Lead Occupational Therapist

SJB Medical; Sheffield; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 78,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Leadership development

CPD opportunities

Supportive MDT

Staff mentoring

Job summary

sjb medical is seeking a Lead Occupational Therapist to provide clinical and operational leadership within a specialist rehabilitation service. You will supervise a team of OT clinicians and a Therapy Assistant, shaping the future direction of an established OT service.

The role combines frontline clinical leadership with strategic development, governance, and workforce growth, across a multidisciplinary team to deliver high-quality, evidence-based rehabilitation for clients with complex needs.

Qualifications

• HCPC registration is required.
• Minimum 5 years' specialist rehabilitation experience.
• Experience leading a therapy team or service.
• Experience with life-changing injuries or illnesses is essential.

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical and operational leadership to the OT team.
• Lead service development, quality improvement, audits and evaluations.
• Supervise, mentor and manage performance of OT staff.
• Deliver comprehensive assessments, treatment planning and rehab interventions.
• Produce high-quality clinical reports and documentation.
• Collaborate with Physiotherapy and Speech & Language Therapy teams.
• Contribute to policy development, governance and best practice.
• Support education, training, student placements and workforce development.

Skills

HCPC registration

Rehabilitation experience

Leadership experience

Clinical governance

Report writing

Stakeholder management

Education

BSc Occupational Therapy

Job description

Lead Occupational Therapist

Are you an experienced Occupational Therapist looking for an opportunity to lead, influence service development, and make a lasting impact on the lives of individuals recovering from life-changing injuries and illnesses?

We are seeking a Lead Occupational Therapist to provide clinical and operational leadership within a specialist rehabilitation service. This is an exciting opportunity to join a highly skilled multidisciplinary team and shape the future direction of an established Occupational Therapy service.

About the Role

As Lead Occupational Therapist, you will oversee a team of Occupational Therapists, an Occupational Therapy Assistant, and a Therapy Technician, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, evidence-based rehabilitation.

You will work closely with the Head of Therapies and wider clinical leadership team to drive service excellence, contribute to strategic developments, and support outstanding outcomes for clients with complex rehabilitation needs.

The service supports individuals with a range of specialist conditions, including:

• Acquired and traumatic brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Complex neurological conditions
• Major trauma
• Amputation and limb loss

This role combines clinical expertise with leadership responsibilities, offering the opportunity to influence clinical standards, service improvement initiatives, workforce development, and rehabilitation outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide clinical and operational leadership to the Occupational Therapy team.
• Lead service development, quality improvement initiatives, audits, and evaluation projects.
• Manage and support a team of Occupational Therapy professionals through supervision, mentoring, and performance development.
• Deliver comprehensive assessments, treatment planning, and rehabilitation interventions.
• Produce high-quality clinical reports and documentation.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary colleagues including Physiotherapy and Speech & Language Therapy teams.
• Contribute to policy development, governance processes, and clinical best practice.
• Support education, training, student placements, and workforce development.
• Represent the organisation at professional events, conferences, and stakeholder meetings.

About You

To be successful in this role, you will have:

Essential Criteria

• HCPC registration as an Occupational Therapist.
• Minimum of 5 years' specialist rehabilitation experience.
• Experience working with clients following life-changing injuries or illnesses.
• At least 2 years' experience in a leadership, supervisory, or management capacity.
• Demonstrable experience managing complex caseloads.
• Excellent report writing, clinical reasoning, and decision-making skills.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management abilities.
• Evidence of ongoing professional development.

Desirable

• Leadership qualification or evidence of leadership training.
• Experience in service development, research, audit, and quality improvement.
• Experience within neurorehabilitation, trauma, spinal injury, or complex rehabilitation services.
• Experience within NHS, private healthcare, or specialist rehabilitation settings.

What We Offer

• Opportunity to lead an established and respected Occupational Therapy service.
• Significant involvement in shaping future clinical services.
• Supportive multidisciplinary environment.
• Continuous professional development and leadership opportunities.
• The chance to make a meaningful difference to individuals recovering from life-changing conditions.

Why sjb medical?

sjb medical's vision is simple yet unique: to bring search and selection, and medical expertise together to provide a unique resourcing service to the healthcare sector. We take pride and great care in providing our healthcare candidates with the best possible support throughout their recruitment journey. We understand that a diverse workforce is essential to our clients' success and promotion of equality, diversity and fairness in our recruitment process is paramount.

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