Clinical Service Lead Croydon Neurodevelopmental Assessment Team
The closing date is 03 August 2026

Job summary
This is an exciting opportunity for a motivated, innovative, and performance-driven clinician to join the Croydon Leadership Team and play a key role in shaping the future of neurodevelopmental services within the borough.The post holder will lead the Croydon Neurodevelopmental Assessment Team and be instrumental in the ongoing development and transformation of the service. This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced clinician with expertise in neurodevelopmental presentations, particularly ADHD and/or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), who is passionate about service improvement, high-quality clinical care, and developing effective pathways for children, young people, and families.

We accept applications from professionals with a background in Clinical Psychology, Child Psychotherapy, Family Therapy, or Nursing who possess strong leadership skills and a commitment to delivering excellent outcomes.

We warmly welcome applications from everyone who meets the essential criteria. As we continue our journey towards being an anti-racist organisation, we are especially keen to hear from Black and Global Majority candidates, so that our workforce more closely reflects the diversity of the children, young people and families we serve in Croydon.

Main duties of the job

• Provide operational and clinical leadership to the Neurodevelopmental Assessment Team.
• Lead the continued development and improvement of the neurodevelopmental service, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, evidence-based care.
• Monitor and manage service performance, quality standards, and key performance indicators.
• Maintain oversight of neurodevelopmental waiting lists, ensuring timely access to assessment and intervention pathways.
• Provide clinical and managerial supervision to team members, supporting professional development and high standards of practice.
• Lead on the investigation, monitoring, and learning from Serious Untoward Incidents (SUIs) and other governance processes.
• Hold responsibility for the team's budget and contribute to effective resource management.
• Ensure clinical practice is compliant with relevant national, professional, and organisational standards.
• Drive operational effectiveness and support the achievement of service objectives.
• Provide expert clinical consultation and contribute to complex decision-making regarding assessment and treatment options.

This is a rewarding leadership role for an individual who is committed to innovation, collaboration, and excellence in neurodevelopmental care, and who wishes to make a lasting impact on service delivery and patient outcomes.

About us
We are committed to ensuring our staff get the most out of their benefits package and understand the importance of a healthy work life balance. There is an extensive range of excellent benefits for you and your family. We want you to feel like you are part of a close knit team at SLaM. It's important to us that you feel valued and appreciated and that is why we have a comprehensive benefits package on offer.

Some of our benefits are highlighted here:

• Generous pay, pensions and leave, we offer a comprehensive pay, pensions and leave package which is dependent on the role and length of service.
• Work life balance, flexible working and supporting a range of flexible options, such as: part-time working and job sharing.
• Career development, There are plenty of opportunities to progress your career and we support your development through a number of programmes such as mentoring, coaching, positive people management, collective leadership and other talent programmes
• Car lease, our staff benefit from competitive deals to lease cars
• Accommodation, our staff benefit from keyworker housing which is available on selected sites
• NHS discounts, with discounts up to 10% from a variety of well-known retail brands through Health Service Discounts website.

Other benefits include:

• Counselling services
• Wellbeing events
• Long service awards
• Cycle to work scheme
• Season ticket loan
• Childcare vouchers
• Staff restaurants

Details
Date posted: 31 July 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 8a
Salary: £63,665 to £70,887 a year per annum inclusive of HCAs
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 334-NUR-8141947
Job locations: Christopher Wren House, 113 High Street, Croydon, CR0 1QG, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
For full details of the role, including the key responsibilities, person specification, and essential qualifications and experience, please refer to the attached Job Description and Person Specification.

We strongly encourage prospective applicants to review these documents carefully, as they provide comprehensive information about the expectations of the post, the skills and competencies required, and the opportunities available within the role. The attached documents will help you gain a fuller understanding of the position and determine how your experience and aspirations align with our service.

Person Specification
Education/Qualifications
Essential

• Recognised Professional Qualification in Social Work (DipSW/CQSW), Mental Health Nursing (RMN), Psychology or any allied medical profession.
• Evidence of continuing professional development.

Desirable

• RN Child
• Management course.

Experience
Essential

• Experience of leading and managing change to deliver organisational goals.
• Experience of working within the NHS, or a related public or voluntary sector organisation.
• Experience working with young people pre / post neurodevelopmental diagnosis
• Desire to develop leadership and management skills

Desirable

• Experience of service development.
• Knowledge / experience of Looked After Children
• Experience assessing young people with Neurodevelopmental presentations including co-morbidities
• Experienced in ADHD and / or autism assessments

Knowledge
Essential

• Specialist clinical knowledge relevant to the service, including evidence based practice.
• Understanding of the legislative and quality frameworks that govern provision of mental health and social care.
• Significant and advanced knowledge of neurodevelopmental presentations, particularly ADHD and/or ASD

Skills and Abilities
Essential

• Effective communications and interpersonal skills and proven ability to develop and manage key relationships at all levels.
• Understanding of public sector management and NHS Mental Health services, Social and Primary Care services
• Ability to develop close collaborative working relationship between individuals, teams and organisations
• Excellent report writing and presentation skills and proven ability to evaluate services and present findings to stakeholders
• Leadership skills especially the ability to lead and manage change through influence without direct management.

Desirable

• Ability to support, manage and advise the team through difficult and challenging situations.
• Ability to manage conflict effectively
• Ability to manage effectively a revenue budget.

Personal Attributes & Other Skills
Essential

• Recognition of own limitations, strengths and weaknesses and an ability to seek advice when necessary.
• Innovative, creative and willing to try new approaches.
• Possess attention to detail

Desirable

• Evidence of undertaking audit work.

Specialist Knowledge
Essential

• Current good practice in assessment, short term time limited treatments and interventions
• Knowledge of recent legislation affecting the NHS and local authority.

Desirable

• Knowledge or experience working with Looked After and Adopted Children

Additional information
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 (Opens in a new tab).

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 (Opens in a new tab).

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

Employer details
Employer name: South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Christopher Wren House, 113 High Street, Croydon, CR0 1QG, United Kingdom

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact:
Service Manager
Hollie McKay
hollie.mckay@slam.nhs.uk
02032280000