MHST Service Lead
Closing date is 02 August 2026
MFT Mental Health Support Teams have three core functions:
- Delivering evidence based interventions for mild to moderate mental health presentations
- Supporting the mental health leads in each school/college to support a whole school approach to wellbeing and mental health.
- Providing timely advice and guidance to education staff and liaising with specialist services to support children and young people to receive effective support to remain in education.
Trafford MHST works flexibly in several educational settings, working alongside education colleagues to develop and provide preventive and early help support to meet the needs of their pupils experiencing low intensity mental health issues, mainly anxiety, low mood and emotional regulation.
We have the opportunity to reach children and young people at the earliest stages possible when their difficulties have first been identified ensuring schools, families, professionals and mental health practitioners work collaboratively to acknowledge the voice of the young person and provide effective interventions in dynamic and innovative way.
The team currently consists of a service lead, senior clinicians, supervisors, Education Mental Health Practitioner’s, Children and Young People’s Wellbeing Practitioner’s and administrative support.
Main duties of the job
The Service Lead will be accountable for ensuring the effective management and delivery of services in their particular service area. You will ensure the key functions of the role are undertaken through effective management and leadership, collaborative working, supporting the delivery of performance targets (including access and pathway targets), contracted activity levels, quality standards and quality of services.
This role is predominately concerned with being a key member of a Clinical Leadership Team, reporting directly to the Head of Early Intervention and Prevention. You will be leading innovation and specific projects, as well as creating frameworks for the enhancing of Mental Health Support Teams. Whilst the primary focus of the post will be the clinical leadership of the team, you will be encouraged to foster Greater Manchester links in the overall interests of furthering knowledge and best practice. The role will promote excellence in clinical practice and communicate this to Internal and external partners. You will have advanced clinical skills and be expected to spend an agreed amount of your time in clinical practice.
You will also be required to liaise and collaborate with colleagues of all disciplines involved in children and young people’s mental health. There is an expectation that an agreed amount of time will be dedicated to training and development.
About us
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) is a leading centre of clinical excellence, renowned for pioneering patient care, advanced medical research, and a collaborative multi-speciality environment. We are the largest provider of specialist services, and our Oxford Road Campus in Manchester is the largest health academic campus in Europe – a great place to progress your career.
With over 30,000 employees, a turnover exceeding £3 billion, and 10 hospital and community services, join our team to help us deliver outstanding healthcare to our diverse communities. We offer an engaging and supportive environment, with access to state-of-the-art facilities and cutting-edge technology. Research and Innovation are at the heart of our work, offering opportunities to lead research that shapes the future of medicine, working alongside experts, advancing clinical practice, and improving patient outcomes.
At MFT, we foster a culture where every colleague is valued and empowered to thrive. Your expertise is recognised, your ambitions are supported, and your impact is felt at every level. Whether you want to develop your clinical skills, pursue research interests, or seek leadership opportunities, MFT provides the ideal environment to achieve your medical or professional aspirations. If you are dedicated to driving clinical innovation and delivering compassionate patient care, join us to shape tomorrow’s healthcare; where clinical excellence, innovation, and your career will thrive.
Diversity
MFT is committed to promoting equality of opportunity, celebrating and valuing diversity and eliminating any form of unlawful discrimination across our workforce, ensuring our people are truly representative of the communities we serve. All individuals regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation are encouraged to apply for this post.
Qualifications
- You must be registered/accredited with a professional body (e.g., NMC, SW England, UKCP, HCPC, BACP)
- Graduate or Clinical Qualification in leadership or management
- Educated to degree/diploma level or equivalent experience
- Must have a recognised qualification. Recognised qualifications are: Doctoral degree in Clinical or Counselling Psychology (or equivalent) as accredited by the BPS; Registered Nursing: RMN/RSCN/RNMH Social Work (CQSW/DipSW); Post Graduate Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Diploma / Senior Wellbeing Practitioner Qualification
- Additional post graduate training in psychological therapies and interventions
Experience
- Experience of leadership and management role within a health & social care setting
- Experience of leading and delivering programs of change within the public sector
- Proven experience of managing health care services
- Proven track record of achieving objectives
- Experience of managing and supervising multi-disciplinary teams
- Effective Teamwork within a multi-agency environment
- Experience of undertaking delegated leadership tasks and managing staff effectively
- Measurable track record in involving and motivating staff to improve performance and service delivery
- Experience of identifying education and training needs of staff.
- Experience in managing safeguarding concerns.
- Experience in clinical audit
- Experience in complaints management
- Experience of budgetary management
- Experience of CAMHS
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Salary
£57,528 to £64,750 a year (pro rata)
#J-18808-Ljbffr…