Occupational Therapy Team Leader

The Scc; Ipswich; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

An organization providing occupational therapy services is seeking an Occupational Therapy Team Lead in Ipswich. This role involves leading a team, managing complex cases related to major home adaptations, and contributing to service development. The ideal candidate is an experienced Occupational Therapist with leadership experience and a commitment to professional growth. This is a hybrid position offering flexibility in office base.

Qualifications

• Proven experience supervising Occupational Therapists or Well-being Practitioners.
• Strong commitment to career development in an Adult Social Care team.
• Experience in housing-related casework and working with Suffolk County Council.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team including Occupational Therapists and Independent Well-being Practitioners.
• Conduct staff supervisions and handle HR responsibilities.
• Manage complex Occupational Therapy cases involving major home adaptations.

Skills

Leadership

Occupational Therapy

Supervision

Housing casework

Strategic thinking

Education

Qualified Occupational Therapist

Job description

Overview

As a modern, flexible and effective organisation, we're driven to make a positive difference to the environment, the communities we serve and the careers of our people. That's why, when you join us as an Occupational Therapy Team Lead, you'll be encouraged to share your fresh thinking and empowered to explore new ideas that will shape and improve our services as well as your career.

Responsibilities

• Leading a team of operational staff, including an Occupational Therapist and four Independent Wellbeing Practitioners.
• Conducting staff supervisions, performance appraisals, and handling associated HR responsibilities.
• Overseeing the holding list and managing work allocation.
• Managing complex Occupational Therapy cases, particularly those involving major home adaptations.
• Collaborating closely with the ILS Admin team and the Grab Rail service.
• Representing the service in meetings with district and borough councils across Suffolk, fostering partnerships and supporting joint service delivery objectives.
• Building specialist expertise in housing-related matters.
• Authorising equipment through funding panels and contributing to the wider SCC Adult Social Care Occupational Therapy group.
• The Independent Living Service Occupational Therapy team are in the Contact and Assessment service of ASC and are responsible for assessing customers for major home adaptations (costing over £1000) for privately owned and rented properties. The team refer on to and work closely with the district and borough councils who are responsible for processing Disabled Facilities Grants. This includes means testing, providing application forms, technical input, reviewing quotes and approving grants. ILS also has a grab rail service which is managed by a small team with whom the ILS OT group work in conjunction with.
• This is a diverse team with a mixture of qualified Occupational Therapists and Independent Wellbeing Practitioners. The team are hybrid and there is flexibility in terms of office base. The role of Team Lead involves complex case working across Suffolk alongside the overall running of the team. This is an exciting time to join ILS as it as an evolving service; as Team Lead you will be working closely with the Operations and Partnerships Manager, as well as the Principal OT, on the strategic vision of ILS as a major adaptations and specialist housing service.

Person Profile

• A qualified and experienced Senior Occupational Therapist within an Adult Social Care (ASC) team.
• A strong commitment to career development and a desire to progress professionally.
• An interest in housing and its connection to Occupational Therapy, supported by experience in housing-related casework.
• Proven experience of working with Suffolk County Council (SCC) partners, ideally having led relevant projects.
• Experience supervising Occupational Therapists, Independent Well-being Practitioners, or students.
• Creativity and strategic thinking to help shape service development and contribute to delivery plans.
• The ability to balance complex clinical casework with managerial and leadership responsibilities.
• Confidence in working independently while engaging effectively with line and clinical supervision.
• A genuine passion for Occupational Therapy and its potential to make a meaningful difference.