MHST Team Lead | NELFT NHS Foundation Trust

North East London NHS Foundation Trust; Southend-on-Sea; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent NHS foundation is seeking a Team Lead for their Mental Health Support Teams in South East Essex. This role involves providing both operational and clinical leadership, ensuring the delivery of high-quality mental health interventions and managing clinical staff effectively. The ideal candidate will be a registered mental health professional with experience in team management. The position promotes a positive team culture and offers opportunities for professional development.

Benefits

Comprehensive induction training

Supportive team environment

Opportunities for professional growth

Qualifications

• Registered mental health professional with experience in leading teams.
• Strong understanding of operational and clinical responsibilities.
• Ability to manage a small caseload while overseeing clinical staff.

Responsibilities

• Provide operational and clinical leadership within the MHST.
• Line manage clinical staff and ensure team meets targets.
• Facilitate positive team culture and promote MHST functions.

Skills

Clinical leadership

Operational management

Team management

Mental health intervention

Effective communication

Education

Registered professional in mental health

Job description

This is an exciting new role within the NHS that offers an opportunity to progress within an operational capacity. We are seeking enthusiastic registered professionals who can undertake the role of Team Lead within the Mental Health Support Teams (MHST). This particular role is based within South East Essex.

The MHST’s work in partnership with schools and colleges to support the mental health and emotional wellbeing of young people. We achieve this through offering 1:1 CBT interventions and whole school approaches (WSA).

As a Team Lead you will work closely with the Operational Manager and Clinical Lead. The Team Lead’s role will be separated into two, with 50% of your time being focused on clinical interventions and oversight and 50% of your time spent with operational responsibilities. A key part of this role is ensuring that we are meeting both operational and clinical targets. You will be responsible for line managing clinical staff whilst also holding a small caseload and having oversight of the delivery of service within your area.

Operational

• Support with recruitment; including review of job application, interviewing, planning induction package.
• Sickness and absence management; including return to work meetings, staff wellbeing meetings and referrals to occupational health.
• Roster management, support with annual leave requests; flexible working requests and study leave.
• Organising and chairing meetings.
• Undertaking audits as required by the service.

Clinical

• To provide an efficient, effective, comprehensive and specialist MHST service for children and adolescents.
• To complete assessments and treatment of children and adolescents with emotional and mental health problems, their carers/parents and families.
• To undertake a range of generic clinical work, guided self‑help, targeted group work and workshops under Whole School Approach (WSA).
• Ensure delivery of interventions are carried out in line with NICE guidance within the team. Ensure the appropriate use of Routine Outcome Measures (ROMs) to monitor efficacy of intervention.
• To monitor and guide the team in ensuring we meet safety benchmarks set by NELFT and the CQC.

Our Values 2025 - 2030

Working with our colleagues, patients and carers we have co‑produced three new values that we aim to embed within our culture here at NELFT.

• We are kind.
• We are respectful.
• We work together with our communities.

These three values help us to strive to provide the best care by the best people.

Starting with NELFT

NELFT places a great deal of importance on new starters being properly welcomed and inducted into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and will undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks which will include mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process new starters will have the opportunity to also meet the executive team, senior managers, and attend a number of drop‑in sessions focusing on engagement, health and wellbeing and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Rainham, Essex.

Probationary Period

This post will be subject to a probationary period.

At NELFT, we are committed to building a workforce that reflects and supports the diverse communities we serve. As part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen local employment and deliver high‑quality, person‑centered care, we will prioritise applications from individuals living in our local boroughs and surrounding areas.

Job Responsibilities

• The Team Lead will provide operational and clinical leadership within the MHST. They will be responsible for ensuring their locality team is meeting operational and clinical targets; and following escalation processes as required.
• The Team Lead will line manage clinical staff within the MHST.
• The Team Lead will actively promote the three core functions of MHST alongside the eight principles of the whole school approach.
• The Team Lead will facilitate the development of a positive and supportive team culture.
• The Team Lead will take an active interest in working parties and groups within the Trust to develop and improve on service delivery, protocols and guidelines.
• The Team Lead will participate in the audit process, linking in with the clinical governance agenda.
• The Team Lead will advise and share knowledge utilising the latest research and practice development, through literature and peer reviews in line with their registered governing body.
• The Team Lead will ensure that a high quality, timely, accessible and evidence‑based service is provided equitably across all schools who work in partnership with the MHST programme.

For a full description please see the attached job description and person specification.

The South East Essex Mental Health Support Team (MHST) covers a large geographical area incorporating Southend, Canvey, Rayleigh, Benfleet, Castlepoint and Rochford. We are an early intervention and prevention evidence‑based service and as a team we are supportive and passionate in what we deliver. We are a friendly team of professionals who come from multidisciplinary backgrounds. We recognise the needs for a healthy work life balance, and we will consider flexible working applications in line with the trust policies and process. We encourage Continual Professional Development (CPD) and are keen to support our staff to grow and progress.

Finally, we are a welcoming, compassionate and considerate team that works incredibly hard to support one another to improve the mental health of our community.

Certificates of Sponsorship

Although we are a registered sponsor organisation, we are unable to offer sponsorship for all job roles. Please check your eligibility under the UKVI points‑based system. When calculating the basic salary for sponsorship, HCAS (High‑Cost Area Supplement) is not included to ensure fairness and consistency within our Trust.

Use of AI

Please see attached document regarding acceptable use of AI during the recruitment process.

This advert closes on Monday 29 Dec 2025.