Delivery and Partnership Manager

Get Set UK Group; Harlow; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave

Health and wellbeing support

Employee Assistance Programme

Workplace pension

IncentFit benefit

Discounts

Job summary

Get Set UK is seeking an experienced Delivery and Partnership Manager to lead IPS employment services for people with severe mental illness across Essex. You will oversee Team Leaders, manage subcontracted delivery and ensure contractual performance and fidelity.

This countywide role requires in-person engagement with NHS services and travel across the county to meet operational demands. You will drive partnership development, monitor referrals and outcomes, and collaborate with NHS teams to

Qualifications

• Experience leading operational teams within IPS, mental health employment support or related services.
• Experience managing subcontractors or supply chain partners with contractual performance oversight.
• Knowledge of IPS fidelity and NHS collaboration to improve service delivery.
• Experience coaching and developing others and managing performance conversations.

Responsibilities

• Lead Team Leaders and oversee IPS employment services across Essex.
• Monitor referrals, caseloads, waiting times and employment outcomes; drive improvements.
• Manage subcontractors and ensure performance, quality and fidelity.
• Collaborate with NHS clinical teams, commissioners and partners to strengthen referral pathways.
• Coordinate safeguarding, contractual compliance and performance reporting.

Skills

IPS and mental health employment

Subcontractor management

Partnership development

Team leadership

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Delivery and Partnership Manager - Essex IPS SMI (Work Your Way)

Lead the delivery. Strengthen the partnerships. Improve employment outcomes.

Employment can play a powerful part in mental health recovery. But delivering effective employment support takes more than good intentions. It requires strong operational leadership, integrated clinical partnerships and consistent performance.

As Delivery and Partnership Manager for Work Your Way, you'll oversee IPS employment services supporting people experiencing severe mental illness across Essex.

You’ll lead Team Leaders, manage subcontracted delivery, work closely with NHS mental health services and take responsibility for contractual performance, quality and IPS fidelity. This is a countywide role combining people leadership, performance accountability and partnership management.

This is an Essex-based, countywide operational role requiring regular in-person engagement with delivery teams, NHS services and subcontracted partners. It is not a remote management position.

You will need established knowledge of the Essex area and the ability to travel reliably between delivery locations. Please consider the practical demands of regular countywide travel before applying.

Before you apply: the essentials

To be considered, your CV and application must clearly demonstrate:

• Experience managing operational teams or Team Leaders within IPS, mental health employment support, employability or related services, with evidence of performance improvement.
• Experience managing subcontractors or supply chain partners, including monitoring contractual performance, managing relationships and addressing underperformance.
• Good working knowledge of IPS principles and fidelity, alongside an understanding of severe mental illness and barriers to sustainable employment.
• Experience working collaboratively with NHS mental health services, clinical teams or other health partners to improve service delivery.
• Evidence of managing contractual KPIs, employment outcomes and quality standards, using performance information to identify risks and take corrective action.
• Experience coaching and developing others, setting clear expectations and managing difficult performance conversations.
• Evidence of commitment, reliability and consistently delivering high standards of work, including agreed objectives and measurable results.
• Confident working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications and performance reporting systems, with the ability to learn other digital platforms.
• Ability to present your recent employment history clearly, including explaining gaps or short-term roles during the previous five years.
• Strong working knowledge of Essex, including its geography, local communities, NHS mental health services and employment support networks, together with the ability to travel reliably across the county to meet the operational demands of the role.

Useful, but not essential

• Direct involvement in IPS fidelity reviews and subsequent improvement planning.
• Experience supporting IPS services specifically for people experiencing severe mental illness.
• Knowledge of Essex mental health services, referral pathways and local employment networks.

The real job

You’ll be responsible for making sure employment support works consistently across internal teams and subcontracted services.

You’ll lead allocated Team Leaders, review performance, coach managers and address issues before they affect participants or contractual outcomes.

