Team Lead

NELFT NHS FOUNDATION TRUST; Southend-on-Sea; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent NHS organization is looking for a Team Lead for their Mental Health Support Teams in Southend-on-Sea. This role balances clinical interventions with operational responsibilities, requiring professionals to lead a clinical team and ensure high standards of mental health support for children. The position offers competitive benefits and values a supportive work-life balance, making it an excellent opportunity for those passionate about mental health and community support.

Benefits

Flexible working opportunities

Proactive health and wellbeing support

Commitment to diversity and inclusion

Qualifications

• Registered professionals with relevant experience in mental health.
• Ability to lead and manage a clinical team effectively.
• Experience in delivering assessments and interventions for children.

Responsibilities

• Lead operational and clinical functions of the MHST.
• Line manage clinical staff while maintaining a small caseload.
• Ensure all interventions meet operational and clinical targets.

Skills

Leadership

Clinical Assessment

Team Management

Education

Relevant professional qualification

Job description

About the role

This is an exciting new role within the NHS that offers an opportunity to progress within an operational capacity. We are seeking enthusiastic registered professionals who can undertake the role of Team Lead within the Mental Health Support Teams (MHST). This particular role is based within South East Essex.

The MHST's work is in partnership with schools and colleges to support the mental health and emotional wellbeing of young people. We achieve this through offering 1:1 CBT interventions and whole school approaches (WSA).

Key duties

The Team Lead role will be separated into 50% clinical interventions and oversight, and 50% operational responsibilities. A key part of this role is ensuring that we are meeting both operational and clinical targets. You will be responsible for line managing clinical staff whilst also holding a small caseload and overseeing the delivery of service within your area.

1. Support with recruitment; including review of job applications, interviewing, planning induction package.
2. Sickness and absence management; including return to work meetings, staff wellbeing meetings and referrals to occupational health.
3. Roster management, support with annual leave requests, flexible working requests and study leave.
4. Organising and chairing meetings.
5. Undertaking audits as required by the service.

Clinical responsibilities

1. To provide an efficient, effective, comprehensive and specialist MHST service for children and adolescents.
2. To complete assessments and treatment of children and adolescents with emotional and mental health problems, their carers/parents and families.
3. To undertake a range of generic clinical work, guided self‑help, targeted group work and workshops under Whole School Approach (WSA).
4. Ensure delivery of interventions are carried out in line with NICE guidance within the team. Ensure the appropriate use of Routine Outcome Measures (ROMs) to monitor efficacy of intervention.
5. To monitor and guide the team in ensuring we meet safety benchmarks set by NELFT and the CQC.

Working for our organisation

Our Values 2025 – 2030

• We are kind.
• We are respectful.
• We work together with our communities.

These three values help us to strive to provide the best care by the best people.

Induction and support

NELFT places great importance on new starters being properly welcomed and inducted into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and will undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks which will include mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process new starters will have the opportunity to also meet the executive team, senior managers, and attend a number of drop‑in sessions focusing on engagement, health and wellbeing and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Rainham, Essex.

Probationary period

This post will be subject to a probationary period.

Core responsibilities

1. The Team Lead will provide operational and clinical leadership within the MHST. They will be responsible for ensuring their locality team is meeting operational and clinical targets and following escalation processes as required.
2. The Team Lead will line manage clinical staff within the MHST.
3. The Team Lead will actively promote the three core functions of MHST alongside the eight principles of the whole school approach.
4. The Team Lead will facilitate the development of a positive and supportive team culture.
5. The Team Lead will take an active interest in working parties and groups within the Trust to develop and improve on service delivery, protocols and guidelines.
6. The Team Lead will participate in the audit process, linking in with the clinical governance agenda.
7. The Team Lead will advise and share knowledge utilising the latest research and practice development, through literature and peer reviews in line with their registered governing body.
8. The Team Lead will ensure that a high quality, timely, accessible and evidence‑based service is provided equitably across all schools who work in partnership with the MHST programme.

For a full description please see the attached job description and person specification.

South East Essex MHST

The South East Essex Mental Health Support Team (MHST) covers a large geographical area incorporating Southend, Canvey, Rayleigh, Benfleet, Castlepoint and Rochford. We are an early intervention and prevention evidence‑based service and as a team we are supportive and passionate in what we deliver.

We are a friendly team of professionals who come from multidisciplinary backgrounds. We recognise the needs for a healthy work life balance, and we will consider flexible working applications in line with the trust policies and processes. We encourage CPD and are keen to support our staff to grow and progress.

Finally, we are a welcoming, compassionate and considerate team, that work incredibly hard to support one another to improve the mental health of our community.

Certificates of Sponsorship

Although we are a registered sponsor organisation, we are unable to offer sponsorship for all job roles. Please check your eligibility under the UKVI points‑based system. When calculating the basic salary for sponsorship, HCAS (High‑Cost Area Supplement) is not included to ensure fairness and consistency within our Trust.

Use of AI

Please see attached document regarding acceptable use of AI during the recruitment process.

Benefits

• A long‑standing and award‑winning approach to equality and diversity with supportive networks for ethnic minority staff, staff with disabilities or long‑term/chronic conditions and LGBT staff.
• A commitment to supporting colleagues to achieve a work‑life balance, through flexible working opportunities and our efforts to support our working parents and carers. This has resulted in us being recognised as a “Top 10 Family Friendly Employer” from the Working Families Charity.
• Proactive health and wellbeing support, including access to our employee assistance programme, staff psychological support, individual wellbeing conversations and a network of health and wellbeing ambassadors.
• Detailed information about our wellbeing and benefits offer can be found in this link.

Supporting our Armed Forces

We recognise the valuable contribution that the Armed Forces community make to our organisation. We have signed the Armed Forces Covenant and achieved Gold Award under the Armed Forces Employer Recognition Scheme. We have supportive policies, guaranteed interview schemes for veterans, reservists and military spouses and give additional leave to our Reservists so that they can attend their annual camp.

Join #TeamNELFT

Joining #TeamNELFT means you'll become part of a welcoming and supportive working environment. We're CQC rated Good, and we want you to join us on the journey towards an Outstanding rating. NELFT has sites across North East London, Essex, Kent and Medway. We provide community and mental healthcare services to adults and children within these areas.

The Trust has award‑winning equality and diversity initiatives and staff health and wellbeing activities. We invest heavily in your development, because when you are valued and supported, we provide the best care to our patients. We are a Level 3 Disability Confident Leader, have been featured in the Working Families Top 10 Employers benchmark for five consecutive years, and we have achieved a Carers UK Level 1 Accreditation. Along with our staff networks and training opportunities, we work hard to embed a just and compassionate culture here at NELFT.

Find out more about NELFT careers and what makes our Trust a great place to work, in this video