Manchester Thrive Navigator

MFT; Manchester; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 39,000; Part time

Job summary

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust is seeking M Thrive Hub Navigators to signpost and support access to wellbeing services for children, young people and families in Manchester. You will provide information and help connect people to the right local resources with a focus on community-based care.

The role involves mapping local services, building cross-sector partnerships, and delivering an integrated response to meet wellbeing needs in the community, including VCSE partners.

Qualifications

• A qualification relevant to working with young people.
• NVQ Level 4 and above or equivalent experience to degree level.
• A desire to obtain CYP IAPT offer.

Responsibilities

• Act as enablers and signpost wellbeing services to children, young people and carers.
• Map and develop close working relationships with local services for an integrated response.
• Signpost and support people into community services, including VCSE sector.
• Provide advice, information and information to help plan effective support.
• Ensure strength-based, person-centred approaches when creating support plans.

Skills

Thrive Framework understanding

IT literate

Teamwork

Communication

Education

NVQ Level 4 or equivalent

Qualification relevant to working with young people

Job description

We have vacancies in the following sectors

Select below to see the jobs in that sector

Main area M-Thrive Navigator Grade NHS AfC: Band 5 Contract 12 months (Fixed term - Maternity cover) Hours Part time - 30 hours per week Job ref 349-SHCG-8288810-RL4

Site Harrington Building: Royal Manchester Children's Hospital Town Manchester Salary £32,073 - £39,043 per annum (pro rata) Salary period Yearly Closing 18/10/2026 23:59

Job overview

The THRIVE framework, jointly developed by the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families and the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, has provided a systematic and population focused approach to improving outcomes for children, young people and their families.

I-THRIVE support the provision of services using a whole-system approach to the delivery of child wellbeing services. This involves taking a population approach to delivery of care; enabling integration across health, care, education, social care and third sectors, and a central focus on delivering improved outcomes for children and young people.

The Manchester (M) Thrive Hub is a single point of entry, a front door, to Manchester’s Emotional Wellbeing Services. The M Thrive Hub Practitioners willwork within one of the three Manchester locality M Thrive Hubs (North, Central, South).

Main duties of the job

The M Thrive Hub Navigators roles will include acting as enablers and systems supporters; provding advice, information and signposting to wellbeing services. The key aim of the M-Thrive stratey is to ensure that children, young people and carers are able to Thrive in their local communites.

M Thrive Hub Navigators will work to map and develop close working relatioships with the whole range of local services in their area. This is to enable an intergreated communty response to meet the wellbing needs of children, young people, families and carers . This will involve working along side all stake holders ,including children, young people and carers.

The Thrive Navigators will signpost and support people into services in the community, predominantly VCSE sector. They are able to support joint visits with other professionals as well as lone visits to help support improving an individual’s well-being in their local community.

The role of the Thrive navigator is not a clinical one and will have a strength based person centred approach when working with people to come up with the best support plans with that person at that time involving all other services when appropriate. The Nagivator will be responsible for the planning and delivery of youth support offer to Children and Young People.

Working for our organisation

Join Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT), the largest provider of specialist services, and our Oxford Road Campus in Manchester, the largest health academic campus in Europe – a great place to shape your career.
With a workforce of over 30,000 colleagues, we work together to deliver exceptional care to more than 1 million people every year.
Behind every patient cared for are people like you - keeping services running smoothly, supporting clinical teams, and helping create safe, welcoming environments for patients and our people alike.
At MFT, we believe in the power of teamwork, respect, and inclusion. Our People Plan reflects our commitment to making MFT a place where everyone feels they belong, where your ideas are heard, and your contribution is truly valued. Join us and work smarter with our digital technology and thrive in a collaborative culture that empowers you to deliver your best to ensure that your work behind the scenes creates seamless, high-quality care and exceptional patient outcomes.
Whether you're just starting out or looking to grow, we offer clear pathways for development and a culture that supports your wellbeing, ambition, and success. Everything you do makes a real difference to the lives of others.
At MFT, your role matters, your impact is real, and you’re part of something bigger from day one.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Explore ‘Inside MFT – Your Candidate Place’

To help you feel confident, prepared and fully informed before you apply, we invite you to explore Inside MFT – Your Candidate Place. This welcoming one‑stop hub gives you a real sense of who we are, what we stand for, how we reward and support you, and the many ways we care for you as you care for others. You’ll also find practical hints and tips for submitting a great application, along with the essential information you need to know before you apply.

