Wellbeing Service Manager

The Forward Trust; Beeford; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A charitable social enterprise is seeking a Desistance, Recovery, and Wellbeing Service Manager to lead innovative Connections Services at HMP Millsike, Yorkshire. The ideal candidate will possess strong leadership and communication skills, proven ability to oversee complex programmes, and experience in rehabilitation settings. This role involves managing facilitators and recovery staff, leading drug strategy initiatives, and maintaining programme standards. Benefits include flexible working and professional development opportunities.

Benefits

Flexible working

Training and development opportunities

Simply Health Cashback Scheme

Season Ticket Loan Scheme

Cycle to work scheme

Crisis Loan Scheme

Electric Car Scheme

Wellbeing Days

Access to Blue Light Card

Contributory Pension Scheme

Death in Service Payment

Critical Illness Insurance

Qualifications

• Strong leadership and team management experience.
• Proven ability to implement and oversee complex programmes.
• Experience in custodial or rehabilitation settings is highly desirable.
• Exceptional organisational, communication, and relationship-building skills.
• Passion for transforming lives and building a positive prison culture.

Responsibilities

• Lead and line‑manage facilitators, wellbeing practitioners, and recovery staff.
• Matrix manage Prisoner Custody Officers across key units.
• Oversee flagship programmes: More Than My Past, Step Back to Step Forward, Thrive.
• Lead the prison’s Drug Strategy and embed a culture of desistance, recovery, and wellbeing.
• Maintain programme standards and engaging activity schedules.

Skills

Leadership

Team Management

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Relationship-building

Job description

Are you a dynamic leader passionate about transforming lives in custody? Forward Trust is seeking a Desistance, Recovery, and Wellbeing Service Manager to lead our innovative Connections Services at HMP Millsike, Yorkshire.

What You’ll Do

• Lead and line‑manage facilitators, wellbeing practitioners, and recovery staff
• Matrix manage Prisoner Custody Officers across key units
• Oversee flagship programmes: More Than My Past, Step Back to Step Forward, Thrive, and the Incentivised Substance Free Living Unit
• Lead the prison’s Drug Strategy and embed a culture of desistance, recovery, and wellbeing
• Maintain programme standards, staffing competence, and engaging activity schedules

Qualifications

• Strong leadership and team management experience
• Proven ability to implement and oversee complex programmes
• Experience working in custodial or rehabilitation settings is highly desirable
• Exceptional organisational, communication, and relationship‑building skills
• Passion for transforming lives and building positive prison culture

Be aware that the location of this role is hard to access through public transport.

We are The Forward Trust, the social enterprise with charitable status that empowers people to break the often inter‑linked cycles of crime and addiction to move forward with their lives. For more than 25 years we have been working with people to build positive and productive lives, whatever their past. We believe that anyone is capable of lasting change. Our services have supported thousands of people to make positive changes and build productive lives with a job, family, friends and a sense of community.

Benefits

• Flexible working
• Training and development opportunities
• Simply Health Cashback Scheme (optional)
• Season Ticket Loan Scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Crisis Loan Scheme
• Electric Car Scheme
• 3 × Wellbeing Days (pro rata for part‑time employees)
• Access to Blue Light Card
• 25 days (rising to 30 with length of service) Annual Leave plus Bank Holidays
• Contributory Pension Scheme – employer matched up to 6% in the first two years and 9% thereafter
• Death in Service Payment (2× annual salary)
• Critical Illness Insurance (subject to qualifying criteria)

Diversity and Inclusion

Forward Trust commits to providing opportunities to everyone. We welcome applications from all ages, genders, ethnicities, disabilities, sexual orientations, gender identities, religions, and socio‑economic backgrounds. We value lived experience of addiction, offending, or homelessness and provide inclusive recruitment and reasonable adjustments. For more information on our inclusiveness and current EDI strategy, please see the forward trust website.

Employee Screening and Eligibility to Work

Depending on the role, a Disclosure and Barring Service Check may be required and evidence of eligibility to work in the UK must be provided upon successful application.