Recovery Navigator

Ad Warrior Ltd; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A social enterprise is seeking a Recovery Navigator for its Dependency and Recovery Services. This role involves working within a hybrid model, supporting probation clients with their recovery journeys. Responsibilities include managing diverse caseloads, conducting assessments, and facilitating both group and one-on-one sessions. The ideal candidate will have experience in the criminal justice or substance misuse sectors, possess excellent communication skills, and demonstrate the ability to maintain professional boundaries. This position offers flexible working and a range of benefits.

Benefits

Flexible working

Training and development opportunities

Simply Health Cashback Scheme

Season Ticket Loan Scheme

Cycle to work scheme

3 x Wellbeing Days

25 days Annual Leave plus Bank Holidays

Contributory Pension Scheme

Death in Service Payment

Critical Illness Insurance

Qualifications

• Excellent experience in substance misuse or related fields.
• Ability to set and maintain professional boundaries.
• Understanding of equal opportunity principles and GDPR.

Responsibilities

• Improve engagement of Persons on Probation in treatment services.
• Carry a diverse caseload of adult male prison leavers.
• Complete comprehensive assessments and deliver sessions.

Skills

Knowledge of the criminal justice sector

Experience in substance misuse field

Managing high caseloads

Delivering one-to-one interventions

Communication skills

Job description

Recovery Navigator - Southwark, Croydon & Lambeth

Location: London

Salary: £25,207

Vacancy Type: Permanent

Advertising End Date: 5th February 2026

We are Forward, the social enterprise that empowers people to break the cycle of crime and addiction to move forward and live fulfilling lives .

We deliver a range of MOJ Commissioned Rehabilitative services (CRS) directly for Probation in three key areas: Accommodation, Personal Wellbeing and Dependency & Recovery. Accommodation is delivered in Wales, Dependency and Recovery in London and Humberside, Personal Wellbeing in East of England, Sussex, Surrey and as a subcontractor in Kent and Cheshire.

These services work with Men 18+ who are under probation supervision, supporting them to navigate through their desired outcomes in order to achieve transformational change, break the cycle of offending and achieve long‑term integration into society.

Our services have supported thousands of people to make positive changes and build productive lives with a job, family, friends, and a sense of community. No matter what your past, we believe anyone is capable of lasting change.

Roles Responsibilities

As a Recovery Navigator in the Dependency and Recovery Services, you will be working within a hybrid model as part of a flexible, multi‑disciplinary team, working in person and travelling across the probation delivery units which covers the region of: Southwark, Croydon, Lambeth . You will be based in Borough, Croydon, Brixton probation offices. Some work may be delivered virtually, however this is an in‑person service.

The service is designed to improve engagement of Person(s) on Probation into treatment services and 'bridge the gap' between probation and substance misuse services in the community by offering practical assistance and ongoing support through a range of timebound, enforceable and motivational interventions.

You will carry a diverse caseload of adult male prison leavers and those on community orders within the National Probation Service, supporting to implement their action plan and navigate their recovery journey. You will be responsible for completing comprehensive assessments, creating a collaborative action plan and delivering one‑to‑one, group work/virtual sessions, whilst maintaining accurate record keeping throughout.

Some degree of flexibility may be required if out of office work is required, but this is a predominantly a Monday - Friday 09:00-17:00 role.

All probation‑based roles will require enhanced DBS and HMPPS security vetting. Please note this process can take up to 3-6 weeks. All offers are subject to receiving both HMPPS vetting and DBS clearances.

Checks will require you to provide information on the below:

• Yourself (personal information, financial information, police information, criminal history)
• Your family (parents, parents' partners, siblings, partner(s), children)
• Co‑residents
• Associations that may cause a conflict of interest with your role or the prison service.
• Background checks across police information systems on you, your family and other associates
• Credit reference checks
• Social media and Open-Source checks (these are checks on content about you that's publicly available on the internet to ensure there's nothing linked to you that could undermine public trust and confidence in the prison service)
• Other government and overseas agency or police checks.

The Ideal Candidate

• Knowledge and experience of the criminal justice sector.
• Excellent experience of substance misuse field and/or experience of working in a related field or similar field
• Demonstrable experience of managing high caseloads, carrying out risk/ comprehensive assessments, SMART action plans and effective case records
• Experience of delivering both 1:1 and group-work interventions using motivational techniques and trauma informed approaches
• Experience of working with treatment and/or healthcare services
• The ability to set and stick to professional boundaries
• Ability to work effectively with key partners in order to successfully deliver outcomes
• Demonstrate the ability to organise workload, ensuring effective time management and prioritisation to meet targets
• Understanding of, and commitment to, the principles of equal opportunity and GDPR requirements including client confidentiality
• Experience of strong communication skills with people from a range of backgrounds in a sensitive, supportive and professional manner

Benefits

• Flexible working
• Training and development opportunities
• Simply Health Cashback Scheme (optional)
• Season Ticket Loan Scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Crisis Loan Scheme
• Electric Car Scheme
• 3 x Wellbeing Days (pro rata'd for part time employees)
• Access to Blue Light Card
• 25 days (rising to 30 with length of service) Annual Leave plus Bank Holidays
• Contributory Pension Scheme - Employer matched contributions of up to 6% in the first two years' service and up to 9% thereafter
• Death in Service Payment (2x annual salary)
• Critical Illness Insurance (subject to qualifying criteria)

To Apply

If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for Forward Trust, please proceed through the following link to be redirected to our website to complete your application.

https://careers.forwardtrust.org.uk/vacancies/39/recovery-navigator--southwark-croydon--lambeth.html