Head of Service – Mental Health

Our client based in Cheshire East is seeking an experienced and dynamic Head of Service to lead the operational delivery and strategic development of Specialist Mental Health Services within Adult Social Care. This is a senior leadership opportunity responsible for overseeing assessment, care management, safeguarding, and service delivery functions, ensuring adults with mental health needs receive high-quality, person-centred services that achieve positive outcomes.

The successful candidate will provide strategic and operational leadership across specialist mental health services, driving service improvement, performance, quality assurance, partnership working, and statutory compliance. You will work closely with senior leaders, health partners, commissioning teams, and other stakeholders to develop integrated services that meet the needs of vulnerable adults whilst ensuring effective use of resources and delivering value for money.

What will your responsibilities be?

Providing strategic and operational leadership for Specialist Mental Health Services within Adult Social Care, ensuring the delivery of safe, effective, and high-quality services.

Leading assessment and care management services, ensuring statutory duties and operational objectives are consistently met.

Driving service transformation, innovation, and continuous improvement initiatives to enhance outcomes for adults with mental health needs.

Developing and implementing operational policies, procedures, systems, and service standards to ensure legislative compliance and best practice.

Leading partnership and multi-agency working arrangements with health colleagues, partner organisations, and other stakeholders to deliver integrated and coordinated care.

Ensuring compliance with relevant legislation, including the Care Act 2014, Mental Health Act 1983, Mental Capacity Act 2005, Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards, and Adult Safeguarding responsibilities.

Leading on operational safeguarding arrangements and ensuring robust governance and quality assurance processes are in place across services.

Managing service performance through effective use of data, performance indicators, quality assurance frameworks, and outcome-based reporting.

Overseeing service budgets, commissioning arrangements, and financial resources to ensure effective budget management and delivery of value for money.

Providing leadership, support, supervision, and strategic direction to operational managers and service teams, promoting a culture of accountability, development, and continuous learning.

Managing complex, high-risk, and high-profile issues, ensuring appropriate resolution and maintaining service reputation and standards.

Working collaboratively with commissioning teams to develop and implement services that meet identified needs and improve outcomes for local populations.

Preparing and presenting reports, performance information, and strategic recommendations to senior leaders and key stakeholders.

Leading workforce planning, recruitment, staff development, and organisational change initiatives across the service.

Qualifications and Experience:

To be successful in this role you must have;

Professional Qualification: Degree-level qualification in a relevant discipline, supported by relevant postgraduate qualifications.

Registration: Social Work England registration or equivalent professional registration.

Senior Leadership Experience: Significant experience operating at a senior management level within Adult Social Care.

Mental Health Experience: Extensive operational experience within Specialist Mental Health Services and Adult Social Care.

Legislative Knowledge: Detailed understanding of the Care Act 2014, Mental Health Act 1983, Mental Capacity Act 2005, Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards, Adult Safeguarding legislation, and associated statutory guidance.

Service Development: Demonstrable experience leading service transformation, improvement programmes, and organisational change initiatives.

Financial Management: Experience managing complex budgets, commissioning arrangements, and financial resources within Adult Social Care services.

Partnership Working: Proven ability to work effectively with health organisations, partner agencies, commissioners, and senior stakeholders.

Leadership Skills: Strong people management, coaching, mentoring, and performance management capabilities.

Communication Skills: Excellent communication, report-writing, presentation, negotiation, and influencing skills, with the ability to convey complex information to a wide range of audiences.

Strategic Thinking: Ability to lead strategic planning, performance management, service redesign, and quality assurance activities across complex service areas.

Mobility: Willingness and ability to travel as required to meet the operational needs of the service.

Why Liquid Personnel?

Free DBS and compliance service

Twice weekly payroll and ‘Faster Pay’ service, getting you paid more quickly

Access to exclusive roles that aren’t available from other agencies

Free access to Liquid’s exclusive social work training and CPD portal

Your own dedicated consultant with extensive social work knowledge

Access to a wide selection of social work positions across the UK

“Refer a Friend” bonus – get £500 for each social worker you refer who we successfully place*

“Find your own job” bonus – get £250 for bringing your own position to us *

Liquid Personnel is an equal opportunities employer. Liquid Personnel Ltd is acting as an Employment Business in relation to this vacancy. * Terms and conditions apply to our bonus schemes.

Reasonable Adjustments:

• If you consider yourself to have a disability or require any reasonable adjustment during the recruitment process or within the workplace, please highlight this at the earliest opportunity by contacting our team. With this information, we will provide appropriate support to you throughout the process and into your work placement.
• We are unable to support or accept applications from candidates who are residents within the Red or Amber list of the Code of practice for the international recruitment of health and social care personnel in England, based on the World Health Organisation (WHO) Workforce Support and Safeguard List.

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