Job summary
- Main area
- Learning Disabilites - Management
- Grade
- Band 8b
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (on call)
- Job ref
- 267-LD7875719
- Employer
- Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Slade House
- Town
- Oxford
- Salary
- £66,582 - £77,368 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 22/04/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Service Manager for Learning Disabilities (Oxfordshire)
Band 8b
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust has been rated as Good by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
We are a responsive and innovative Foundation Trust that places our values of Caring, Safe and Excellent at the heart of everything we do. We take great pride in our staff and believe that investing in you is key to us achieving our vision of outstanding care delivered by outstanding people.
We work with a wide range of partner organisations to deliver care and support to people in their own homes and from a number of hospitals and community bases. We focus on delivering care as close to home as possible for people of all ages across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Swindon, Wiltshire, Bath and North East Somerset.
We actively support anti-racism, equality, diversity, and inclusion so, if you’re excited about this job opportunity and you meet our Trust values, but feel unsure about applying, then please get in touch and we will be happy to have a conversation with you.
We are also committed to increasing diversity in the workforce, that is why we actively encourage applications from those groups of people who are currently under-represented, which include amongst others: people with disabilities; men from all socio-economic backgrounds; people from diverse ethnic backgrounds; and people from the LGBTQIA+ community.
Good luck and we hope to hear from you.
Job overview
Are you an inspiring leader with a passion for improving the lives of people with learning disabilities?
We are seeking a dynamic, forward-thinking Service Manager to join our Learning Disabilities Directorate. This is an exciting opportunity to shape high-quality, person-centred services across Oxfordshire.
In this pivotal role you will lead dedicated multi-disciplinary teams who carry out specialist, complex work and are committed to delivering outstanding care for people with learning disabilities, their families and carers. You will drive service development, champion innovation and ensure consistent, compassionate and safe practice as well as having the scope to influence the future direction of the Directorate.
Working closely with the Service & Clinical Director, Clinical Leads and Team Managers you will help us deliver on our vision: enabling people with learning disabilities to live healthy, fulfilling lives with dignity, independence, and equitable access to healthcare.
This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who thrives on collaboration, enjoys problem-solving, and has the confidence to lead change. If you are motivated by making a genuine difference and want to develop your leadership career within a supportive, values-driven NHS Trust, this role offers the challenge, variety and purpose you're looking for!
We know that a work-life balance is important, so we are open to you working compressed hours and can offer this on a hybrid working basis.
Main duties of the job
As Service Manager for the Learning Disabilities Directorate, you will play a key leadership role ensuring high-quality, person-centred care is delivered safely and efficiently across our four Learning Disability Services.
You will provide operational leadership and line management to the Team Managers with a focus on staffing, training, finance, performance and service development. Whilst ensuring services are delivered in line with Trust policies, clinical standards and National guidance.
Working closely with the Clinical & Service Director, Clinical Leads, Team Managers as well as external partners, you’ll be strategic in your thinking and be able to inspire others to join your vision to help meet service user need – and deliver sustainably.
The main responsibilities can be broken down in strategy, policy and delivery across the following areas:
- Quality
- Workforce
- Finance
- Performance
- Strategic change
- Stakeholder engagement/partnership
Working for our organisation
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust provides physical, mental health and social care for people of all ages across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Swindon, Wiltshire, Bath and North East Somerset.
- Our services are delivered at community bases, hospitalsM, clinics and people’s homes, delivering care as close to home as possible
Our vision is that no matter who you are or where you are, you will tell us that you receive: “Outstanding care delivered by an outstanding team”
Our values are: “Caring, safe and excellent”
At Oxford Health we offer a wide range of benefits designed to support your career and wellbeing. These include:
- Excellent opportunities for career progression
- Access to tailored individual and Trust wide learning and development
- 27 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days with continuous service
- NHS Discount across a wide range of shops, restaurants and retailers
- Competitive pension scheme
- Lease car scheme
- Cycle to work scheme
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Mental Health First Aiders
- Staff accommodation (please note waiting lists may apply)
- Staff networking and support groups hosted by our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion team
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
As Service Manager, some of your key responsibilities will include:
Operational Leadership & Workforce
- Provide line management, supervision and support to the Directorates four Team Managers (City & South, North, Intensive Support Team and Reasonable Adjustment Service).
- Lead a culture within the service that ensures that all employees comply with relevant Trust Policies and guidelines and supports the delivery Directorate Strategy.
- Promote a positive, inclusive and supportive team culture
- Lead workforce planning to ensure teams have the skills and tools to deliver high-quality care.
Quality, Safety & Governance
- Support Quality Improvement across the Directorate, fostering a culture of learning, reflection and continual improvement.
- Ensure robust governance processes are in place including incident management, risk assessments, audits and compliance monitoring.
- Work closely with the wider service to address safety concerns, improve service pathways and embed best practice.
- Work collaboratively with colleagues to address complaints and incidents appropriately
Performance & Financial Management
- Monitor and manage performance indicators including waiting times, activity levels and service targets.
- Manage delegated budgets effectively, supporting cost-efficient service delivery whilst maintaining high standards of care.
- Produce accurate reports, business cases and action plans for the senior leadership team.
Strategic & Service Development
- Support the development and implementation of service improvement initiatives aligned to the Trust and Directorate priorities.
- Contribute to long-term planning, pathway re-design and innovation projects that enhance outcomes for people with learning disabilities.
- Build and maintain effective working relationships with commissioners, local authorities, advocacy groups and other key stakeholders
- Represent the Directorate at internal and external meetings and champion the voice and rights of people with learning disabilities
We hope that the advert has given you a clear understanding of the skills we are seeking and the opportunity at hand. You will need to use the “supporting statement” element of your application form to demonstrate your suitability for this role and you should refer to the job description, person specification and the guidance notes attached to this role to help you tailor your application.
The essential and desirable criteria will be used to shortlist for interview, and you should ensure that you refer to these within your application to increase your chances of being selected for interview.
We are aware that some candidates may choose to use AI tools to support their application. We kindly remind applicants that submissions should remain an honest and accurate representation of their experience and must take care to ensure the use of AI tools does not generate an application that does not accurately reflect their knowledge, skills and values.
Person specification
essential
Essential criteria
- LD management experiences at senior level for at least 12 months
- experience and examples of how they have managed performance and finance with in previous roles
- Ability to communicate in verbal and written form across all levels with in the organisation
essential
Essential criteria
- ability to work with others to find creative solutions to financial challenges
essential
Essential criteria
- evidence of support with complaints and or grievances with good outcomes
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Kirsten Prance
- Job title
- Director Learning Disabilites
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07760614362
- Additional information
At Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust we want to employ people not just with experience, but with the aptitude and motivation to succeed and whose values resonate with our own.
Therefore, if you don’t meet all the requirements of the role and are unsure about applying but are excited about the opportunity, please do get in touch. We will be happy to discuss the requirements in more detail ahead of making a written application.
If you would like to know more about this role please email [email protected] who can arrange a call with the Service & Clinical Director, Kirsten Prance. Alternatively if preferred, you can contact Kirsten direct at [email protected].
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