Healthwatch Somerset Manager : Up to 37 hours per week (minimum 30 hours)

the advocacy people; Taunton; Hybrid; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading advocacy charity in Somerset is looking for a passionate individual to manage feedback activities and a small team in health and social care. The role involves engaging with communities and requires flexibility and a driving licence. Ideal candidates will possess great communication and organizational skills. This position offers a commitment to flexible working and employee benefits, including a discount scheme and training opportunities.

Benefits

Employee discount scheme

Training & Development

Employee assistance programme

Qualifications

• Experience working collaboratively in health or social care.
• Full driving licence and access to own transport required.
• Flexibility with working hours.

Responsibilities

• Lead feedback gathering activities in Somerset.
• Develop engagement activities with various communities.
• Line-manage the local Healthwatch team.

Skills

Creative engagement skills

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Job description

About the role

Health and social care are continuously changing with big shifts happening now in how services are designed and delivered. You will join us at an exciting time to ensure the independent public voice is heard, making sure those services work with and for people. We’re looking for someone passionate about making a difference to how health and social care services are delivered to the people of Somerset. This is a challenging, exciting and varied role line‑managing a small team where your input really matters with an employer committed to flexible working.

Responsibilities

• Leading our feedback gathering activities to ensure that people's views and experiences of health and social care are captured, listened to and taken account of by decision makers in Somerset at a key time of change and development.
• Developing and leading engagement activities and projects with a wide range of communities in Somerset, including those seldom heard or marginalised.
• Line‑managing and enhancing the leadership of the local Healthwatch team.

What we need from you

We are looking for someone with the creativity and enthusiasm to engage with people and take their experience of health and care services to help improve and shape services across Somerset. Ideally we are looking for someone with experience of working collaboratively in a team in a health or social care role with great communication and organising skills.

The role is home‑based with frequent travel within Somerset attending meetings and events. As such you will need a full driving licence, access to your own transport and flexibility with working hours.

What happens next

Applicants invited to interview will need to bring evidence (photographic where possible) of their right to work in the UK. New employee start dates will only be confirmed once other mandatory checks, including the appropriate DBS clearance and two satisfactory references (one from your most recent or current employer) have been received. All applicants are subject to the Advocacy People Safer Recruitment pre‑appointment checks.

Closing date

09:00 28th November 2025

Interview details

Date: 8th December 2025
Venue: Online via Teams

Contact

Jamie Evans
Healthwatch Area Director
Email: (contact information on The Advocacy People website)

Company

The Advocacy People and Healthwatch share core values which are all about peoples' voices: empowering people to speak up, amplifying service user voices, enabling people to take part in and influence decision‑making about health and social care, and providing information which helps people make informed decisions. As an independent charity grounded in Human Rights principles, we take pride in being one of the UK’s foremost providers of advocacy and Healthwatch services.

EDI

By embracing Equity, Diversity and Inclusion we can build a stronger, more resilient organisation and work together to create a more just and equitable society. We invite all members of our community to join us in this important journey toward positive change.

Benefits

• Employee discount scheme
• Training & Development
• Employee assistance programme

Key skills

• Anti Money Laundering
• Marketing & Sales
• Gas Turbine
• CNC
• Jpa

Employment type

Unclear

Required experience

Manager level

Experience

Years: unspecified

Vacancy

1

Registered charity number

(Number not provided)

Reservation of closing date

The Advocacy People reserves the right to bring forward the closing date if sufficient applications are received.