We welcome applications from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences.
To help us manage applications fairly and give each one the time it deserves, our adverts may close early if we receive a high level of interest. Early applications are therefore encouraged.

Diversity Matters
MFT is committed to promoting equality of opportunity, celebrating and valuing diversity and eliminating any form of unlawful discrimination across our workforce, ensuring our people are truly representative of the communities we serve. All individuals regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation are encouraged to apply for this post. As an inclusive employer, we are here to support you. If you have any special requirements to help you with your application, please contact the manager named below.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in your application

Here at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, we’re proud to be ALL HERE FOR YOU, for our patients, our communities, and each other.
As part of our commitment to fairness, transparency, and personal integrity, we ask all applicants to ensure that their job applications reflect their own experiences, skills, and motivations. While AI tools can support spelling, grammar, or formatting, we expect that the content of your application, especially personal statements and responses to role specific questions is written by you. This helps us get to know the real you and ensures that our recruitment process remains equitable and meaningful for everyone.

Thank you for helping us uphold the values that make our Trust a place where people belong, grow, and thrive. We look forward to receiving your application.

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check

As part of our commitment to safeguarding patients and staff, many roles at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) require a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. This is a standard process across the NHS and helps us ensure a safe environment for everyone.

What is a DBS Check?

A DBS check is a background check that reveals any criminal convictions, cautions, reprimands, or warnings. The level of check required depends on the role:

Standard DBS : Checks for spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands, and final warnings.

Enhanced DBS : Includes the above, plus any additional information held by local police that’s considered relevant to the role.

Enhanced with Barred Lists: Includes all of the above, plus checks against the children’s and/or adults’ barred lists.

Who Needs a DBS Check

Most roles involving direct patient contact, working with children or vulnerable adults, or access to sensitive information will require a DBS check. The job advert and recruitment team will let you know if this applies to your role.

The Costs for a DBS

At Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT), roles that require a DBS check are subject to a cost recovery policy. This means that the cost of submitting and processing a DBS application if you are successful and join us, will be deducted from your salary within the first three months of employment. If, however, you withdraw from a conditional offer after the DBS process has begun, you will still be liable for the cost incurred.

Candidates are also expected to register with the DBS Update Service which must be completed within 30 days of the certificate being issued. This helps streamline future employment checks and supports safer recruitment practices. For more information, please visit the DBS Update Service.

Person specification

Qualifications

• A qualification relevant to working with young people
• NVQ Level 4 and above or equivalent experience to degree level (post or undergraduate) or equivalent experience to degree level
• A desire to obtain a CYP IAPT offer

Experience

• Substantial experience of working with young people with mental health problems.
• Experience of liaison with a range of agencies.
• Experience of group work
• Experience of delivering services in a community setting

Knowledge, Skills and Ability.

• Understanding of Thrive Framework
• Ability to work as a member of a multi-disciplinary team.
• Understanding of working within a multi-cultural inner-city area
• Skills and knowledge in using participatory young person ways of working
• Understanding of the issues young people face and how these impacts on their mental health.
• Formulating short- and long-term objectives and engages in planning and evaluation
• Professional attitude, confident and self-motivating
• Prioritising & effective time keeping
• Can demonstrate motivation, drive, enthusiasm, flexibility, reliability, empathy, and confidence
• IT literate using different programmes and in the use of social media
• Providing advice, support, and training on CYP and professionalsContributes to the development of and responsibility for the implementation of standards, policies/ procedures in relation to specialism
• Accurately maintain CYP records, records own data/documentation
• Excellent Presentation/teaching skills
• Experience of devising, developing and delivering training
• IT Skills
• GM Thrive Training Modules

Employer certification / accreditation badges

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.