Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

Service User Network Manager and Facilitator for Eating Disorders

The closing date is 22 March 2026

Job summary

PLEASE NOTE THIS POST CAN BE BASED AT EITHER THE NORTHGATE CENTRE, COLCHESTER; OR SANKEY HOUSE, PITSEA.

A huge transformation programme in Essex is underway to develop eating disorder services, which includes a Service User Network.

We are looking for an enthusiastic and experienced Service User Network Manager and Facilitator for Eating Disorders who wishes to help shape our services across Essex. Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust has emerged as a stronger Trust that can deliver mental health in an innovative way in Essex, having managed to co-produce a model of service delivery with our various commissioners, partner providers and service users.

As the postholder you will provide positive role modelling and leadership for service user engagement and representation for people with an eating disorder. You will work with service users to support existing user-led groups and develop new peer support user-led groups to embed and maintain co-production in the design, delivery and evaluation of services and policy for this population in Essex.

You will provide training in knowledge and skills framework-informed ED education for Essex-wide stakeholders, represent service-users in the business of the Community Adult Eating Disorder Service, advise the Eating Disorder Transformation Steering group, and consult to stakeholders, commissioners, operational managers and clinicians throughout Essex.

Main duties of the job

You will be able to demonstrate:

  • Master's degree or equivalent experience/qualification or significant formal training or research in a relevant field
  • Personal lived experience of managing or living with an Eating Disorder
  • Supervision or management experience and skills
  • Skills and experience in project management, proposal development and proven organisational skills

About us

EPUT is looking for motivated staff members who share our Trust values. In return, EPUT can offer you a range of benefits and development including;

Benefits:

  • Season Ticket Loans
  • NHS discounts for staff
  • Excellent Training facilities and opportunities
  • The opportunity to work bank shifts and expand knowledge and experience in other areas
  • Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars and Cycle to Work
  • Buying and Selling annual leave scheme

Details

Date posted

09 March 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£47,810 to £54,710 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working, Home or remote working

Reference number

364-A-9841

Job locations

Sankey House

81 High Road

PITSEA

SS13 3BB


Job description

Job responsibilities

Where the term service users is used, this includes individual service-users, people with lived experience, their family members and carers.

  • The Service User Network Manager and Facilitator for Eating Disorders will provide positive role modelling and leadership for service user engagement and representation for people with an Eating Disorder in Essex. The post holder will work with service users to support existing user-led groups and develop new peer support user-led groups to embed and maintain co-production in the design, delivery and evaluation of services and policy for this population in Essex.
  • The post holder will also work with relevant external agencies in Essex to develop and enhance services for people with an Eating Disorder across Essex including identification and/or provision of training programmes for people with an Eating Disorder as well as for partner providers.
  • The post holder will facilitate the development of locality networks, through engagement with local social care and health commissioners, voluntary sector, and third sector providers. This will include volunteer service networks, service-user networks, and stakeholder engagement.
  • The post holder will provide training in knowledge and skills framework-informed an Eating Disorder education for Essex-wide stakeholders, represent service-users in the business of the specialist Community Adult Eating Disorder Service Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT), advise the Eating Disorder Transformation Steering Group, and consult to stakeholders, commissioners, operational managers and clinicians throughout Essex. The post holder will utilise any current expertise in patient support, psychoeducation, counselling and intervention direct with service users with an Eating Disorder in Essex, holding a caseload. If these skills are not current, the post holder will undergo further training to develop such expertise and skills, as appropriate.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Where the term service users is used, this includes individual service-users, people with lived experience, their family members and carers.

  • The Service User Network Manager and Facilitator for Eating Disorders will provide positive role modelling and leadership for service user engagement and representation for people with an Eating Disorder in Essex. The post holder will work with service users to support existing user-led groups and develop new peer support user-led groups to embed and maintain co-production in the design, delivery and evaluation of services and policy for this population in Essex.
  • The post holder will also work with relevant external agencies in Essex to develop and enhance services for people with an Eating Disorder across Essex including identification and/or provision of training programmes for people with an Eating Disorder as well as for partner providers.
  • The post holder will facilitate the development of locality networks, through engagement with local social care and health commissioners, voluntary sector, and third sector providers. This will include volunteer service networks, service-user networks, and stakeholder engagement.
  • The post holder will provide training in knowledge and skills framework-informed an Eating Disorder education for Essex-wide stakeholders, represent service-users in the business of the specialist Community Adult Eating Disorder Service Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT), advise the Eating Disorder Transformation Steering Group, and consult to stakeholders, commissioners, operational managers and clinicians throughout Essex. The post holder will utilise any current expertise in patient support, psychoeducation, counselling and intervention direct with service users with an Eating Disorder in Essex, holding a caseload. If these skills are not current, the post holder will undergo further training to develop such expertise and skills, as appropriate.

Person Specification

Education/Qualifications

Essential

  • Master's degree or equivalent
  • Proven knowledge of service evaluation to be able to measure current practices within a service, project, and be accountable for providing evidence for operational practice, including high level reporting to commissioners and stakeholders to executive level

Desirable

  • Professional registration
  • Research qualification or evidence of skills, including previous audit, research or evaluation, preferable published
  • Formal counselling or coaching qualification and registration

Knowledge

Essential

  • Knowledge of complex mental health conditions, and their challenges
  • Knowledge of national and regional mental health policy, specifically relating to Eating Disorders

Desirable

  • Experience of dealing directly with mental health commissioners or commissioning

Personal Qualities

Essential

  • Ability to present a professional image and actively promote the service at all times to service users, other stakeholders, partnership organisations and the general public
  • Positive attitude to collaborative team work and ability to form good working relationships with others
  • Accountable for own professional actions and ability to work autonomously, including planning and organising own workload
  • Ability to maintain accurate case records and an awareness of the importance of confidentiality
  • Ability to teach and train others, using a variety of complex multi-media materials suitable for presentations within public, professional and academic settings
Person Specification

Education/Qualifications

Essential

  • Master's degree or equivalent
  • Proven knowledge of service evaluation to be able to measure current practices within a service, project, and be accountable for providing evidence for operational practice, including high level reporting to commissioners and stakeholders to executive level

Desirable

  • Professional registration
  • Research qualification or evidence of skills, including previous audit, research or evaluation, preferable published
  • Formal counselling or coaching qualification and registration

Knowledge

Essential

  • Knowledge of complex mental health conditions, and their challenges
  • Knowledge of national and regional mental health policy, specifically relating to Eating Disorders

Desirable

  • Experience of dealing directly with mental health commissioners or commissioning

Personal Qualities

Essential

  • Ability to present a professional image and actively promote the service at all times to service users, other stakeholders, partnership organisations and the general public
  • Positive attitude to collaborative team work and ability to form good working relationships with others
  • Accountable for own professional actions and ability to work autonomously, including planning and organising own workload
  • Ability to maintain accurate case records and an awareness of the importance of confidentiality
  • Ability to teach and train others, using a variety of complex multi-media materials suitable for presentations within public, professional and academic settings

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Additional information

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Sankey House

81 High Road

PITSEA

SS13 3BB


Employer's website

https://eput.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Sankey House

81 High Road

PITSEA

SS13 3BB


Employer's website

https://eput.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

SUN Manager

Ruby Marsham

ruby.marsham@nhs.net

07775761047

Details

Date posted

09 March 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£47,810 to £54,710 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working, Home or remote working

Reference number

364-A-9841

Job locations

Sankey House

81 High Road

PITSEA

SS13 3BB


Supporting documents

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