Team Leader

Team Leader (Day Opportunities) – Papworth Trust is looking for a compassionate and values-driven Team Leader to join their Day Opportunities Service to start as soon as possible in this full-time, permanent role based in Basildon, Essex.

This is a newly created opportunity to lead a team within the Day Opportunities service and make a real difference in the lives of adults with profound and multiple disabilities, supporting them to develop independence, engage in meaningful activities, and build relationships within a safe and inclusive environment.

Fantastic company benefits include:

• Competitive Salary:£27,500 per annum
• Holiday: 33 days annual leave including bank holidays (pro rata for part-timers), with an annual leave purchase scheme
• Pension: Enhanced employer contribution
• Wellbeing, development & rewards: Health cashback plan, occupational sick pay (after probation), wellbeing and employee assistance support, mental health first aid, and wellbeing discussions, access to training and professional qualifications, Values in Practice recognition awards, tax-saving schemes such as cycle to work, car purchase and pension via salary exchange, and involvement in employee forums and colleague experience groups to ensure your voice is heard

About the role:

As Team Leader, you will oversee the day-to-day operations, coordination, and delivery of a Day Opportunities centre and community-based activity service for disabled adults, while ensuring high standards of care, compliance, and service quality.

You will act as a deputy to the Service Manager when required, supporting operational management, staff development, and service improvement. The role is hands-on, involving direct support to customers where needed, including personal care.

This is a full-time, 37.5-hour per week, Monday to Friday (on-site) role.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and coordinate the delivery of inclusive, person-centred activities across community and centre-based services, managing staff, volunteers, rotas, recruitment, and development
• Overseeing facilities, equipment, activity sessions.
• Ensure customers have appropriate assessments and support plans, delivering tailored activities and promoting choice, independence, and engagement
• Build and maintain effective relationships with families, carers, professionals, and external organisations, supporting service promotion, networking, and development
• Ensure compliance with safeguarding, health and safety, equality, diversity, GDPR, and organisational policies, acting as Safeguarding Lead and promoting best practice
• Maintain accurate records and documentation, manage budgets and petty cash, monitor customer progress, and contribute to continuous service improvement

About you:

As a Team Leader, you will be a compassionate, values-driven individual with a strong understanding of disability and a commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion. You will have previous experience supporting both men and women with mental and physical disabilities in a formal setting, delivering person-centred support, and supervising staff. You will be organised, proactive, and an effective communicator, able to build strong relationships and manage a varied workload in a fast-paced environment. You will also have strong administrative skills, including maintaining records, monitoring progress, and managing budgets.

You will be confident supporting individuals to achieve their goals, including managing challenging behaviour and providing personal care where required.

Why Papworth Trust:

Papworth Trust is a leading disability charity, working to create a world where disabled people are seen for who they are and can live with equality, choice and independence. Our Day Opportunities Services provide vital support to enable adults with disabilities to live meaningful, connected, and fulfilling lives.

Additional information: The post is subject to an Enhanced DBS with Adults Barred List check and candidates must be authorised to work in the UK.

Papworth Trust is a Disability Confident employer. We welcome applications from disabled candidates and guarantee interviews to those who meet the minimum criteria. If you require reasonable adjustments or alternative formats, please let us know as early as possible.

If you have the relevant skills and experience for this Team Leader (Day Opportunities) role and would like to be considered, please apply by submitting an up-to-date CV. We look forward to hearing from you. Please note, face-to-face interviews will take place from 22nd April 2026.

Please check your email inbox and spam / junk mail folder for any email correspondence for this vacancy.

No Recruitment agencies please.

Additional Keywords: Team Leader, Day Opportunities, Learning Disabilities, Personal Care, Moving & Handling, Makaton, Communication Support, Care Planning, Inclusion, Independence, Safeguarding, Health & Safety, Staff Supervision, Community Activities, Person-Centred Support

This vacancy is being advertised and handled through Spider, the region’s Online Job Advertiser on our behalf. We both take your privacy seriously. When you apply, your details are processed and available for us to directly review for this vacancy. As you might expect you may be contacted by email, text, or telephone. For full Privacy Policy details please see email correspondences on receipt of your application.