Local Services Manager | Greater Manchester | Full time, 35 hours per week between Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm | Permanent | £39,866 Per Annum
Everyone affected by dementia should be able to access the right support, in a way that feels relevant, welcoming and right for them. Strong local services are built by listening to communities, developing trusted relationships and making sure support is safe, inclusive and high quality.
As our Local Services Manager, you will manage Team Sahara, our dedicated local service supporting South Asian communities affected by dementia across Greater Manchester.
You will lead a team of four Dementia Advisers who work alongside people living with dementia, families, carers, community groups, faith organisations and local partners. You will support, coach and develop colleagues, creating an inclusive environment where people feel valued, supported and confident in their work. You will also support the involvement of volunteers, recognising the important contribution they make to our service and the communities we support.
You will be responsible for the day-to-day management, quality and performance of Team Sahara, overseeing service delivery, monitoring performance and making sure agreed standards are met. You will take an active role in quality reviews and continuous improvement, using service information, feedback and local insight to understand what is working well, identify improvements and make sure actions are followed through. You will also ensure safeguarding procedures are followed; risks are appropriately managed and accurate records and reporting are maintained.
Building relationships across Greater Manchester will be a key part of your role. You will develop strong networks with local communities, community and faith organisations, health and social care partners, commissioners and other organisations. By listening and working collaboratively, you will help us understand and respond to the needs of South Asian communities affected by dementia. You will also play an important role in identifying barriers to accessing support, addressing health inequalities and ensuring the voices of people affected by dementia help shape service development and improvement.
Although this is a home-based role, being present within the communities we support is an important part of the job. You can expect to spend around two to three days each week out and about across Greater Manchester, attending dementia and community meetings, visiting Sahara’s Memory Cafés and community or faith settings including mosques, temples, gurdwaras and other community spaces, meeting key stakeholders and representing Alzheimer’s Society at conferences and events.
Being based within Greater Manchester, or close enough to travel across the area when required, will be important. Travel costs for journeys you make for work across Greater Manchester will be covered.
Could this be you?
There is no single background that will prepare you for this role.
You might have experience in health or social care, a charity or community organisation, or another sector where you have led people, managed services and built strong relationships.
You do not need to have worked specifically in dementia services before, but this would be desirable. What matters most is your ability to lead and develop people, manage a high-quality local service and build trusted relationships with communities and partners. An understanding of safeguarding, person-centred approaches and the challenges faced by underserved communities will be important.
An understanding of the diverse South Asian communities across Greater Manchester would be valuable. Being able to communicate in at least one South Asian language is essential. We recognise that communities are diverse and value people who are curious, respectful and committed to listening and learning. You will recognise how culture, faith, language and family experiences can influence people's understanding of dementia and their willingness or ability to access support.
The skills you will bring
We are looking for someone who can:
- Lead, support and develop people, coaching and empowering colleagues to build their confidence, skills and independence, while promoting staff wellbeing and a supportive working environment.
- Manage and improve local services, taking responsibility for day-to-day service delivery, quality and performance, contributing to quality reviews and making sure improvements are followed through, while maintaining safe practice and appropriate safeguarding standards.
- Use information to make informed decisions, bringing together service data, feedback and local insight to understand performance and identify areas for improvement, and demonstrate the impact of the service.
- Build trusted relationships with communities, listening to different experiences and perspectives and working collaboratively to understand what people need, ensuring that people affected by dementia have opportunities to influence and shape services.
- Develop strong partnerships and networks, working with community and faith organisations, health and social care services, commissioners and other local partners to strengthen support for people affected by dementia.
- Communicate and influence confidently, adapting your approach to different people and settings and representing Alzheimer’s Society in a positive and inclusive way.
- Understand the wider local landscape, developing your knowledge of local commissioning and funding opportunities and building effective relationships with commissioners and partners, while identifying opportunities for collaboration, service development and innovation.
- Organise and prioritise a varied workload, balancing people management, service quality, community relationships and changing priorities.
- Champion equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging, recognising the different barriers people may experience when accessing dementia support and helping make our services as inclusive and accessible as possible, with an understanding of cultural sensitivities and health inequalities.
You will have the opportunity to manage and develop a local service with strong connections to the communities it supports. By developing your team, maintaining high standards, improving service quality and strengthening local partnerships, you will help more people affected by dementia access support that works for them.
If you are a people focused manager who enjoys developing others, managing and improving services and building meaningful relationships with communities and partners, we would love to hear from you.