Operational Lead / Senior Therapist

Job summary
SECONDMENT OPPORTUNITY

The Ascend Service is a partnership between North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust and Midlands Partnership Foundation Trust (MPFT), offering specialist, trauma-informed support to people across Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire affected by sexual assault and abuse.

We are seeking an experienced CBT Practitioner to provide both advanced clinical practice and strong operational leadership within our multi-agency team. Working closely with the MPFT you will help coordinate service delivery, support performance and pathway oversight, and contribute to ongoing service development across both Trusts and partner agencies.

Main duties of the job
As an autonomous clinician working to BABCP standards, you will deliver high-quality CBT interventions while offering credible leadership to therapists and colleagues. You will play a key role in ensuring services remain accessible, compassionate, and aligned with the strategic priorities and governance frameworks of the partnership.

About us
As a Trust we remain bold and ambitious with plans for both service and system collaborative transformation over the coming years to improve the health and wellbeing of our local people through high quality care.

We pride ourselves onensuring our team has their wellbeing put first and as such provide a range of wellness opportunities including flexible working.

We are committed to the Greener NHS national ambition to becoming the world's first 'carbon net zero' national health system by 2045 (Greener NHS (england.nhs.uk). As part of this, sustainability is embedded in our strategy as one of our four key enablers. In order to deliver on this commitment, we recognise that we need a workforce that is as passionate as we are about achieving these goals, for the benefit of our service users, workforce, local communities and the planet alike. For 2024/2025, we have launched our "Proud to be Green" engagement campaign which is aligned to the targets set out in our Green Plan. As a Trust, you can be assured that we will commit to supporting you in working towards our net zero ambitions, set out in our Green Plan, through our sustainability programme".

The Trust is committed to ensuring that a diverse workforce is representative and inclusive at all levels. We would very much welcome applications from all under-represented groups including women, people with disabilities, people from global majority backgrounds, and those from the lesbian, gay, bi and trans communities.

Details
Date posted: 07 August 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 8a
Salary: £57,528 to £64,750 a year pro rata
Contract: Fixed term
Duration: 7 months
Working pattern: Part-time
Reference number: 232-PRC-7622417-B
Job locations: Lancaster Buildings, Newcastle-under-Lyme, ST5 1PG, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
Key Duties/Responsibilities
1. Strategic and Governance Responsibilities

• Represent the service at commissioning, contract monitoring, and multi-agency partnership meetings, ensuring the services performance priorities and challenges are clearly articulated and addressed.
• Prepare, analyse, and present performance, outcome, and quality reports, identifying achievements and areas for improvement.
• Ensure compliance with NICE guidance, safeguarding legislation, and service specifications.
• Lead and contribute to audit, evaluation, and research activity demonstrating service quality and impact.
• Embed learning from incidents, feedback, and reviews into service delivery and practice development.
• Promote the voice of survivors in service design and quality assurance processes.

2. Operational Leadership and Workforce Management

• Provide visible day-to-day leadership, ensuring delivery of safe, compassionate, and responsive services.
• Oversee all operational processes including referrals, assessments, crisis support, and onward pathways.
• Line manage the multidisciplinary team, ensuring regular supervision, appraisal, and development planning.
• Foster a supportive culture prioritizing staff wellbeing, reflection, and accountability.
• Coordinate recruitment, induction, and mentoring of new staff, embedding trauma-informed and survivor-centered values.
• Work collaboratively with HR and senior leadership on workforce planning, capacity management, and skill mix.

3. Clinical Supervision and Professional Support

• Provide and coordinate high-quality clinical supervision and reflective practice in line with professional standards.
• Offer expert consultation and oversight of complex cases, supporting multidisciplinary collaboration.
• Ensure adherence to ethical and professional codes of conduct and organisational clinical governance frameworks.
• Maintain personal clinical supervision and CPD in accordance with BABCP standards.
• Support the development of trauma-informed, recovery-focused models of care within the team.

4. Direct Clinical Duties

• Maintain a small clinical caseload, delivering specialist CBT and trauma-informed interventions to individuals and groups.
• Conduct comprehensive assessments, develop collaborative formulations, and plan evidence-based interventions.
• Evaluate treatment outcomes using service-specific measures and adjust plans as required.
• Undertake risk assessment and contribute to multi-agency risk management processes.
• Liaise effectively with colleagues across health, social care, and voluntary sectors to ensure continuity of care.
• Maintain accurate clinical records in accordance with professional and organisational policies.
• Remain current with national and local policy developments relating to trauma, sexual assault, and mental health.

5. Service Development and Quality Improvement

• Lead on implementation of trauma-informed and recovery-focused models of care.
• Support training and development initiatives for staff and external partners.
• Participate in service development, audit, and research projects contributing to continuous improvement.
• Identify and implement innovations that enhance accessibility, quality, and survivor experience.
• Promote co-production with service users in shaping and evaluating services.

6. General Duties

• Maintain active engagement in CPD and supervision in line with organisational and professional requirements.
• Adhere to all confidentiality, data protection, and information governance policies.
• Observe Health and Safety requirements and promote a safe working environment.
• Uphold the Trusts values and commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion.
• Undertake any other duties commensurate with the role as required by the Service Manager or Clinical Lead.

COMMUNICATIONS AND WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
Clinical Lead and Service Manager
Partner agencies including police, safeguarding boards, health and voluntary sectors
Commissioners and contract monitoring representatives
Survivors, peer networks, and lived experience partners
Internal psychological therapies, safeguarding, and governance teams

GOVERNANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY
Responsible for ensuring service delivery meets quality, safety, and performance standards.
Accountable for reporting on activity, outcomes, incidents, and safeguarding.
Participate in local governance meetings and contribute to the wider Trust governance framework.
Promote evidence-based practice and contribute to policy and service development.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Professional qualification in health or social care (or postgraduate training and qualifications in another sector to enable equivalent levels of responsibility with the client group in that setting)
• Post-graduate diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (or an equivalent course)

Desirable

• Further training in trauma or EMDR; Leadership or management qualification

Experience
Essential

• Extensive post-qualification experience delivering CBT for trauma and complex presentations
• Demonstrated clinical leadership or team management experience

Desirable

• Experience in service development or quality improvement projects
• Experience of working within a multi-disciplinary and multi-agency health setting

Skills
Essential

• Committed to compassionate, trauma-informed care; Promotes equality, diversity, and inclusion; Reflective, resilient, and adaptable

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.

Employer details
Employer name: North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare Trust
Address: Lancaster Buildings, Newcastle-under-Lyme, ST5 1PG, United Kingdom
Employer's website: Apply through our website

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact:
Service Manager
Emma Jones
View email address on meeveem.com
View phone number on meeveem.com

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all sections of the community.