Service Manager for Community Occupational Therapy Services in West Kent

Role Responsibility

Kent County Council’s Adult Social Care and Health Directorate are seeking a highly experienced Occupational Therapist for the role of Community OT Service Manager for West Kent.  The Service Manager,  supported by their Area Operational OT Manager and 5 Senior Practitioner Occupational Therapists, will be responsible for the overall management of the 4 OT Teams across West and North Kent.  The successful candidate will work in close partnership with the OT Service Manager for East Kent to ensure a safe and effective service is maintained across the County at all times and to ensure that Occupational Therapy is represented in all areas of the Business.  You will also work closely with the Principal Occupational Therapist and Practice Development Officers to ensure high quality, innovative and evidence based practice is implemented across the County.

About You

As an OT Service Manager  you will need to demonstrate:

• In-depth and working knowledge of legislation and Frameworks relevant to Adult Social Care and Occupational Therapy including Disabled Facilities Grants, The Care Act, The Mental Capacity Act, Safeguarding, Moving and Handling, NHS and Continuing Care.
• Knowledge and experience in the provision of highly specialist equipment and adaptations, enablement, rehousing, technology and moving and handling with a focus on reduced carer handling.
• Previous experience of close partnership working with Adult Social Care colleagues, Housing, NHS; including representing OT on projects and initiatives which have improved the delivery of services not only in OT, but across other sectors.
• Exemplary leadership skills, driving and displaying professional standards and behaviour.
• Expertise in managing and monitoring budgets, planning and adapting resources to ensure delivery of a flexible, consistent high quality and cost-effective service. 
• A  proven track record of developing and managing staff, including performance management for an outstanding business support service.

About Us

The Community OT service sits within the Enablement and Support Services Division, which provides a diverse range of in-house services including enablement, short term support, day opportunities, and Shared Lives which all aim to provide people with the opportunity to develop and regain skills in order to live their best lives.    

The Directorate is committed to providing high-quality care and support services to adults and their carers. Our focus is to work as one council to design and deliver a cohesive, modern public service offer for all Kent’s residents, businesses and communities. 

This post is considered by KCC to be a customer-facing position. The Council therefore has a statutory duty under Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016) to ensure that post holders have a command of spoken English/Welsh sufficient for the effective performance of the job requirements. The appropriate standards are set out in the Job Description/Person Specification.

This post is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure application to the Disclosure and Barring service and registration as a qualified Occupational Therapist with the Health and Care Professions Council.

It is anticipated that interviews will be held on 15 July at Kroner House, Ashford. As part of the interview process for this role you may be required to complete additional testing.

Contact Details

For more information please contact:

Melanie Miller- Principal Occupational Therapist on 03000 414650 / melanie.miller@kent.gov.uk

or

Fiona Dempster- Service Manager for Occupational Therapy (East Kent) on 03000 411612 / fiona.dempster@kent.gov.uk

About the Company

Work that works for you and us - let’s talk flexibility!

KCC is committed to building a workforce which reflects the diversity of the county’s working residents, encouraging applications from people of all ages, abilities, genders, sexual orientations, ethnic backgrounds, faiths and those with caring responsibilities, and aspires to create an inclusive workplace where everyone can be themselves at work.

Please note – if you are interested, please apply as soon as possible as the closing date for this advert may be earlier than stated should a number of suitably qualified candidates apply.