Specialist Service Lead

Belmont Recruitment; Bristol; On-site; GBP 29,214 - 35,707; Full time

Job summary

Specialist Service Lead - Mental Health in Bristol requires a seasoned leader with strong mental health experience. You will guide a team of support staff, ensure safe, personalised care, and support ongoing professional development.

The role supports the service under the Service Manager with a focus on quality and compliance. The position is temporary to permanent, 37.5 hours per week, rota including weekends, with a competitive annual salary of £32,461.00.

Qualifications

• Significant experience supporting people with mental health needs.
• Experience leading or supporting a team.
• Level 3 qualification in Health and Social Care (or working towards this within 18 months).
• Desirable specialist qualification such as Positive Behaviour Support.
• Strong communication across a range of stakeholders.
• Excellent time management and the ability to manage competing priorities.
• A proactive, solution‑focused approach to problem solving.
• Confidence using MS Office and digital care planning/medication systems.
• Flexibility to work a rota including days, nights, and weekends where required.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support the team with professionalism, taking ownership of decisions and actions
• Support recruitment and selection processes within the service
• Use specialist mental health knowledge to support assessments and maximise the number of people supported
• Build positive relationships with the people you support, their families, and external stakeholders
• Develop and review individualised care plans and risk assessments that promote independence
• Ensure choice and coordination of support is maximised for the people you support
• Support staff wellbeing and performance, including 1:1s and coaching
• Identify learning and development needs within the team, with a focus on specialist mental health skills
• Contribute to wider service, department, and organisational objectives
• Maintain financial systems in line with policy and legislation
• Help maintain a safe, clean, and pleasant environment, flagging repairs or adaptations as needed
• Implement and monitor quality measures, reporting outcomes to the Service Manager
• Take responsibility for your own learning and development

Skills

Leadership

Mental health knowledge

Communication

Time management

Problem solving

MS Office

rota scheduling

Education

Health & Social Care Level 3

Tools

Digital care planning

Medication systems

Job description

Specialist Service Lead - Mental Health

Location: Bristol

Salary: £32,461.00 per annum (£16.65 per hour)

Contract: Temporary to Permanent (approx. 3 months, with potential to become permanent)

Hours: 37.5 hours per week, rota basis including weekends

About the Role

We are recruiting on behalf of a well‑established care provider in Bristol for an experienced Specialist Service Lead to join their mental health service. This is an excellent opportunity for a confident, compassionate leader with specialist mental health knowledge to make a genuine difference in the lives of the people they support.

Working under the leadership of the Service Manager, you will lead a team of Support Workers/Personal Assistants, ensuring service delivery is safe, effective, and personalised. You will act as a role model within the team, using your specialist knowledge and experience to support induction, mentoring, and ongoing development of colleagues.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and support the team with professionalism, taking ownership of decisions and actions
• Support recruitment and selection processes within the service
• Use specialist mental health knowledge to support assessments and maximise the number of people supported
• Build positive relationships with the people you support, their families, and external stakeholders
• Develop and review individualised care plans and risk assessments that promote independence
• Ensure choice and coordination of support is maximised for the people you support
• Support staff wellbeing and performance, including 1:1s and coaching
• Identify learning and development needs within the team, with a focus on specialist mental health skills
• Contribute to wider service, department, and organisational objectives
• Maintain financial systems in line with policy and legislation
• Help maintain a safe, clean, and pleasant environment, flagging repairs or adaptations as needed
• Implement and monitor quality measures, reporting outcomes to the Service Manager
• Take responsibility for your own learning and development

What We're Looking For

• Significant experience supporting people with mental health needs
• Experience leading or supporting a team
• Level 3 qualification in Health and Social Care (or working towards this within 18 months)
• A specialist qualification such as Positive Behaviour Support is desirable
• Strong communication skills across a range of stakeholders
• Excellent time management and the ability to manage competing priorities
• A proactive, solution‑focused approach to problem solving
• Confidence using MS Office and digital care planning/medication systems
• Flexibility to work a rota including days, nights, and weekends where required

This is a fantastic opportunity to step into a leadership role within mental health services in Bristol, with real potential for a temporary contract to become permanent for the right person. If you're immediately available or have a short notice period, we'd love to hear from you.

Apply today for a confidential conversation about this role