You’ll monitor referrals, caseloads, waiting times, job starts and sustained employment. When performance falls behind, you’ll investigate why, agree practical improvements and follow through.

Partnership management is equally important. You’ll hold subcontractors accountable for performance and quality while maintaining constructive working relationships.

You’ll work with NHS clinical teams, commissioners and delivery partners to strengthen referral pathways and integrate employment support with mental health treatment.

IPS fidelity is a core responsibility. You’ll prepare for and participate in fidelity reviews, coordinate evidence and ensure improvement actions lead to meaningful changes in delivery.

You’ll also maintain oversight of safeguarding, contractual compliance, service risks and accurate reporting.

What success looks like

Your teams and delivery partners understand their expectations and consistently work towards contractual employment outcomes.

NHS partnerships support effective referrals and integrated employment provision.

IPS fidelity reviews lead to sustained improvements, not simply completed action plans.

Team Leaders receive effective coaching, underperformance is addressed and participants receive consistent, recovery-focused support.

The working reality

This is an operational management role with accountability for people, performance, partnerships and service quality.

You’ll work across Essex, engaging directly with teams, NHS services and subcontractors. Regular countywide travel is part of the role.

The balance between managing internal teams and subcontracted provision may change as the service develops.

You’ll need to challenge performance constructively, resolve competing priorities and maintain effective relationships when difficult decisions are required.

What you get

• 25 days' annual leave, increasing with service.
• Vitality health and wellbeing support, including GP services, mental health support and physiotherapy.
• 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme, including up to six counselling sessions a year and legal, financial and debt guidance.
• Workplace pension, with salary sacrifice available subject to eligibility and scheme rules.
• Up to £360 a year through IncentFit for eligible activities.
• Wellbeing, retail, fitness, travel and mobile discounts, including 20% off eligible EE mobile plans.

About Get Set UK

Get Set UK delivers employment, skills, apprenticeships, health and justice services, helping people overcome barriers and progress towards meaningful, sustainable employment. We are part of Palladium, a global impact organisation with more than 60 years' experience delivering programmes and solutions internationally.

Our values are Be Ambitious, Be Proud, Be Considerate, Be Inspiring and Own It, and they shape how we work with colleagues, participants and partners.

Recruitment process

We assess your CV and application against the essential criteria and the evidence you provide. Keep your CV clear and concise, focusing on what you personally managed, improved or delivered. One to two pages will suit many applicants, although up to three may be appropriate where relevant experience requires it.

If shortlisted, the process may include a recruitment call or Teams conversation, role-related assessment and a hiring-manager interview with a practical exercise.

Preparation, responsiveness and attention to detail matter throughout. Any offer is conditional on satisfactory applicable pre-employment checks.

Safer recruitment

Get Set UK is committed to safer recruitment practices to help protect our colleagues and the people we support.

As part of our recruitment process, you will be required to provide a complete and accurate history of your employment and other relevant activity for the previous five years, including explanations for any gaps, together with referee details covering the previous three years.

Please ensure the information you provide is complete and accurate, as we may be unable to progress your application until our safer recruitment requirements have been completed.

Depending on the role, further pre-employment checks may include references, right-to-work checks, DBS checks and/or other appropriate vetting.

Eligibility and checks

You must have the full right to work in the UK. Sponsorship is not available for this role.

Get Set UK is a Disability Confident and Equal Opportunity Employer. Reasonable adjustments are available throughout recruitment.

Working at Get Set UK – what you can expect from us

Additional information

We reserve the right to close applications early, so we encourage early applications.

Get Set UK is a Disability Confident and Equal Opportunity Employer. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified individuals and are committed to supporting physical and mental wellbeing at work. Reasonable adjustments are available throughout the recruitment process.

This role is subject to satisfactory recruitment checks and a commitment to safeguarding learners and clients.

Get Set UK does not accept unsolicited CVs from agencies.