Operational Lead – Psychological Therapies – Drive Excellence and Make a Difference with Oakdale
Location: [Harrogate/Horsforth/Halifax/Hybrid]
Hours: 22.5 hours per week (0.6 FTE)
Contract Type: Maternity Cover
Salary: £48,126.75 – £59,590.65 (FTE)
Shape Services, Support People, Deliver Impact
For over 25 years, Oakdale has been delivering high-quality, evidence-based therapies and assessments for children, young people, and adults. As a not-for-profit, values-driven organisation, we partner with the NHS, schools, local authorities, and private clients to provide care that changes lives.
We are now seeking a proactive and experienced Operational Lead to join our Psychological Therapies division. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who thrives on organisation, collaboration, and driving continuous improvement. You’ll play a key role in ensuring Oakdale runs smoothly, efficiently, and in line with our mission to help people thrive.
This role is to provide cover for maternity leave and would be required from July/August 2026.
The Role – What You’ll Be Doing
The Operational Lead plays a pivotal role in supporting the day to day operations of the service, focusing on efficient service management to ensure growth and a positive reputation. Their primary responsibility lies in the successful functioning of the service, with a paramount emphasis on delivering an optimal experience for our clients and fostering effective partnerships with our commissioners through operational excellence.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Support the Director in leading and managing the Psychological Therapies Service, ensuring adherence to service and clinical quality standards, and governance processes.
- Take an active role in strategic planning, continuous development, and innovation within the service as a dedicated and enthusiastic team member.
- Line managing a case management/ administrative team to oversee allocation of assessments and intervention to the most appropriate practitioner, maintaining an overall picture of supply and demand. To aid recruitment decision making through accurate reporting of service need. To manage the process of new referrals and client allocations for interventions within the service.
- Ensure operational processes are efficient and effective; including but not limited to funding, invoices, reviews and reporting. Support the delivery of a service that complies with statutory, regulatory, and professional body requirements. Source additional resources needed for the service.
- To support the Director and Clinical Lead of Psychological Therapies as required in ensuring that the relationship with external stakeholders (including commissioners, social workers and clients) meets the agreed standards, including all reviews, professional network meetings and review of clinical reports/ external communications. Manage cases effectively through a collaborative approach with other members of the Oakdale Senior Leadership Team. Collaborate with the Managing Director in responding to opportunities and developing external relationships to position Oakdale as a preferred partner for the future.
- To provide Line Management to the Administrative Team for the Service. To work alongside HR in any relevant colleague related matters and to contribute to the induction of new starters and support and ensure the completion of all mandatory training. To contribute to delivering induction for new starters across the service and to lead on inductions for administrative staff.
- To assist the Director in the design of proposals for new clinical work for commissioners.To support application for tenders in the local authority.
- Provide assistance to the Director in identifying key areas for improvement and development, considering the needs of the clients and the organisation. Support the Managing Director to implement improvement plans.
- Alongside the Director, use the monitoring and evaluation systems to help improve the management information regularly produced for the service, for the Board and for the commissioners. Oakdale places considerable emphasis on service data collection and analysis in order to run its services effectively and efficiently.
- Development and implementation of technological advances and administrative processes including induction for staff (in collaboration with IT)
About you
Essential:
- 5 GCSEs at Grade 5 or equivalent (to include Maths and English)
- Degree or equivalent experience
- Proven experience in a senior administrative or operational management role, preferably within a healthcare or clinical service setting
- Experience line-managing or supervising staff, including conducting appraisals, 1:1s, and supporting performance and development.
- Demonstrated experience in leading service improvement projects and contributing to operational strategy.
- Experience of producing reports and undertaking analysis to support service development.
- Proven experience managing or responding to complaints, incidents, and service risks in line with policy.
- Experience in staff recruitment, onboarding, and training.
- Strong understanding of administrative operations in a healthcare or multi-disciplinary service context.
- Excellent leadership and team management skills with the ability to motivate, mentor, and support staff.
- High level of organisational skills with the ability to prioritise, delegate, and manage multiple workstreams simultaneously.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build effective working relationships across teams and departments.
- Confident in using IT systems, including databases, spreadsheets, and communication tools, with excellent attention to detail and data accuracy.
- Sound knowledge of governance, safeguarding, and data protection principles (e.g., GDPR).
- Ability to problem-solve, exercise initiative, and respond flexibly to changing service needs.
- Supportive, proactive, and approachable leadership style.
- Calm, solution-focused, and resilient in managing complex or sensitive issues.
- Professional and discreet, with a commitment to confidentiality and ethical working.
- Willingness to work across multiple sites and be regularly visible at service locations, including occasional attendance at events or meetings outside of core hours.
- A team player who can work both independently and collaboratively across departments.
- Commitment to promoting equity, inclusion, and high-quality care.
Desirable:
- Experience of using Google Workspace
- Experience working within mental health services
- Familiarity with NHS or Local Authority pathways and commissioning processes
- Training or experience in service improvement, leadership, or project support
- Demonstrated ability to produce accurate data and reports to support service monitoring and performance
Why Join Oakdale?
At Oakdale, your well-being and growth matter as much as the clients you support. We offer a package designed for balance, flexibility, and long-term career satisfaction, including:
- 33 days’ annual leave (including bank holidays), increasing with service
- Flexible and agile working from day one
- SimplyHealth: 24/7 GP access, counselling, physiotherapy, and more
- Exclusive, heavily discounted rates for you and your family on private ADHD and autism neurodevelopmental assessments, through our own expert service.*
- Fully funded flu vaccines
- Employee Wellbeing Initiative with trained mental health champions
- Smart Pension & Rewards: plan for your future with discounts and cashback
- Enhanced Occupational Sick Pay
- Cycle to Work & Technology Salary Sacrifice schemes
- Employee discount scheme
- Protected CPD days, annual away days, and high-quality training
- Professional registration fees covered (where applicable)
- Opportunities to influence service improvement and innovation
- Laptop, monitor, keyboard, and any additional equipment you need to do your best work
*Discounts apply to dependents living within the same household.
Apply Today
This is more than an operational role, it’s an opportunity to make a tangible difference every day, in a role where your organisational skills directly support people to thrive.
Apply now and help us keep Oakdale moving forward
Oakdale is proud to be a registered Disability Confident Committed Employer.
