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Operations Manager / Department Lead– Do you want to be part of a transformative organisation that truly changes the lives of survivors
We are seeking a dedicated, skilled, and compassionate Operations Manager / Department Lead to work alongside our Strategic Lead and CEO, overseeing our service delivery teams in Ipswich and managing operations across the East of England.
About Survivors in Transition:
Survivors in Transition (SiT) is a leading Suffolk-based charity that provides specialist support, advocacy, and resources for survivors of sexual violence. Grounded in trauma-informed principles, SiT offers safe, inclusive spaces that empower individuals to heal, recover, and thrive - driving meaningful and lasting social impact.
Fantastic company benefits include:
- Competitive Salary: On offer is a competitive salary of £33,000 – £40,000 per annum (depending on experience)
- Holiday: 25 days annual leave, plus your birthday off and bank holidays
- Employee extras: pension scheme, health cover, and additional wellbeing benefits
About the role:
As an Operations Manager / Department Lead, you will play a vital role in ensuring the effective and compassionate delivery of our services. Leading dedicated teams within our Therapies and Wellbeing departments, you will combine operational excellence with a trauma-informed approach, driving performance, maintaining compliance, and nurturing a supportive culture across all areas of service delivery.
Main duties and responsibilities:
- Lead the Service Delivery Department, overseeing Therapies & Wellbeing teams to ensure staffing, resources, and contracts meet service and compliance requirements.
- Coordinate service delivery across East Anglia, managing subcontracted therapists to provide safe, effective, and person-centred support for survivors of sexual violence.
- Act as a safeguarding lead, overseeing risk management processes including MARAC and MASH involvement.
- Manage case allocation, staffing cover, supervision, and wellbeing support to maintain service quality and contractual performance.
- Foster strong relationships with partners and agencies, ensuring effective referral pathways, collaboration, and representation at regional forums.
- Drive departmental performance through strategic planning, data reporting, budget monitoring, and continuous improvement in line with organisational objectives.
About you:
As an Operations Manager / Department Lead, you will hold an undergraduate degree in a relevant field such as Counselling, Psychotherapy, Psychology, Mental Health, or Social Care, along with at least five years’ experience in service or operations management. You’ll bring strong safeguarding knowledge, excellent leadership and communication skills, and a deep understanding of trauma-informed practice. You will be confident in operational efficiency, quality assurance, and resource management, with strong skills in data analysis and budget management. You will be able to work independently to drive operational improvements while maintaining empathy and professionalism in all interactions. Excellent IT skills, advanced organisational ability, and a collaborative, non-judgmental approach are essential - as is a sense of humour and resilience when working in a fast-paced, emotionally demanding environment. A full, clean driving licence is required.
A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be performed on every individual taking up this role and may be repeated as appropriate
If you have the relevant skills and experience for the Operations Manager / Department Lead position and wish to be part of our journey that makes a difference in the lives of survivors, please apply by forwarding your CV with an expression of interest as a first page of your CV, as soon as possible.
No recruitment agencies, please
Please check your email inbox and spam / junk mail folder for any email correspondence for this role.
Additional keywords: Operations Manager, Department Lead, Trauma-Informed Practice, Sexual Violence Recovery, Safeguarding Leadership, Strategic Service Delivery, Advocacy, Mental Health Support, Counselling and Therapy, Organisational Development, Professional Growth, Counselling, Psychotherapy, Psychology, Mental Health, Social Care.
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