Assistant Team Manager

Overview

Are you an experienced Occupational Therapy professional looking for your next leadership opportunity? Do you want to play a pivotal role in shaping high-quality, person-centred services that make a real difference to people's lives?

We're looking for an Assistant Team Manager to support the operational leadership of our Occupational Therapy service across Buckinghamshire. This is an exciting opportunity to combine your professional expertise with people leadership, helping teams deliver outstanding outcomes while promoting independence, wellbeing and choice for local residents.

About us

The Adult Community Occupational Therapy Team is seeking an enthusiastic, highly motivated, and experienced Occupational Therapy Assistant Team Manager to join our innovative and forward-thinking service. This is an exciting opportunity to lead and develop a skilled team of Occupational Therapist and Occupational Therapy Assistants, supporting the delivery of high-quality, person-centred interventions across triage, equipment provision, housing adaptations, moving and handling, clinics, and re-housing support. You will play a key role in shaping service delivery, driving innovation, and supporting the continued transformation of community Occupational Therapy practice to maximise independence, wellbeing, and outcomes for residents.

About the role

As an Assistant Team Manager, you will play a key role in supporting the Team Manager with the day-to-day operational management of Adult Occupational Therapy services. Working within a collaborative and supportive environment, you will provide leadership, motivation and professional guidance to frontline staff, ensuring high standards of practice are maintained and residents receive timely, effective and person-centred support.

This is a varied and rewarding leadership role where no two days are the same. You will oversee complex cases, support safeguarding activity, lead reflective supervision, monitor team performance and contribute to service improvement initiatives. You will help create a strengths-based culture that empowers both staff and residents, ensuring services are compliant with legislation while delivering positive outcomes and value for money.

Working closely with colleagues, partners and stakeholders across health, social care and community services, you will contribute to the ongoing development of services that promote independence, wellbeing and personalised support. You will also have opportunities to influence practice, champion continuous improvement and deputise for the Team Manager when required.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the operational management of Adult Social Care services and teams.
• Provide leadership, coaching, supervision and professional development to staff.
• Ensure compliance with relevant legislation, including the Care Act, Mental Capacity Act and safeguarding procedures.
• Support the effective management of complex cases, risk and safeguarding concerns.
• Monitor performance, quality standards and service outcomes.
• Lead and contribute to audits, quality assurance and service improvement activities.
• Promote strengths-based practice and a community-focused approach to care and support.
• Work collaboratively with health, social care, voluntary and community sector partners.
• Respond to complaints, concerns and operational challenges in a timely and professional manner.
• Deputise for the Team Manager when required.

For a full overview of duties and responsibilities, please refer to the Job Description

About you

We are seeking a passionate and experienced leader who is committed to delivering outstanding outcomes for adults and their families. You will be someone who can inspire and support others, build positive working relationships and confidently lead through complex and challenging situations. A natural collaborator, you will be solution-focused, organised and motivated by continuous improvement.

To be successful in this role, you will bring substantial experience from a health, social care or community setting, alongside demonstrable experience of supervising, managing, coaching and developing staff. You will have a strong understanding of adult social care legislation, safeguarding practices and professional standards, together with the ability to make sound decisions in complex environments.

You will also have excellent communication, partnership-working and analytical skills, with the confidence to provide professional leadership, manage performance and support organisational change. Experience of reflective supervision, risk management and working across multi-agency settings will be essential.

Essential Requirements

• A recognised Social Work, Occupational Therapy, Nursing, Allied Health Professional qualification or Level 5 Certificate in Health and Social Care.
• Significant post-qualification or management experience within a health, social care or community setting.
• Experience of recruiting, managing, coaching and developing staff.
• Strong knowledge of the Care Act 2014, Mental Capacity Act 2005 and wider adult social care legislation.
• Experience of safeguarding practice and managing risk within complex situations.
• Ability to provide professional supervision and leadership to frontline staff.
• Strong partnership-working and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Competent IT skills and experience using case management systems.
• Registration with Social Work England or HCPC (where applicable).
• Ability to travel across Buckinghamshire and support service delivery as required.

For full details of the knowledge, skills, experience and qualifications required, please refer to the Job Description.