Please ask for: / Direct dial:
Jessica Hann / 01823 356211
Please quote this reference: / Fax:
10471/JH / 01823 355091
Email: / Date:
/ August 2017

Dear Applicant,

Team Manager – Occupational Therapy

Thank you for your enquiry regarding the above post. Please find enclosed:

  • Job details and Person specification
  • 4 C’s Information Sheet
  • Terms and conditions
  • Disclosure & Barring Service Information Sheet
  • Application form & Equalities monitoring form

To apply for the post, please complete the application and equal opportunities monitoring forms and return them by 13 September 2017at 5pm. The form can be submitted from the link in the vacancy on the Somerset County Council Website, or can be emailed to or posted to: The Recruitment Team, Floor A2W, County Hall, Taunton, TA1 4DY.

For an informal discussion about the role please contact Rob Eveleigh, Operations Manager, Children with Disabilities, 07585795574.

Yours faithfully,

Jessica Hann

Recruitment Assistant

Recruitment Team

JOB DETAILS

Job title: Team Manager – Occupational Therapy

Reference number:10471/JH

KEY TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Purpose
1. / Provide expertise and strong management to drive performance and to commission and/or deliver the Council’s priorities and meet service targets, as a member of the Council’s Senior Management Group.
2. / Provide clarity, management and motivation in delivering the New Operating Model, the County Plan and other Council transformation programmes as required.
3. / Ensure the effective understanding and operation of any specific statutory or regulatory duty contained within the role.
4. / Advise Members and Directors in respect of operational planning and commissioning, policy matters and service delivery issues and engage with partners in the promotion, communication and delivery of services.
Key Accountabilities
1. / Create, agree and deliver service plans and prioritise activities and projects.
2. / Identify and deliver opportunities for service change and improvement and scope, plan and manage change in corporate and professional activities.
3. / Review performance outcomes and customer feedback in order to meet customer requirements and to increase operational efficiency and effectiveness.
4. / Develop and maintain effective customer relations and feedback channels and work to improve levels of customer service and satisfaction.
5. / Resolve complex operational and service based problems and conflicts raised through the service escalation process and ensure positive outcomes.
6. / Optimise the use of financial and other resources (including commissioning frameworks, income streams etc.) to locally commission and deliver services on time, to budget and to the quality standards required.
7. / Recruit, review the performance of and ensure the development of individual professional and other team members.
8. / Operate information and communication systems to provide business and management information used to support and inform operational decision making.
9. / Develop and maintain effective personal networks with partner agencies, suppliers and contractors etc. in order to maintain continuity and quality of service.
10. / Communicate clearly and succinctly and use influence and persuasion to negotiate and achieve service objectives.
As part of the Children and Families Operations Service all staff are required to:
  • Place quality and performance at the heart of everything they do.
  • Be proactive and responsible for contributing to the achievement of positive wellbeing and safeguarding outcomes for children and young people in Somerset.
  • Work towards the achievement of key performance indicators.
  • Be open to change and work in a flexible way as part of an integrated service to Children and Families.
  • Support the strategic objective of ensuring that there are the right number, type and quality of places for children in Somerset.
Duties and Responsibilities
1. / Has lead responsibility for ensuring children and young people's resources meet the needs of children who are disabled.
2. / As part of the County Management Team lead the delivery of a high quality service in your team, to the children we assess, protect and look after, within our Corporate Parent role, and the carers we recruit, support and develop with the aim of ensuring the best outcomes for children and young people.
2. / Recruit, induct, manage and mentor staff and ensure their professional development through regular supervision and appraisal and the identification and provision of appropriate training and development of staff.
3. / Advise and train parents and staff in social care and education in the use of specialist equipment. This will include the assessment of the premises (family/carers/school/foster home etc) for adaptation to provide suitable accommodation options. Has lead responsibility for the provision of Disabled Facilities Grants (DFG)
3. / Ensure staff within the team meets the relevant professional standards (HCPC) and provide suitable and timely support and challenge where this is not the case. Ensure personal continuous professional development combined with effective team leadership skills.
4. / Manage team workloads to ensure that children and their families/carers and adopters receive the best possible service from the most suitable available practitioner and to ensure that staff have the capacity to provide this level of service consistently.
5. / To ensure that the Operations Manager and PSW are kept fully informed of and engaged with critical case work issues (and potential resolutions) in the team.
6. / Ensure parents/carers and children and young people are active participants in planning and reviewing services for their family and that their feedback is consistently requested and proactively used in local and county service planning. To obtain and respond to feedback from official parent/carer support groups for Disabled children/foster and adoptive carers regarding service provision.
7. / Provide/ensure reflective formal supervision, informal casework consultation and management oversight for staff/carers in the teams to ensure high quality assessment, planning and outcomes for children.
8. / Monitor and manage staff performance, aiming for excellent practice, by using team data, supervision, appraisal and performance processes where required to secure staff/carer development.
9. / To engage with the Operations Manager in case file and specific issue audits to ensure children are safeguarded and planning and assessment is clear, in pertinent, well-evidenced and timely records.
10. / Contribute to the management and development of Children’s Social Care services as a member of the county and area management teams. Work with resource colleagues, under the Operations Manager Disabilities, to develop services for children with disabilities.
11. / To build and sustain strong local working relationships with other agencies, such as health, education, voluntary groups, CAFCASS, fostering and adoption groups, and the police, in order that organisations can work together effectively to deliver the best services for children and their families.
12. / To chair meetings with parents/carers, children/young people and professionals (eg Complex Safety,Risk Management,Placement Planning, Carer’s Review , school adaptations, DFG meetings with District councils and planning authorities and Protocol meetings ) and ensure an accurate record of the outcomes and decisions are distributed promptly.
13. / Manage the resources pertaining to the to the OT service delegated by the Operations Manager, to ensure that funds are used appropriately and prioritised for the most vulnerable families. Ensure fieldwork staff follow specific policies and practices as appropriate with regards to finance, such as DFG, the use of recycling with the equipment stores and equipment budgets.
14. / To ensure that all referrals are responded to in a prompt and timely manner and that children most in need are prioritised and responded to accordingly.
15. / To ensure that every child supported by the team has an up to date, and outcome focussed plan that clearly states the necessary actions, the responsible professional(s) and agreed timescales for completion
16. / To ensure that every child supported by the team, is visited and monitored in accordance with best practice standards and statutory and procedural requirements.
17. / To authorise casework assessments, plans and reports as required by the Operations Manager, ensuring that they are high quality, reflect the views of children and their parents/carers and provide clear and evidenced analysis and planning.
Manage 1st stage complaints on behalf of the service and ensure learning from complaints is embedded within their team.
Resources
A Team Manager will typically supervise a team of Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapy Assistants at varying stages of their career progression, ranging from newly qualified to experienced OTs.The Team consists of 12 staff and each is responsible for a manageable number of children or carers at any one time (as designated by the Operations Manager).
The Team Manager OT receives service supervision from the Operations Manager CWD and clinical supervision from the lead OT in Adult Services to ensure HCPC compliance.
Ensure effective management of the Team based resources, oversees specialist equipment orders and the effective use of recycling equipment in store.
Relationships
The principal purpose of the role is to ensure that a consistently good standard of service is delivered to children and families in Somerset meeting or exceeding Statutory, Council or Service standards. This will involve the full range of day to day management activities including priority setting, conflict resolution and team communication. In addition the postholder will support the Operations Manager in identifying service improvements and implementing those improvements within their team.
The postholder will need to develop and maintain a locality based network of colleague SCC Managers, private, voluntary and community sector leaders and managers and other bodies/agencies in order to ensure that combined resources are optimised in the delivery of services and a coherent approach to service improvement.
The postholder requires good communication skills to ensure effective feedback arrangements from clients and customers and to enable effective management of local teams during changes to achieve new ways of working.
FURTHER INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO THIS POST
Somerset County Council must ensure that each person who works for the public authority in a customer-facing role can speak fluent English. This post is covered by Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016) and therefore the ability to speak fluent English is an essential requirement for the role.
The successful candidate has a responsibility for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of the children and young people they are responsible for, or come into contact with.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Post Title:Post Title:Team Manager – Occupational TherapyGrade: 8

