Job summary
This is an exciting opportunity to become an Operational Lead within our newly redesigned Community Mental Health Service in City & Hackney. We are looking for an experienced, collaborative and compassionate leader who is passionate about community mental health, values multidisciplinary working, and is motivated to help shape the future of neighbourhood mental health services in City & Hackney.

Our transformed model is organised into four quadrants, each comprising two neighbourhoods, enabling one multidisciplinary team to develop strong local relationships and deliver coordinated, person-centred care to the communities they serve.

Working in close partnership with the Consultant Psychiatrists and Psychology Lead, you will provide operational and clinical leadership to a skilled multidisciplinary team, ensuring the delivery of safe and effective services while driving continuous improvement.

Main duties of the job
As the Operational Lead, you will have responsibility for the day-to-day operational management, performance, quality and workforce leadership of the quadrant. You will play a key role in shaping local services, building strong partnerships across health, social care and the voluntary sector, and ensuring the team is responsive to the needs of the local population.

A key aspect of the role is developing a deep understanding of your neighbourhood, its communities, strengths, challenges and population needs, and using this knowledge to build meaningful relationships with community organisations and partners. You will support the team to deliver care that is connected, accessible and rooted in the communities we serve.

About us
Working for East London NHS Foundation Trust and within the City & Hackney Centre for Mental Health offers the opportunity to be part of an organisation recognised for its commitment to high-quality, compassionate care and continuous improvement. ELFT serves one of the most diverse communities in the UK and is committed to reducing health inequalities and delivering person-centred, recovery-focused services. Staff are supported to innovate, develop professionally, and contribute to service improvement through a strong culture of learning, collaboration, and co-production with service users and carers. Working in City and Hackney provides a unique opportunity to work within an integrated system alongside primary care, social care, and voluntary sector partners to deliver responsive, community-based mental health services.

Details
Date posted: 10 July 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 8a
Salary: £66,274 to £73,496 a year per annum Inc HCAs
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 363-CH8129582
Job locations: Vivienne Cohen House, 2 Crozier Terrace, London, E9 6AT, United Kingdom

Job description
For full details of the job, please refer to the attached Job Description and Person Specification.

Person Specification
Education/Qualification/Training

• Relevant qualification at RMN, CQSW, Diploma in Social Work, GSCC Registration, Bsc Hons. Occupational Therapy at First or Masters degree level or relevant experience
• Evidence of post qualification training
• Evidence of professional development

Desirable

• Training in Quality Improvement methods
• Management qualification

Experience

• Significant experience of leading clinical work, ensuring that this is recovery focussed
• Significant experience of staff management, development and leadership
• Significant experience of managerial and clinical supervision
• Significant experience of Appraisal and Personal Development plans
• Experience of budget management across Health and Social Care
• Experience of recruitment, selection and retention
• Experience of working in a multidisciplinary team
• Experience of partnership working with other agencies

Desirable

• Experience of developing services and the change process
• Experience of developing and delivering training

Knowledge and Skills

• Knowledge of current mental health legislation and initiatives
• Current models of working with people with serious mental health problems including psycho-social and recovery approaches
• Knowledge of relevant legislation (e.g. Mental Health Act 1983, NHS & Community Care Act 1990, Care Act 2014, Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty)
• Knowledge of the Mental Health Act 1983 as amended in 2007
• Knowledge and understanding of Social Care issues including, Support Planning, Personalisation and Safeguarding adults and children
• Understanding of the principles of CPA/Care management and the local requirements for commissioning care packages
• Knowledge of the legal and ethical issues relating to health care
• Knowledge of the principles and practice of clinical governance, clinical audit and risk management
• Understanding of the key issues in the modernisation agenda for health and social services
• Knowledge of equal opportunities, confidentiality and consent issues
• NHS/LA policies and procedures
• Health & Safety issues
• Excellent communications skills
• Skills in using electronic clinical systems and associated Microsoft 365 applications

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Additional information
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details
Employer name: East London NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Vivienne Cohen House, 2 Crozier Terrace, London, E9 6AT, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.elft.nhs.uk/

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: Senior Operational Lead Lucy Harrison lucy.harrison6@nhs.net 02032228000