Location: Home Based
Contract Type: Full Time, Permanent
Salary: £26,457
DBS: Enhanced with Adults

Make a difference when people need it most

At Rethink Mental Illness, we believe that everyone severely affected by mental illness deserves expert support, understanding, and hope.

We're looking for an experienced and compassionate Overnight Team Leader to join our Black Country 24/7 Mental Health Helpline, working 12:00am – 8:00 am, 5 shifts per week. This is a unique opportunity to lead a dedicated team providing vital support to people experiencing urgent mental health concerns during the night, when support can be hardest to access. The helpline has a weekend rota in place, requiring staff to work one full weekend (Saturday & Sunday) every 4 weeks

As an Overnight Team Leader, you'll combine direct delivery of mental health support with leadership responsibilities, guiding a small team to provide safe, high-quality, recovery-focused services. You'll help ensure callers receive the right support at the right time, while developing and motivating colleagues to deliver their very best.

About the service

The Black Country 24/7 Mental Health Helpline provides free, confidential support to people across Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton who are experiencing urgent mental health difficulties or concerns. The service operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and works closely alongside NHS clinical services.

The helpline runs 365 days a year, and the post holder is required to work bank holidays. Annual Leave is not permitted over the Christmas and New Year period, at this time we operate a rota where staff are permitted to work three 4 hour shifts alongside their usual hours.

Support may include:

• Listening and emotional support
• Practical guidance and coping strategies
• De-escalation during times of crisis
• Signposting and referrals to appropriate services
• Encouraging self-help and recovery-focused approaches
• Follow-up support where appropriate

Our aim is always to provide timely support and help people find the best pathway for their individual needs.

What you'll be doing

As Overnight Team Leader, you'll:

• Lead, motivate and coach a small overnight team
• Support day-to-day service delivery and operational oversight
• Provide line management and development support to staff
• Monitor performance and service quality
• Assist with rota planning and workforce coordination
• Support recruitment, induction and ongoing staff development
• Build effective relationships with health professionals and partner organisations
• Deliver direct support to callers experiencing mental health difficulties
• Champion recovery-focused practice and Rethink's values in everything you do

You'll work closely with the Service Manager and Deputy Manager to ensure the service continues to provide exceptional support to local communities.

In addition to performing the Mental Health Triage Helpline Worker role, the post holder will have shift lead/management responsibility for a team of up 3 Mental Health Recovery Workers or ancillary staff within a service.

Who we're looking for

We're keen to hear from candidates who have:

• Experience working within mental health, wellbeing or crisis support services
• Experience supporting, coaching or supervising staff
• Excellent communication and decision-making skills
• The ability to stay calm and supportive in challenging situations
• A commitment to recovery-focused, person-centred support
• Strong organisational and administrative skills
• A passion for improving the lives of people affected by mental illness

Most importantly, you'll share our values and be committed to creating positive outcomes for the people we support.  

Ready to apply?

If you're an experienced mental health professional who is ready to take the next step into leadership while continuing to make a real difference to people's lives, we'd love to hear from you.

Join Rethink Mental Illness and help provide hope and support when it's needed most.

Why join Rethink Mental Illness?

We believe people do their best work when they feel supported, valued and able to be themselves. You'll benefit from:

• An inclusive culture, with colleague-led staff networks for Disability & Neurodiversity, Race & Ethnicity, LGBTQIA+, Gender Equality and Menopause.
• Flexible working and 25 days' annual leave (plus bank holidays and your birthday off), with the option to buy or sell leave.
• Wellbeing support including our Wellbeing Hub, Employee Assistance Programme, Wellbeing Champions and Unmind.
• Learning and development opportunities to help you grow your career.
• Financial and family benefits including a contributory pension, enhanced family leave and travel schemes.
• Recognition and rewards including discounts, cashback offers and a Blue Light Card.
• Referral bonus where you can earn up to £300 for introducing someone to our team.

Our commitment to inclusion

We're proud to be a Disability Confident Employer and a signatory to the Business in the Community Race at Work Charter. We're also committed to becoming a truly anti-racist employer, campaigning organisation and service provider supported by a multi-year equity, diversity and inclusion programme of work.  For more information please view https://www.rethink.org/media/hdtjjy5b/revised-edi-plan-rethink.pdf

We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences and want everyone to have the opportunity to demonstrate their skills and experience. If you need reasonable adjustments during recruitment or when in your role, please let us know and we will work with you to understand what support you need.