Ark has been successfully supporting people with Learning Disabilities, Autism, Mental Health, and Complex Support needs to live good lives and make their home in their communities for 47 years. Providing over 16,000 hours of support a week, we currently support over 400 people across Scotland in 12 Local Authority areas.

Ark has a long history of supporting people using Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) approaches and we want to build on this by making a step change in the way we support staffs’ understanding and development, placing PBS at the heart of our service delivery.

To support our PBS strategy, we now have an exciting opportunity to join Ark’s newly established Practice Development Team as a Care & Support Practice Leader. Reporting to the Practice Development Manager, Care & Support Practice Leaders will promote a learning culture and lead on embedding a coaching and mentoring practices within their area.

This is a newly established team that will have a national reach within Arks services across Scotland.

You will play a key role in staff and managers’ development through building knowledge, capacity, and resilience within their teams. This role will mainly be based out in our services allowing you to support with identifying potential areas for improvement and work with managers and teams to find appropriate solutions while maintaining consistency of care for our supported people. You will be innovative and committed to continuous improvement, actively engaging in proactive reflective practice and feedback in your work activity. You will ensure that all developments are based on evidence and best practice.

There will be a focus on the implementation of our Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) Strategy within this role. You will ensure PBS personal planning processes are carried out and based on appropriate assessments and understanding of behaviours, risk assessments and developed with the supported person, family, and other professionals.

As this is a new role for Ark there will be a real emphasis on ensuring that we review, adapt, and improve our processes regularly to ensure that Practice Leaders are providing the right support to managers, team members and supported people.

The ideal candidate will have:

• Experience of working with people who have a wide range of support needs and personal outcomes in a person-centred way in social care.
• Experience of working with people who have experienced trauma and may have been marginalised and with people with behaviours of concern, supporting them to better quality of life outcomes and access wider opportunities.
• Experience of taking a lead role within a team.
• Demonstratable experience of applying evidence and knowledge to decision making processes.
• Strong report writing skills.
• Demonstratable experience that shows the ability to coach and mentor others and successfully transferring embedded knowledge to others.
• Excellent interpersonal skills in order to communicate well with supported people and colleagues at all levels.
• Be able to demonstrate an accomplished level of skill used when directly supporting people.
• Willingness to travel to Arks Services throughout Scotland.

Does this sound like the perfect fit for you?

If you’d like to discuss the opportunity and find out more about the role, please contact Calum Robson, Practice Development Manager via email calum.robson@arkha.org.uk .

Find out more, download the Job Outline at arkha.org.uk/work-with-us

Please note this post will include travel across Ark services and while there will be some hybrid working flexibility within the role the majority of your working week you will be working within Arks services across Scotland.

Why Ark?

Hybrid Working: While mainly based in Arks services across Scotland there will be some flexibility for Hybrid working.

Flexible Working Times: Not a 9am - 5pm person. Arks allows you to flex your start & finish time in agreement with your line manager.

Employee Assistance Program: Arks Employee Assistance program (EAP) gives all employees access to counselling sessions. There is also support available through weekly webinars and the EAP Website & App.

Employee Discounts: Employee Discounts Portal with 1000s of discounts on your favourite brands including Supermarkets, Cinema Tickets, Gym Membership and Holidays.

In return for your valuable contribution, Ark will also offer you:

• Up to 36 days paid holiday per year pro rata
• 4% Contributory pension scheme
• Cycle to Work Scheme

Ark is a major provider of Care and Support to people with long term and enduring conditions including learning disability, mental health issues, dementia and autism. As a Housing Association, we provide a range of accommodation much of which has been designed or adapted to meet the needs of people with disabilities.

Our aim is to create the best possible customer outcomes through our highly skilled people, the provision of high-quality affordable homes and excellent care.