Job summary
Speech and Language Therapy Manager
Step into a role where your expertise genuinely influences the quality-of-care children receive. As our new Early Years & Mainstream Communication Lead you'll guide the development of a service committed to delivering exceptional outcomes and evidence-based practice.

We are a small, friendly, and highly skilled children's speech and language therapy team providing health funded SLT provision in children's homes, clinic and community settings. Our service culture values professional leadership, continuous learning, and high-quality care. We're looking for someone who can strengthen our clinical delivery, champion quality improvement, and inspire excellence across the team.

You'll be based in our purpose-built Child Development Centre (CDC), working alongside a multidisciplinary team and within easy reach of central London and Surrey.

Professional development is at the heart of our service. You'll have access to regular in-service training, reflective practice, research opportunities, and leadership support from the Head of Children's Therapies and the wider AHP workforce. The Trust also offers a range of internal and external leadership and management programmes to support your growth.

This is an exciting time to join us. The Trust is developing its first Babies, Children and Young Persons Strategy, and you'll play a key role in shaping how it comes to life within Speech and Language Therapy practice.

Main duties of the job
Croydon's Children's Speech and language Therapy team has two Band 8A Management posts. Each post leads on different areas of clinical specialism with joint responsibility for the overall management of the SLT service.

You will take overall responsibility to developing the service provision in the following clinical specialisms: Early Years, EHCP assessments, ADOS, stammering and deaf service.

You will be jointly responsible for the day to day running of the Children's speech and language Therapy team alongside the SLT Therapy Manager- Eating and Drinking and Complex Needs Lead.

You will be responsible for jointly delivering the teams KPIs and performance targets with support from the Head of Children's Therapies.

You will provide clinical support, supervision and line management of the speech and language therapy team in your designated areas of specialism

You will be responsible for ensuring high quality, evidence-based therapy pathways are in place with appropriate outcome measures in your designated areas of specialism.

You will be jointly responsible for ensuring that clinical audit, staff development and quality improvement becomes truly embedded within the service and part of daily clinical practice.

You will provide high quality assessment and treatment to CYP within a defined clinical caseload.

To work within a multi-agency and disciplinary approach contributing to integrated clinical practice.

About us
Croydon Health Services NHS Trust provides hospital and community services across Croydon through a range of clinics and specialist centres. Formed in August 2010 from the integration of Croydon Community Health Services and Mayday Healthcare NHS Trust, we employ around 4,100 staff serving a diverse population of over 360,000 people.

Our main site, Croydon University Hospital, is one of the busiest in London. We are also leading the way in delivering more healthcare in community settings and people's homes. Our district nursing teams, Allied Health Professionals and community matrons care for people of all ages across the borough.

Like the wider NHS, we are working hard to meet increasing demand. With the right people on board, we continue to innovate and transform our services to provide the highest quality care for local residents. We place strong emphasis on education, training and career development for all staff.

If you want to make a real difference, challenge yourself and be part of a Trust that's shaping local healthcare, Croydon Health Services could be the place for you.

At Croydon Health Services NHS Trust, we are committed to supporting flexible working arrangements. Applicants are encouraged to discuss any flexibility they may need during the recruitment process.

Details
Date posted: 09 July 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 8a
Salary: £63,665 to £70,887 a year
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 199-8084759-RB-NA
Job locations: Crystal Child Development Centre, Malling Close, Croydon, CR0 7YD, United Kingdom

Person Specification
Education & Qualifications
Essential

• Recognised Speech and Language Therapy qualification
• HCPC licence to practise
• Evidence of successful completion of specialist short courses relevant to Children's SLT

Desirable

• Master's or equivalent level of training
• ADOS training

Knowledge
Essential

• Knowledge of a range of evidence-based intervention approaches and outcome measures with a paediatric caseload
• Knowledge of Clinical governance structures and measuring clinical effectiveness
• In-depth knowledge of national policies, legislation and procedures in relation to children, young people and families
• Knowledge of best practice in multi-disciplinary & multi-agency teamworking, including collaborative working with families
• Knowledge of SLT models and frameworks for paediatric settings
• Knowledge of the current evidence base for the provision of Early Years SLT
• Knowledge of bilingualism and multicultural issues

Desirable

• Knowledge of current evidence base for SLT provision in relation to stammering
• Knowledge of current evidence base for SLT provision in relation to Deafness
• Knowledge of performance and change management

Experience & Skills
Essential

• Extensive experience of working as a qualified SLT in Children's Community
• Extensive experience of autonomously managing an early years paediatric caseload to a clinically competent standard
• Experience of Multi-disciplinary working and skill-sharing
• Experience of providing clinical supervision and appraisals.
• Experience of developing and providing training to families
• Experience of high-quality service development initiatives and clinical audits
• Experience of using clinical outcomes
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including observation, listening and empathy skills
• Excellent time and workload management skills
• Highly developed problem-solving skills
• Excellence leadership and team player skills
• Competent computer skills
• Ability to be assertive, adaptable and use initiative

Desirable

• Experience of managing staff, including performance management and change management
• Experience of developing clinical pathways and protocols
• Experience of inter-agency planning, consultation and working

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).

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact:
Head of Children's Therapies
Fiona Kingsley
fiona.kingsley1@nhs.net
07557158856