Partnership & Referrals Manager

Salary – £48,000 – £56,000

Full time position – 37.5 hours per week

Channels & Choices is an award winning, dynamic company specialising in children’s residential care, Fostering and Education based in Southeast Kent. OFSTED judge our services as ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’.

Channels and Choices specialise in working with children who have experienced trauma, most will have attachment difficulties.  We create a secure base for all the children in our care and we focus on achieving seamless transitions so that children can be part of a loving and nurturing family.

The post is for a full-time permanent Partnership & Referrals Manager, working 37.5 hours per week and is based at our Head Office at Kearsney Manor Kent. We offer a competitive salary range of £48,000 – £56,000per annum. Further benefits include 36 days paid annual leave per year and a loyalty scheme which rewards you with extra annual leave following 2 years of service.

Additional Perks, Rewards and Benefits

• Private Optical, Dental and Audiological cover
• Private Medical care
• Loyalty scheme which rewards you with extra annual leave following 2 years of service, up to 5 extra days.
• Long service awards for 5-, 10- and 15-years’ service
• Regular team building days, parties, meals and more!
• Complimentary health and wellbeing support with our employee’s assistance programme
• Full Training Package 

Job summary

The role of Partnership & Referrals Manager is required to oversee the referral service and promote the work and services of Channels & Choices Therapeutic Community, which is made up of Sallygate School, residential homes, a fostering service and a multi-disciplinary therapy team, to our existing placing authorities and potential new customers across Kent and other local authorities across the UK.

The postholder will be expected to nurture and develop close links with the Local Authority SEN and Commissioning Teams as well as other key internal and external stakeholders.

The postholder will be key in generating new enquiries and managing all new referrals for the Sallygate School and all residential and fostering services ensuring that all vacancies are filled.

Actively seeking out client development opportunities to gain a deep understanding of local authority needs and the local market.  This role requires the post holder to work in close partnership across the school, residential services, fostering team, our therapy team and local authorities.

Main Duties & Responsibilities:

• Oversee the management and co-ordination of all referrals that are received by Channels & Choices:
• Be responsible for ensuring the quality and delivery of the service meets the identified performance targets:
• Build partnerships with local authorities via regular communication, site visits and information open days:
• Work with both new and existing local authorities’ customers to develop their knowledge of the range of services offered by Channels & Choices, ensuring this information is included in their ‘local offer’:
• Plan and implement a regular channel of communication to further develop stakeholder relationships in order to gather information about any forthcoming referrals and to keep ahead in the marketplace:
• Plan and deliver engagement with service users and other key stakeholders to develop market intelligence which will inform the development of marketing strategies:
• Prepare and compile in readiness for relevant national tender and framework documentation:
• Monitor end dates of different frameworks and proactively engage in any new tender process:
• Work with Heads of Departments to negotiate and agree different placement fees and support packages:
• Complete regular benchmark exercise to ensure that fostering/school and residential homes of Channels and Choices remain competitive within the national marketplace:
• Regular liaison with the finance department to ensure they are informed of any new placements, changes to placement or any changes to the fee structure:
• Participate in the Quality Assurance process of school provisions to ensure that they meet the needs, the standards and requirements of all local authorities:
• Provide 6 weekly report to include placement data/trends/demands to the directors in order to identify growth opportunities:
• Demonstrate effective leadership by implementing organisational strategies aligned with Channels & Choices community’s objectives:
• Line management responsibilities for staff members of the referral service, ensuring appropriate induction, supervision and appraisal processes are in place with the support from HR:
• Attend the matching meetings and any other relevant internal and external meetings as and when necessary:
• Support the matching process of all referrals made for the school, residential and fostering:
• Ensure all relevant information and records are received from Local Authorities and that this paperwork is shared with the appropriate people prior to placements being agreed:
• Regularly review the referrals and transition process to ensure that it is fit for purpose:
• Liaise with relevant staff within Channels & Choices to agree and arrange initial visits or meetings regarding potential new placements:
• In consultation with Directors, support internal and external stability and disruption meetings:
• Have regular communication with Registered Managers and Heads of Departments to have a good understanding and knowledge of each service:
• Attend internal and external conferences and events to promote Channels & Choices and take part in networking with attendees:
• Attend and participate in regular supervision with your line manager:
• Undertake any training and development that the role requires:
• Actively promote Channels & Choices vision, aims and objectives:
• Comply with all Channels & Choices policies and procedures and keep up to date with relevant legalisation, such as Children’s Homes & Fostering Regulations, Statutory Guidance for Schools etc:
• Commit to the safeguarding and promoting of the welfare of children and young people:
• Undertake any other duties that may be deemed appropriate to achieve the objectives of the post as directed by your line manager:

Professional experience and qualifications:

• Good general education, GSCE Maths & English desirable
• At least three year’s previous experience in a similar role
• Experience of working within or directly for Commissioning Services teams in Local Authorities
• Experience of preparing national frameworks and tender documentation in relation to Placements and commissioning of services.

Key skills and attributes:

• Highly organised with the ability to prioritise tasks and work under pressure.
• Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication skills
• High attention to detail
• A problem-solving approach to work
• Able to handle sensitive and confidential information with honesty and integrity.

Personal Qualities

• Polite and friendly manner with a can-do attitude
• Confident and able to communicate with multi-disciplinary teams
• Enthusiastic, flexible, and hard working
• Ability to work on own initiative.
• Reliable and punctual

Channels and Choices are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the young people in our care. Staff are all required to adhere to the organisation’s Safeguarding Policies and Procedures. This post will be subject to a clear Enhanced DBS Disclosure, an employment background check, satisfactory references & verification of a right to work in the UK. As part of our commitment to Safer Recruitment, CV’s cannot be considered without a completed application form.

Channels & Choices are committed to ensuring that we are always recruiting, retaining, and promoting a diverse mix of colleagues who are representative of the diversity in our local community. We actively celebrate our staff’s different abilities, sexual orientation, ethnicity, faith, and gender. Everyone is welcome to apply for a job with Channels & Choices and our staff are supported in their development at all stages in their journey with us.

Channels and Choices reserve the right to carry out background social media checks on all new applicants.