The Opportunity

We are looking for a Head of Programmes to join our team. This is an exciting opportunity to lead the national delivery of IPS Grow, a flagship programme, supporting the scale and quality of Individual Placement and Support (IPS) services across England. As Head of Programmes at Social Finance, you’ll oversee contract delivery, drive quality improvement, and support a high-performing team to provide expert technical assistance to IPS services in mental health and substance use settings. You’ll also work closely with national partners, including NHS England and local authorities, to influence and embed best practice.

You’ll play a central role in integrating our delivery, workforce and data work streams, shaping a joined-up approach to service transformation. This role offers the chance to make a tangible impact on people’s lives by supporting access to meaningful employment, while building a culture of learning, inclusion, and continuous improvement within the IPS Grow team. If you bring deep IPS expertise and a passion for leading complex programmes that deliver real social change, we would love to hear from you.

The Team 

IPS Grow is a national programme designed to support the expansion of Individual Placement and Support (IPS) services in mental health, primary care, and drug and alcohol teams across England. The programme is led by Social Finance in partnership with the Centre for Mental Health. It is funded by NHS England and Improvement (NHSE/I), the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID).

Key Responsibilities

Coordinating effective delivery of IPS Grow contracts

• Provide operational oversight that ensures IPS Grow delivers our KPIs, quality standards and other contract requirements within agreed timelines

• Line manage IPS Grow Regional Managers and indirectly oversee IPS Grow Regional Leads and Support Leads, building a performance-focused, supportive culture

• Provide operational oversight for annual planning of Fidelity Reviews, Guided Self-Assessments and technical support

• Ensure that IPS Grow Regional Managers and Regional Leads have the resources and support they need to deliver high-quality services while enjoying good wellbeing

• Build good relationships with key stakeholders, including NHSE/DHSC and OHID. Support Regional Managers to work strategically with key stakeholders such as Integrated Care Boards and Local and Combined Authorities

Quality improvement

• Drive IPS Grow’s technical assistance and quality improvement support, including fidelity reviews, to IPS services in mental health and substance recovery settings

• Ensure that our systems, documents, policies and processes reflect best practice and learning

• Monitor stakeholder and service satisfaction with our delivery. Identify and implement improvements based on what we learn.

• Act as a point of escalation for concerns, complaints or issues with our operational delivery, working with the Regional Managers to ensure appropriate resolution.

• Create processes, and nurture a culture of psychological safety, that empowers IPS Grow colleagues to identify ways in which we can improve our practice

• Working with Regional Managers to support a culture of team learning, reflection and continuous improvement, with an emphasis on evidence-based practice and the use of data

 Integration of IPS Grow workstreams

• Work closely with the Head of Data Analytics – IPS Grow and Head of Workforce and Engagement to integrate workstreams across all aspects of our delivery

• Liaise with our data team to answer operational queries and ensure they have a good understanding of operational requirements, including data capture, reporting and visualisations needed to drive performance

• Ensure processes are in place to integrate different roles within IPS Grow’s regional teams, and ensure an ‘MDT’ approach (e.g. ensure there is effective matrix management of Workforce Leads within IPS Grow regional teams)

 Other leadership duties

• Act as the Deputy for the Director of Delivery – IPS Grow in meetings, Communities of Practice and elsewhere

• Working closely and collaboratively with IPS Grow senior leadership team colleagues

• Engage closely with colleagues in other parts of the team to ensure consistency and quality of practice, help solve common challenges, and support a ‘one team’ culture

• Leading on agreed initiatives/workstreams to support delivery of the IPS Grow Strategy and key priorities, such as race equity

• Building a positive team culture, responsive to individual and collective needs

• Contributing towards regional and national reports for funders/stakeholders

• Continuously refining practice and skill by engaging with IPS experts and other stakeholders in the UK and internationally to bring the best and most up-to-date understanding of “what works” to programme delivery

• Be an ambassador for Social Finance and for the IPS model

• To reflect on own practice, including identifying own learning and development needs

• Support the ongoing connection between the IPS Grow team and the wider Social Finance team

About You

• Comprehensive knowledge of the IPS model, with the ability to lead credibly at a national and international level

• Understanding of the role that Fidelity Reviews, Guided Self-Assessments and technical support play in high-fidelity IPS delivery

• Proven ability to influence and/or manage the performance of IPS services

• Relationship-building and senior stakeholder management

Working at Social Finance

The fixed salary for this position is £75,000 per annum. Read more about what it’s like to work at Social Finance here.

About Social Finance

We are an ambitious not for profit organisation that helps to design, fund and scale better solutions to complex social problems. Our vision is a fairer world where together we unleash the potential of people and communities. We do this by working in partnership with local and national governments, funders, communities and the social sector to tackle complex and enduring social problems in the UK and across the world.

Our skills include financial analysis, data and digital insight, outcomes-focused partnerships, strategy, research and design. We combine these specialisms in different ways to address specific social challenges. We create effective solutions that blend the expertise of communities and professionals to deliver better outcomes in issues such as homelessness, domestic abuse, children’s services, health, employment and skills.

Ready to make your own impact on these issues? Then come and join us.

Our multi-skilled team of over 120 people come from diverse backgrounds in the public, private and charity sectors, all sharing a passion for making change happen. We provide a high-quality training and development programme in-house with great opportunities for career progression. We’re a friendly and intellectually curious bunch, always up for a debate.

Our Values

Everyone at Social Finance believes that change for communities is possible. To help us achieve it, we have three core values that guide everything we do. We are curious, empathetic and pioneering.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

We actively encourage applications from under-represented and minoritised groups, including those with lived experience of the social issues we are working to address. We are an equal opportunities employer and support a range of flexible working options. Read more about our approach to equity, diversity and inclusion here.

Closing date for applications: 9 am Monday 14 July 2025

Zoom interviews to take place: Wednesday 23 July 2025