Job summary
Are you an experienced leader within a CAMHS service looking for a new opportunity to gain experience overseeing multiple teams?
Do you have a background as a Nurse, Occupational Therapist or Social Worker looking to use your clinical experience in a dynamic managerial role?
In this role you will provide operational management across our dedicated Mental Health Team for Children in Care (CIC), Health & Justice Service (H&J) alongside managing our Berkshire LINK team.
The LINK team forms part of the Thames Valley-wide programme for children and young people with complex cases, is centred around the implementation of a practice framework known as the 'Framework for Integrated Care'.It is designed to improve outcomes for a cohort of vulnerable children and young people with complex cases who experience some of the highest levels of health inequality in society.
Staff for theCiCand LINK teams will be based atErleghHouse Reading University. Like the Health and Justice team theCiCteam will work in partnership with three Local Authorities in West Berkshire,Readingand Wokingham. The LINK team will work across Berkshire. The LINK programme is a Hub and spoke model. The Hub is by our colleagues in Oxfordshire Health with three spoke teams within Berkshire Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire making up the Thames Valley wide programme.
Main duties of the job
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Promote continuous quality improvement by embedding lean methodologytools into the team to support patient care, quality of service, staffwellbeingand engagement.
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Accountable for the delivery of high quality, effective and integrated intervention that safeguards children and promotes their development and welfare, so that children, youngpeople, and their families are offered quality andtimelyassessment, intervention, and support as commissioned.
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To support the delivery of high-quality decision making to ensure targeted andappropriate support to children and families is delivered.
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Empower staff to solve problems and support each other to deliver the highest possible quality of care.
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Working with the professional leads, and other service managers develop an effective and motivated workforce within the area of responsibility which delivers services that are fit for purpose and areequitableand consistent across Berkshire where contracts allow.
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Working with the professional leads, lead the development of all the team roles and structure the teams within the area of responsibility to promote joined integrated working for children, young people, and their families.
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Budget holder for Berkshire Link team
About us
Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated 'outstanding' by the CQC, we're committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire. As an employer, we're committed to offering an inclusive and compassionate environment where our people share in a sense of belonging and are supported to flourish.
Our values at Berkshire Healthcare are:
- Caring for and about you is our top priority
- Committed to providing good quality, safe services
- Working Together with you to develop innovative solutions
Your wellbeing is important to us. Some of the benefits of working for us include:
- Flexible working options to support work-life balance
- 27 days' annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell
- Generous NHS pension scheme
- Excellent learning and career development opportunities
- 'Cycle to Work' and car leasing scheme including electric vehicles
- Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services
- Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants
- Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment and armed forces community to support equality
- Generous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leave
- Free parking across Trust sites
Job description
Job responsibilities
Themust haves for this role:
For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.
We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.
Werecommitted to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.
We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Pleasedonthesitate to call:Matthew Prouseon07775852630or email:matthew.prouse@berkshire.nhs.ukwhollbe delighted to help.
Please note, if we receive a high number of applications, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so pleasesubmityour application as soon as possible.
Interview will be held on 25th Feb 2026
Job description
Job responsibilities
Themust haves for this role:
For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.
We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.
Werecommitted to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.
We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Pleasedonthesitate to call:Matthew Prouseon07775852630or email:matthew.prouse@berkshire.nhs.ukwhollbe delighted to help.
Please note, if we receive a high number of applications, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so pleasesubmityour application as soon as possible.
Interview will be held on 25th Feb 2026
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications/Training
Essential
- Postgraduate doctoral qualification in clinical or counselling psychology (or equivalent for those who trained before 1996)
- Registered and accredited with HCPC
- Eligible for Chartered status with the BPS OR Masters level qualification OR Masters level qualification or equivalent training in Systemic Family Therapy OR UKCP registered OR Registered Mental Health Nurse (NMC) OR Occupational Therapy degree level qualification and registered with HPCP OR Registered Social Worker with relevant social work qualification OR Qualified Psychotherapist registered with professional body i.e. ACP approved Child Psychotherapist OR Other Health professional with relevant post graduate qualification
- Relevant post graduate qualification in CAMHS related subject
Continuous Professional Development
Essential
- Management qualification or substantial and relevant management experience.
- A supervisory qualification in the relevant professional discipline e.g. AFT or HPC Approved Clinical Supervisor or substantial supervision experience.
Desirable
- Good knowledge of psychological models relevant to CAMHS and evidence base for related interventions
- Research experience, including a working knowledge of statistics, data analysis and report writing
Previous Experience
Essential
- Experience of managing highly complex situations concerning safeguarding and/or risk management
- Post qualifying clinical experience in CAMHS.
- Management experience in health care.
- Experience of staff management.
Desirable
- Experience working in mental health across various care settings such day patient and community settings
- Proven ability to work in partnership with a range of organisations.
Knowledge and skills
Essential
- Ability to devise and implement local policies and procedures.
Desirable
- Working knowledge of arrangements for children's health services and early help including knowledge of legislation, SEND, statutory guidance, government policy, practice guidance and best practice.
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications/Training
Essential
- Postgraduate doctoral qualification in clinical or counselling psychology (or equivalent for those who trained before 1996)
- Registered and accredited with HCPC
- Eligible for Chartered status with the BPS OR Masters level qualification OR Masters level qualification or equivalent training in Systemic Family Therapy OR UKCP registered OR Registered Mental Health Nurse (NMC) OR Occupational Therapy degree level qualification and registered with HPCP OR Registered Social Worker with relevant social work qualification OR Qualified Psychotherapist registered with professional body i.e. ACP approved Child Psychotherapist OR Other Health professional with relevant post graduate qualification
- Relevant post graduate qualification in CAMHS related subject
Continuous Professional Development
Essential
- Management qualification or substantial and relevant management experience.
- A supervisory qualification in the relevant professional discipline e.g. AFT or HPC Approved Clinical Supervisor or substantial supervision experience.
Desirable
- Good knowledge of psychological models relevant to CAMHS and evidence base for related interventions
- Research experience, including a working knowledge of statistics, data analysis and report writing
Previous Experience
Essential
- Experience of managing highly complex situations concerning safeguarding and/or risk management
- Post qualifying clinical experience in CAMHS.
- Management experience in health care.
- Experience of staff management.
Desirable
- Experience working in mental health across various care settings such day patient and community settings
- Proven ability to work in partnership with a range of organisations.
Knowledge and skills
Essential
- Ability to devise and implement local policies and procedures.
Desirable
- Working knowledge of arrangements for children's health services and early help including knowledge of legislation, SEND, statutory guidance, government policy, practice guidance and best practice.
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.
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
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.
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).