1.Key Competencies
All applicants should demonstrate a commitment to our four key values – Customer Focus, Can Do Attitude, Collaboration and Care and Respect as described in the attached Information Sheet.
You can find more information by following the link below: :
2.Work Experience and Knowledge
Essential / Desirable
  • Significant experience of working successfully with Members and Directors on complex issues and the development of strategic direction.
  • Track record of operating corporate projects and providing clear advice on policy options and policy development.
  • Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of the statutory, policy and strategic commissioning framework within which specialist services operate and their context within local government as a whole.
  • Experience of developing and delivering representational and communication activities that successfully deliver key messages to the public and internally.
  • Demonstrable experience of partnership working, including the ability to influence and, where required, lead multi-agency projects and initiatives with particular reference to standard setting and whole service commissioning.
  • Good understanding and ability to develop and implement effective performance management and quality assurance frameworks.
  • Knowledge and understanding of implementing equality and diversity in commissioning and reviewing service delivery.
  • An understanding and commitment to effective customer and community engagement leading to service redesign and change management.
  • Ability to speak fluent English as stated in Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016)

3.Qualifications
Essential / Desirable
  • Relevant Degree or Professional Qualification in Occupational Therapy
  • Registered with HCPC.
  • Evidence of work related continuing professional development in their specialist field.

