project Management

● Assume responsibility for all aspects of the day-to-day management of the project.

● Ensure that all policies and procedures adopted by the Trustees are included within the operational processes and procedures of the project.

● Effectively plan, organise and manage resources and budgets, including staffing.

● Report to the Trustees on a regular basis, providing information and statistical data on all aspects of the operation of the project.

● Provide excellent leadership, effectively communicating MHG’s vision, values and priorities to the staff that the postholder leads and manages, inspiring them to have high aspirations for the young people involved in the project.

● Manage support workers, volunteers and other colleagues involved in the work of the project, ensuring that each receives regular professional supervision and support.

● Provide staff with an annual review of their performance in line with the agreed format and procedures and to ensure that learning and development plans are in place for each individual, which meet the requirements of the Scottish Social Services Council and/or other relevant registration bodies.

● Ensure the welfare of all young people using the project and follow the appropriate Child Protection and Protection of Vulnerable Adults procedures, where necessary and appropriate.

Services to Young People

● Positively engage with young people, increasing engagement with the individual as they
prepare to leave their service(s).

● Develop an In Touch plan in conjunction with other relevant agencies for each young
person referred to the project.

● Ensure that the In Touch plan for each young person is met and that additional requests
for support are responded to with creativity and flexibility, in line with the overall vision,
purpose and values of the project.

● Offer a range of services to young people and their families/carers to include: befriending;
advocacy; counselling and advice; family work; and support in emergency and crisis
situations.

Other

● Assume responsibility for any other tasks consistent with the nature and status of the post.

● Effectively manage any tasks that may be deemed appropriate by the Head of Therapeutic
Services.

Person Specification

Essential

● A professional qualification in one of the following areas: Social Work, Community Education, Psychology, Counselling/Psychotherapy (minimum HNC/SVQ 3 level, preferable at Diploma/Degree level)
● SVQ Level 4 or willing to work towards achieving within agreed timescale
● A minimum of five years experience in working with young people who experience social, emotional and behavioural challenge
● Experience of staff management

Skills/Training

● Strong management skills
● Highly motivated with ability to motivate and enthuse others
● Well-developed research and analytical skills
● Excellent interpersonal and team-working skills
● Highly effective written and verbal communication skills
● Ability to build and sustain highly effective relationships with a wide range of stakeholders
● Strong negotiation and influencing skills
● Ability to represent MHG at all levels
● Excellent planning, prioritising, organisational and time management skills
● Ability to manage resources
● Ambitious, creative and innovative in approach
● Strong conflict management and resolution skills

Qualities

● Strong values with demonstrable commitment to improving outcomes for looked after young people and young adults
● Able to lead, inspire and motivate others
● Ability to work as part of a team and present as an excellent role model to other colleagues
● Self-motivated with ability to respond to competing priorities and work under pressure
● Flexible and adaptable approach in dealing with changing circumstances
● Methodical, well-organised and able to meet deadlines
● Confident, highly motivated, honest and reliable
● Ability to think strategically and creatively
● Ability to adapt and cope with the pressure of change

Desirable

● A recognised management qualification is desirable
● A minimum of two year’s experience of managing services to children and young people, preferably within a looked after and accommodated environment

Circumstances

Eligible to work in the UK.
No relevant criminal convictions.

Special Requirements

Full Clean UK Driving Licence, with the use of a vehicle, with own business insurance cover.

Closing date for applications is Monday 3 June 2024 at 12pm.
Interviews will take place on Tuesday 11 June 2024.