Job summary
Are you ready to step into a role where leadership means something - to your team, your service and the children you support?

As Clinical Operations Manager, in our Wakefield service you will be part of a passionate local leadership team delivering early mental health support to children, young people and families through our Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs).

You will help shape and drive a service that is values led, evidence based and focused on outcomes that matter. Working closely with the Service Manager, you will lead on clinical quality, supervision and governance, ensuring that everything we deliver is safe, consistent and impactful. You will support the service to grow and evolve, mentoring practitioners, managing risk and holding high standards across the board.

You will be a visible, trusted figure within your team and with our partners. You will provide clinical leadership, support whole school approaches and play a key role in developing our workforce, including trainees and supervisors. You will also contribute to audits, performance reviews and service development, acting as a catalyst for positive change.

This is for leaders who believe in people. If you care about doing things right, bringing others with you and building something that matters, let's talk.

Main duties of the job
Are you known for bringing calm, structure and a grounded and confident clinical voice when it is most needed?

You are someone who brings experience, empathy and clarity to your leadership. You know how to balance compassion with accountability, and you care deeply about doing things well. You stay calm under pressure, think clearly in complex situations and lead in a way that helps others feel safe, supported and confident. Most of all, you believe in the impact of early help and in leading services that young people can truly rely on.

You will need:

• A core professional qualification in mental health such as nursing, social work or psychology
• Postgraduate training in CBT or a willingness to complete it
• At least three years of experience in community services for children and young people
• Senior level experience working with emotional wellbeing or mental health needs
• Experience providing clinical supervision and leadership within a team
• Strong safeguarding knowledge and experience
• Excellent communication, risk management and organisational skills
• A values driven approach to building relationships across teams and agencies
• A full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle or alternative arrangements if you are unable to drive

You might also bring experience in training, education settings or leading service improvement, which will give you a strong head start in the role.

This is leadership that matters. And it needs someone like you.

About us
Compass is committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults. Established for over 30 years, Compass is a national charity which works in communities across the UK providing services spanning substance misuse treatment and rehabilitation, early interventions for vulnerable young people, school-aged health programmes and associated prevention as well as treatment and health promotion initiatives.

All Compass posts are subject to appropriate level DBS checks.

We positively encourage applications from all members of the community, regardless of gender, race, faith, disability, age, or sexual orientation, and encourage applications from people who have experiences in life which enrich skills and empathy. This is part of our commitment to equality and developing a truly inclusive and representative workforce.

We are happy to discuss any reasonable adjustments individuals may require in the recruitment process, on commencement, or once in post.

Benefits
We offer a range of benefits including:

• 27 days holiday + bank holidays, rising to 32 days over time (pro rata)
• Life assurance at 2 x basic salary
• Competitive contributory pension scheme
• 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme and OH service
• Enhanced sick pay
• Excellent learning & development opportunities and career progression
• Annual salary review

Help us to make a positive change to the lives of children and young people!

Job responsibilities
Are you ready to step into a role where leadership means something - to your team, your service and the children you support?

As Clinical Operations Manager, in our Wakefield service you will be part of a passionate local leadership team delivering early mental health support to children, young people and families through our Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs).

You will help shape and drive a service that is values led, evidence based and focused on outcomes that matter. Working closely with the Service Manager, you will lead on clinical quality, supervision and governance, ensuring that everything we deliver is safe, consistent and impactful. You will support the service to grow and evolve, mentoring practitioners, managing risk and holding high standards across the board.

You will be a visible, trusted figure within your team and with our partners. You will provide clinical leadership, support whole school approaches and play a key role in developing our workforce, including trainees and supervisors. You will also contribute to audits, performance reviews and service development, acting as a catalyst for positive change.

This is for leaders who believe in people. If you care about doing things right, bringing others with you and building something that matters, let's talk.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Core Professional Mental Health Qualification (e.g. nursing, psychology), or equivalent.
• Post graduate training in CBT or willingness to undertake.
• Supervisory qualification, or willingness to complete Post Graduate Certificate in Supervision.

Desirable

• Additional post graduate qualification relevant to children and young peoples mental health and emotional wellbeing.
• Formal training in leadership, service improvement or quality improvement methodologies.
• Training in trauma informed practice or therapeutic interventions relevant to CYPF services.

Experience
Essential

• At least 3 years experience of working in a relevant children and young peoples community setting.
• Experience relating to mental health and emotional wellbeing needs of CYP.
• Experience of delivering individual and/or group clinical supervision.
• Experience of safeguarding CYP at a senior level.
• Experience within a senior clinical role in CYPF services.
• Experience of multi-agency and partnership working.
• Experience of teaching, training and/or practice development

Desirable

• Experience of leading service development or quality improvement initiatives.
• Experience of contributing to clinical audits and service evaluations.
• Experience of working within education or community based settings.
• Experience of supporting trainees, students or newly qualified staff.
• Experience of delivering reflective practice sessions or staff wellbeing support.
• Experience of managing complex safeguarding concerns within multi agency settings.

Additional Criteria
Essential

• Knowledge of safeguarding children and adults at risk guidance and legislation.
• Knowledge of confidentiality, consent and mental capacity.
• Knowledge of data protection guidance and legislation.
• Demonstrate leadership and the ability to delegate and supervise staff.
• Recognition and escalation of risk, contributing to control measures.
• Planning workload and time management.
• Ability to work under pressure and manage changing priorities.
• IT skills.
• Team player with a dynamic personality.
• Ability to work within multi agency and multi-disciplinary environments.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to relate to children, young people and families.
• Innovative practice and ability to influence others.
• Ability to enable progressive models of delivery and intervention.
• Visionary approach to managing change and transition.
• Positive attitude with a flexible, adaptable, solution focused and tenacious approach.
• Strong degree of personal integrity.
• Access to own transport or evidence of ability to commute efficiently between community venues.
• Ongoing commitment to maintain registration in core profession.

Desirable

• Knowledge of local and national CYP mental health pathways and services.
• Knowledge of clinical governance frameworks and quality assurance processes.
• Knowledge of outcome measures and performance monitoring within CYP services.
• Knowledge of current national guidance and emerging practice relating to children and young peoples mental health.
• Ability to motivate and inspire teams through periods of change.
• Confidence in representing services at partnership and stakeholder meetings.
• Ability to build sustainable partnerships across services and organisations.
• Commitment to continuous professional development and reflective practice.

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.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

We positively encourage applications from all members of the community, regardless of gender, race, faith, disability, age, or sexual orientation, and encourage applications from people who have experiences in life which enrich skills and empathy. This is part of our commitment to equality and developing a truly inclusive and representative workforce.