Team Lead

We are seeking a motivated, confident and supportive Band 7 Team Lead to oversee the day-to-day running of the Haven and lead our dedicated multidisciplinary team. This role focuses on operational leadership, staff supervision, governance oversight and service improvement, ensuring the Haven continues to deliver safe, high-quality urgent care. This role does not carry a routine clinical caseload; your primary responsibility is supporting the team, managing service flow, and maintaining strong governance systems. This aligns with the uploaded JD requirement to "provide effective leadership for a clinical team… coordinate and lead team functioning… line management and supervision of staff" . The Haven operates 7 days a week; weekend and evening work will be required., As Team Lead, you will provide operational leadership, staff supervision and governance oversight for the Haven. You will ensure the service runs safely, efficiently and in line with Trust policy, with a strong focus on:

• Daily operational coordination of the Haven, ensuring safe staffing, smooth flow and a therapeutic environment.
• Supporting partnership working, including SPFT services, liaison with police, SECAMB, NMHTs and mental health liaison teams.
• Staff leadership, including supervision, appraisal, performance management and professional development.
• Risk management, safeguarding oversight and incident response, ensuring a culture of safe practice and learning.
• Performance monitoring, including delivery of key targets, vital signs and service metrics.
• Quality improvement, audit activity and service development aligned with urgent care priorities.
• Maintaining a calm, recovery-focused environment, modelling compassionate leadership and supporting staff to deliver high-quality crisis care.
• Supporting staff wellbeing, promoting a psychologically safe and inclusive team culture.
You will work closely with the Service Manager and wider urgent care pathway to ensure seamless partnership working with statutory and non-statutory partners. This role does not carry a routine clinical caseload; your focus is on leading the team, ensuring safe practice, and enabling practitioners to deliver excellent crisis care.Working for our organisation Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust provides mental health and learning disability services across Sussex and Hampshire. We are rated 'Good' overall and 'Outstanding' for Caring' by the CQC. Working in Sussex offers:
• Beautiful coast and countryside
• Vibrant city life in Brighton & Hove
• Excellent transport links to London, Gatwick and Heathrow
Our staff survey highlights:
• 82% recognise patient care as our top priority
• 70% value flexible working
• 79% feel able to make suggestions to improve work
• 77% identify opportunities to show initiative
You will join a supportive, close-knit team with strong values and a commitment to delivering high-quality urgent care., The Team Lead role is responsible for leading and coordinating the Haven team, ensuring safe, effective and person-centred urgent care. Responsibilities include,
• Provide effective leadership and management to staff, promoting high performance and a positive team ethos.
• Ensure staff receive supervision, appraisal and development in line with Trust policy. (The uploaded JD requires "supervision… appraisal and PDP… responsible for a team of clinical and administrative staff") .
Operational Oversight
• Lead daily service coordination, ensuring safe staffing levels and smooth operational flow.
• Ensure the service is delivered within the agreed financial envelope, maximising clinical and cost effectiveness. (From the JD: "deliver a service within the agreed financial envelope ensuring maximum value") ., Maintain strong governance systems including safeguarding, incident reporting, infection control and health & safety.
• Respond to SUIs, SVAs, complaints and communications regarding team issues.
• Ensure high-quality documentation and compliance with CIS and reporting systems.
Performance & Quality
• Monitor performance targets and vital signs, ensuring staff involvement.
• Lead audit, evaluation and continuous improvement activity.
• Participate in service development forums and working groups., Build strong relationships with internal and external partners across the urgent care pathway.
• Ensure seamless onward care planning for people accessing the Haven.
  
  Successful candidates are normally appointed to the bottom of the pay scale unless previous NHS experience in a similar role can be evidenced., You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
  
  At SPFT we put people first. We'll do everything possible to help you feel respected, valued and included. You'll have opportunities to learn, grow and gain new experiences to support your career, with access to lifelong learning and professional development.
We actively promote flexible working and understand how important work life balance is, especially in healthcare. Whether it's part time hours, hybrid working or flexible start and finish times, we'll explore what works for you and the role. We recognise that tools like AI are becoming part of everyday life and you may choose to use them when preparing your application. We welcome this, as long as what you submit reflects your own experience, skills and voice. AI can be helpful for structuring or refining your answers, but it should not replace your own examples or create content that isn't based on your real experience. Our recruitment process is designed to get to know you, and we'll explore your examples further at interview, so it's important your application genuinely represents what you bring. You can read more about using AI in applications and interviews on our recruitment process page. We're shaping a workplace where ideas are encouraged, technology supports you and everyone has a voice in how we improve. If that sounds like the kind of organisation you want to be part of, we'd love to hear from you.