SENIOR SERVICE MANAGER FOR SAFE HAVEN

Oxfordshire Mind; Oxford; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 48,000; Part time

Job summary

Oxfordshire Mind is seeking a Senior Service Manager for Safe Haven to lead leadership, development and continuous improvement of our Safe Haven and Crisis Alternative Service across Oxfordshire. You will prepare us for successful retendering while ensuring services are safe, effective, high quality, contractually compliant and aligned with our values.

The role is based at Osney Mead with hybrid working and travel between services; 30 hours per week with occasional evenings or weekends.

Qualifications

• Experience managing a similar mental health service.
• Strong understanding of mental health issues, suicidality, and their impact.
• Good working knowledge of safeguarding practice.
• Experience of leading and managing services and teams.
• Experience of contract monitoring and funder reporting.
• Experience of managing budgets and resources.
• Excellent organisational, IT and administrative skills.
• Ability to build rapport and work collaboratively with partners.

Responsibilities

• Lead the leadership, development and continuous improvement of the Safe Haven and Crisis Alternative Service across Oxfordshire.
• Prepare us for successful retendering while ensuring services are safe, effective, high quality, contractually compliant and aligned with Oxfordshire Mind’s values and objectives.
• Ensure strong partnerships with health services, VCSE partners and internal teams to deliver high-quality mental health support.
• Monitor and report on performance against contracts, budgets and quality standards.

Skills

Leadership

Mental health understanding

Contract monitoring

Budget management

Team development

Stakeholder engagement

Safeguarding knowledge

Communication skills

Decision making

Problem solving

Job description

Senior Service Manager for Safe Haven

Hours: 30 hours per week. Flexible working options available, and occasional evenings / weekends required

Salary: £45,000 - £48,000 (pro-rata) depending on skills and experience

Contract: Fixed Term Contract 6 monthls

Base: Osney Mead office/hybrid working, with travel to services across Oxfordshire

The Safe Haven is a core part of Oxfordshire Mind’s Housing and Safe Haven (Crisis Support) portfolio. We work collaboratively with local health, Mental Health and VCSE services to offers effective, inclusive and responsive support to people experiencing mental health issues or poor mental wellbeing,

Oxfordshire Mind offers a variety of services including:

• Wellbeing Centres throughout the county
• The Information Service, including the information line, website and Oxfordshire Mind Guide publication
• Physical Activity and Wellbeing
• Oxford and Banbury Safe Havens alternatives to NHS support for Mental Health crises
• Embedded workers offering evidence-based 121 support in Primary and Secondary Care in Oxfordshire and Berkshire
• Services for Children and Young People

The Senior Service Manager for Safe Haven will support the leadership, development and continuous improvement of our Safe Haven, Crisis Alternative Service, readying us for successful retendering while ensuring services are safe, effective, high quality, contractually compliant and aligned with Oxfordshire Mind’s values and strategic objectives.

We are currently looking to recruit to the above role and would really welcome applications for it.

If you have any accessibility needs or require reasonable adjustments for your application, please contact [e-mail].

If you are interested in learning more about the role and find more about what we do before applying, please contact Eleanor Baylis/[e-mail].

Alternatively if not we would really like to know how your skills and experience match our requirements. If you feel they do, please tell us how you meet the below requirements:

• Experience managing a similar service
• Strong understanding of mental health issues, in particular suicidality, and their impact on individuals, carers and communities.
• Good understanding of clinical and non-clinical mental health services.
• Good working knowledge of safeguarding practice and how to apply it in a relevant setting.
• Good facilitation skills
• Knowledge of voluntary sector leadership or community-based service delivery.
• Commitment to ongoing learning and personal development.
• Substantial experience of leading and managing services and teams.
• Experience of contract monitoring and funder reporting
• Experience of managing budgets and resources
• Experience of working to quality assurance and service standards
• Experience of using feedback to make positive service improvements
• Experience of effective internal and external partnership working
• Ability to build rapport and develop trust with a range of people.
• Ability to work well as part of a team and contribute to a collaborative management culture.
• Excellent organisational, IT and administrative skills.
• Ability to manage issues with a solution-focused attitude.
• Ability to support, motivate, develop and appropriately challenge managers and staff.
• Ability to take responsibility, use initiative and work creatively.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills with staff, partners, funders and the public.
• Knowledge/Understanding of our values

Please ensure that you match your skills and experience against the above and provide details and evidence of this in your application. If you don't provide this you may not be shortlisted for the role.

Closing date: 23.09.2026

Shortlisting date: 24.09.2026

Interview date: 28.09.2026

Interview location: Online via Teams

We welcome applications from people from all sections of the community, irrespective of race, ethnicity, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion or belief. We are unable to provide sponsorship for visa applications.

Oxfordshire Mind is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment. We therefore require a Disclosure and Barring Service check, for all our roles. The level of which will vary depending on the nature of the role.