Team Leader

Society of St James; Portsmouth; On-site; GBP 33,000 - 37,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working options

Cycle to work scheme

Discounted laptops & Jamie’s Computers

Employer pension contributions

Health & wellbeing support via EAP

Job summary

Society of St James is seeking a Team Leader for the Rough Sleeping Support Service in Portsmouth. You will directly manage a team, drive service quality, and support vulnerable clients toward recovery with a person-centred approach.

The role requires experience in homelessness support, strong leadership, and safeguarding knowledge. Benefits include a competitive salary and flexible working options within a passionate charity environment.

Qualifications

• Experience in leading teams in frontline public/social service settings.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to mentor staff and manage performance.
• Knowledge of safeguarding, GDPR, confidentiality, and IT systems.

Responsibilities

• Team Development: provide line management, supervision, coaching, and mentor staff.
• Operational Excellence: support service manager to ensure duties are carried out safely and in line with best practice.
• Client & Staff Support: act as escalation point for complex issues and ensure professional resolution.
• Service Quality: promote a person-centred and trauma-informed approach in service delivery.

Skills

Exceptional Communication

Leadership & Support

Person-Centred Practice

Professional Standards

Initiative & Teamwork

Sector Experience

Complex Needs Awareness

Job description

Team Leader in Rough Sleeping Support Service, Portsmouth, £32,606.00 - £37,204.00

Employment Type

Full Time

Application Start Date

04-09-2026

Application End Date

21-09-2026

Location

Portsmouth

State/County

Hampshire

PO1 2EE

Country

United Kingdom

Work Style

On-site

Non-profit charitable organisations

Category

Position

Experience

Experienced

Description

Rough Sleeping Support Service, Portsmouth

Permanent

Salary Scale: 28 – 32 (£32,606 - £37,204 per annum)

About Us

This is an exciting opportunity to join a dynamic Charity and Housing Association. The Society of St James (SSJ) has been working in Hampshire for over 50 years, delivering high impact, person-centred, accommodation services to adults and young people experiencing homelessness, problematic substance use and/or poor mental ill health. We believe that every person is of worth and we are prepared to take risks to house and support the most at risk and socially excluded members of society.

Come join SSJ and lead the way in making a lasting impact as a Team Leader in the Rough Sleeping Support Service.

The Impact You'll Make:

As the Team Leader for the Rough Sleeping Support Service, you won't just manage a team—you will be the driving force behind creating a safe, empowering, and recovery-focused environment for vulnerable people.

You will be crucial in supporting people to build confidence, access opportunities for positive change, and sustain their journey toward recovery. This is a role for a dynamic, creative, and enthusiastic leader ready to translate vision into action on the front line.

Key Responsibilities:

• Team Development:Provide direct line management, regular supervision, and comprehensive coaching and mentoring to Senior and Project Workers. Identify and coordinate team training needs.
• Operational Excellence:Support the Service Manager in ensuring all staff duties are executed safely, correctly, and according to best practice.
• Client & Staff Support:Act as a reliable point of escalation for complex service user and staff issues, ensuring smooth, professional resolution.
• Service Quality:Promote and embody a person-centred and trauma-informed approach in all service delivery.

Essential Qualities and Skills

We are looking for a candidate who is highly motivated, professionally astute, and brings both compassion and structure to the role.

• Exceptional Communication:Really strong verbal and written skills, enabling professional, approachable communication across the entire organisation, from front-line staff to senior management.
• Leadership & Support:Previous experience in asupervisoryor line management role (highly beneficial) with a demonstrable ability to mentor and coach staff effectively.
• Person-Centred Practice:A proven ability to work using a person-centred and trauma-informed approach, supporting individuals to meet their unique needs.
• Professional Standards:Excellent understanding of professional boundaries, safeguarding procedures, GDPR, confidentiality, and general IT systems.
• Initiative & Teamwork:The ability to work seamlessly as part of a team while also using high levels of initiative when necessary.

Who We're Looking For:

The ideal candidate possesses deep, practical knowledge of the complexities facing those who experience homelessness.

• Sector Experience:Substantial knowledge and hands-on experience working directly with people who are, or have been, homeless, including rough sleepers, those with complex social needs, and people at risk of homelessness.
• Complex Needs Awareness:Good knowledge of the issues surrounding problematic substance use, poor mental ill health, and the relationship between these factors and homelessness.(Training will be provided, but prior knowledge is a distinct advantage.)

What we can offer you

We value and recognise our staff, offering some generous benefits, as well as the satisfaction of helping people at risk:

• A competitive annual leave entitlement of 25 days rising to 30 days, plus public holidays
• Flexible working options
• Buying additional annual leave
• Comprehensive induction and training
• Counselling, financial, personal support and health and wellbeing services via our Employee Assistance Programme
• Company cycle to work scheme
• Discounted laptops and computers with Jamie’s Computers
• Electric Car Scheme

SSJ are an equal opportunities employer and we encourage applicants from all backgrounds and walks of life

At SSJ, we recognise the benefits of a supported workplace. SSJ is affiliated with Unite the Union. To learn more about their membership benefits or to sign up, you can visit their official website.

Application closing date: 09:00am on Monday 21 st September 2026

Due to the high number of expected applicants, we do reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier. Should you not hear from us within 14 days of the closing date, please assume you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: £32,606 – £37,204 per year

• Cycle to work scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Discounted laptops and computers with Jamie’s Computers
• Employer pension contributions via salary sacrifice
• Flexible working opportunities
• Counselling, financial, personal support, and health and well-being services via our Employee Assistance Programme

DBS (disclosure and barring service check)

DBS website
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/disclosure-and-barring-service

DBS suitable documents for identity checking
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dbs-identity-checking-guidelines