Service Manager

The Growth Company; Manchester; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

The Growth Company in Manchester is seeking an experienced Service Manager to lead the Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care (IPSPC) programme, guiding a team of Employment Specialists and Team Leaders to deliver high-quality, person-centred employment support.

You will build strong partnerships with primary care providers, monitor KPIs, ensure IPS fidelity and safeguarding, and drive continuous improvement across the service to help people secure sustainable employment and improve

Qualifications

• Experience leading an IPS team in health or welfare-to-work settings.
• Strong leadership, partnership development and KPI delivery.
• Knowledge of IPS fidelity and safeguarding procedures.
• Understanding of Greater Manchester health and NHS landscape.

Responsibilities

• Lead, support and develop a high-performing IPS team, ensuring service users receive a high-quality, effective employment support offer.
• Recruit, retain and manage staff performance through coaching, reviews, observations and continuous professional development.
• Drive achievement of all KPIs, quality standards, IPS Fidelity requirements and contractual compliance.
• Build and maintain strong local partnerships to maximise referrals, enhance provision and promote the service.
• Oversee day-to-day operations of a mobile workforce, ensuring accurate data, audit compliance, and effective use of systems.

Skills

Staff leadership

Public speaking

Report writing

Digital literacy

People management

Performance management

Job description

Lead a service that changes lives through employment, health and wellbeing. The Growth Company is seeking an experienced and inspiring Service Manager to lead the delivery of our Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care (IPSPC) programme. This innovative service supports individuals with physical and mental health disabilities to secure, retain, or return to employment through the delivery of evidence-based Individual Placement and Support (IPS). Working in partnership with primary care providers and community organisations, the programme helps people achieve positive employment outcomes while improving their overall health and wellbeing. As Service Manager, you will play a key leadership role in driving service performance, developing strategic partnerships, and ensuring the delivery of high-quality, person‑centred support across the programme. You will lead a team of Employment Specialists and Team Leaders, embedding the IPS model and creating a culture of excellence, collaboration and continuous improvement. The successful candidate must have experience of leading an IPS team.,

• Lead, support and develop a high-performing IPS team, ensuring service users receive a high-quality, effective employment support offer.
• Recruit, retain and manage staff performance through coaching, reviews, observations and continuous professional development.
• Drive achievement of all KPIs, quality standards, IPS Fidelity requirements and contractual compliance.
• Build and maintain strong local partnerships to maximise referrals, enhance provision and promote the service.
• Oversee day-to-day operations of a mobile workforce, ensuring accurate data, audit compliance, and effective use of systems.
• Monitor service quality, manage feedback and complaints, and apply continuous improvement to enhance delivery.
• Manage budgets, productivity, social value commitments, and operational reporting to meet financial and commissioner expectations.
• Ensure clear communication, collaboration and best-practice sharing across teams, partners, and stakeholders., Artificial intelligence can assist you during the application process, but every example and statement you include must be honest, accurate, and based on your own real experiences. If plagiarism is detected, meaning you present someone else's ideas or experiences, or AI-generated content, as your own, your application may be withdrawn, and internal applicants could face disciplinary action.

At GC, safeguarding the welfare of all individuals including vulnerable adults and young people is a top priority, and we expect all staff to uphold this standard. All appointments follow Safer Recruitment Procedures, including a DBS check carried out by Due Diligence Limited (DDC Ltd), at no cost to the successful candidate. Please note: It is a legal offence to apply for a role involving regulated activity if you are on the Barred List. We are committed to increasing workforce diversity and offer a guaranteed interview to applicants who meet the essential criteria and either have a disability or are from a diverse ethnic community. If this applies to you, you can request consideration under this scheme during the application process. Your request will be shared only with the Hiring Manager and Internal Recruitment Team. We also aim to make our recruitment process inclusive and accessible. If you need reasonable adjustments or have any general enquiries at any stage or the recruitment process, please contact or call us on 0161 237 4447. We're proud to support the Ban the Box campaign, which helps people with convictions access job opportunities. As part of this, we've removed questions about convictions from the initial application stage. GC is committed to fostering a culture of flexibility and agile working. Many roles will increasingly support full agile arrangements. If you require more permanent flexibility, we encourage you to discuss this during your interview so your request can be considered early in the process. All GC colleagues will work in line with the Health and Safety at work act and the GC Health and Safety Policy.

• Strong understanding of the Greater Manchester health and NHS landscape, alongside employability and skills sectors.
• Solid grasp of people-management principles, employment law and effective leadership practice.
• Confident interpreting MI, financial information and labour‑market intelligence to inform decisions.
• Knowledgeable about relevant local and national policy influencing service delivery.
• Results‑driven with high levels of initiative, ownership and personal drive.
• Resilient and adaptable under pressure, maintaining focus and performance.
• Effective communicator and networker who builds strong relationships internally and externally.
• Collaborative team player with the confidence to lead, motivate and support others.

Skills Required:

• Proven ability to lead, manage and motivate staff to achieve high fidelity scores and job start conversion.
• Confident presenting to partners, stakeholders and external audiences.
• Strong written communication skills, including producing clear, high-quality reports.
• Competent and fluent user of ICT systems and digital tools.
• Experienced people manager with a track record of delivering measurable results in welfare-to-work or health settings.
• Demonstrates consistent achievement of performance outcomes and service targets.