5.Personal Attributes
Essential / Desirable
  • Promotes the need for change and acts as a role model for change.
  • Positive, committed, adaptable, thorough and confident approach.
  • Ability to work to deadlines and to motivate others to work effectively and demonstrate a duty of care.
  • Committed to diversity in service delivery and employment.
  • Innovative and creative approach to service improvement and value.
  • Customer and Communities focussed.
  • Personal Integrity.
  • Drive and self motivation - “can do” attitude.
  • Sound analysis and decision making in dealing with complex service delivery and/or policy development matters.
  • Demonstrates a commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.

Our Values – 4 Cs

At work, thewaywe do things matters as much aswhatwe do. At Somerset County Council we have four key values – the 4Cs – that all employees are expected to work to. They will form part of every member of staff’s personal review.

Customer focus

This is about putting the customer at the heart of everything we do.

Collaboration

This is about working with others to deliver our services.

Can do attitude

This is about getting the job done and doing it well.

Care and respect

This is about treating others as they would wish to be treated – with care, respect, dignity and understanding.

What does this look like in practice?

The 4Cs describe our values. In practice, this means that we think from a customer or a community perspective to make sure we get things right first time and continually improve the services we provide. We must have a clear view of what our customers and service users say they need, rather than build services based on what we think they need.

We operate a ‘no wrong door’ policy – whichever authority or department deals with the customer’s query, we help them get there. As we build links with other authorities and organisations we talk to each other and our managers about how we think we could change, even the smallest things, for the better.

We work together, establishing positive, respectful and empowering ways of working as strong teams. We act with integrity, communicating clearly, admitting to our mistakes and striving to learn from them. When we think we need to speak out or challenge, we are prepared to do so in a constructive and positive way, but we remain objective.

Important Information about the Job and Your Application

JOB TITLE

/
Team Manager – Occupational Therapy

GRADE

/ 8

SALARY

/ £39,177 per annum

LOCATION

/ The location for this post is County Hall, Taunton, Somerset, TA1 4DY.
GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS / In accordance with the Scheme of Conditions of Service agreed by the National Joint Council for Local Government Services (commonly know as the Green Book).

HOURS OF WORK

/ Normally the working week is 37 hours. The hours of work will be in agreement with the line manager.

CONTRACT

/ The contract offered is permanent.

PROBATIONARY PERIOD

/ The appointment will be subject to a probationary period of 6 months. Internal applicants who have already completed their probationary period would not normally be expected to complete this again.
The Council’s contractual sick pay scheme will not apply for the first 3 months of a probationary period (except with discretion in exceptional circumstances e.g. sudden critical or chronic illness).

LEAVE

/ The annual leave for this post (based on full time hours) is
30 days.
On top of this, 2 additional days (called statutory days) can be taken each year, as well as the usual 8 bank holiday days.
Annual Leave stated will be pro–rata for part-time and fixed term contract posts.
The annual leave year starts on 1 April or 1 of the month in which contract commences.

NOTICE PERIOD

/ Following successful completion of the probationary period, this post will be subject to a notice period ofthree calendar months on either side.
DISABILITY DECLARATIONS / Applications for all vacancies are particularly welcome from people with disabilities. Somerset County Council has a policy of shortlisting for interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential requirements of the post (as detailed in the Person Specification enclosed).

DISCLOSURE & BARRING SERVICE

/ This post requires a criminal background check (DBS) via the disclosure procedure.
POLITICAL RESTRICTIONS / Not applicable for this post.
SMOKING POLICY / Somerset County Council recognises that the health, safety and welfare of employees, sub-contractors and anyone else directly affected by the Council's operations are of prime importance. Therefore, smoking is strictly prohibited everywhere on Somerset County Council premises except where it is both practicable and appropriate to designate an outside smoking area. This is at the discretion of local management. Smoking breaks during paid working time will not be permitted.
Somerset County Council has signed the Charter for Employers who are Positive about Mental Health.
The Charter for Employers who are Positive about Mental Health is a voluntary agreement seeking to support employers in working within the spirit of its positive approach. The Charter is one element of the MINDFUL EMPLOYER® initiative which is aimed at increasing awareness of mental health in the workplace and supporting businesses in recruiting and retaining staff.
MINDFUL EMPLOYER is a UK-wide initiative.

Criminal record check via the Disclosure & Barring Service Procedure – Explanatory Notes

The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, 1974 gives individuals the right not to disclose details of certain old offences when asked about their criminal record by a prospective employer, as the convictions may be defined as ‘spent’. However, there are exemptions to this legislation if the individual is offered a post which involves contact with children or vulnerable adults or regular work at an establishment exclusively or mainly for such groups.