Speech and Language Therapist Team Lead

Job summary

Please note: at this stage, the role is open only to colleagues currently employed within Kent and Medway NHS Trusts, the Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board (ICB) and Medway Community Healthcare or working on the Staff Bank within these organisations. Nursing and AHP vacancies are also open to Student Nurses and Newly Qualified Nurses/AHPs.

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Speech and Language Therapist to join our Team Lead team as the Early Years SLT Team Lead for North West Kent.

The successful candidate will have significant experience and expertise in working with children with dysphagia, Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) needs, and complex developmental needs. This role combines both leadership and clinical responsibilities, includingmaintaining a specialist clinical caseload alongside supporting the continued implementation and development of the Balanced Systemapproach across the service.

Our Children's Therapies Service is an integrated multidisciplinary team providing Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Specialist Nurse Advisor, and Care Coordination services for children and young people aged 0 to 19 years across KCHFT.

We work closely with colleagues across health, education, social care, and the voluntary sector to deliver a coordinated, child-centred approach, ensuring children, young people, and their families receive high-quality, seamless care and support.

Main duties of the job

To lead the planning and coordination of the day-to-day operational management of the Early Years Team, ensuring the delivery of an effective,high-quality service.

To be responsible for, and provide oversight of, the line management arrangements for staff within the designated team.

To work collaboratively with other Team Leads to promote effective team working and ensure seamless service provision across the locality and wider service.

To work with Locality Clinical Managers to ensure workforce planning and service redesign are undertaken within the designated team, reducing inefficiencies, avoiding duplication of provision, and ensuring children and young people receive coordinated and seamless services.

To work in partnership with Locality Clinical Managers in relation to recruitment, appraisal, and the management of competency, capability, and disciplinary processes.

To ensure all staff receive appropriate clinical supervision relevant to their area of practice, supporting safe and effective care delivery and enabling the service to respond to local and national priorities and commissioning intentions.

About us

Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust is due to integrate with Medway Community Healthcare on 1 October 2026. Following integration and to align our community services to the new Neighbourhood Model of care delivery, there will be a period of consultation which may result in changes affecting some services, teams or roles. Depending on the area you are applying to work in, this could include potential changes to your role, work base, reporting arrangements, or terms and conditions of employment. Any changes would be subject to consultation and managed sensitively and in line with relevant employment processes. Please do contact the recruiting manager if you have any concerns about this so they can answer any questions you might have.

Rated 'Outstanding' by CQC, we deliver high-quality care that improves the health of our communities. We are looking for people who share our values:Compassionate, Aspirational, Responsive and Excellent.

We are proud to be an inclusive, welcoming organisation and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We use protected characteristic information for monitoring only and it is not seen by recruiting managers, except where applicants choose to be considered under our disability guaranteed interview scheme.

We know life outside work matters. As a flexible working-friendly organisation, we welcome conversations about arrangements that help you thrive while supporting excellent care for our patients.

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Job responsibilities

As a community Trust, many of our roles require individuals to be able to drive to perform their duties. Where driving is a requirement of the role, you will be asked to confirm that you hold a full UK driving licence or a full driving licence issued by an EU country (not exchanged from a non-EU country) to proceed with your application. We are committed to supporting candidates with disabilities into employment. If you are unable to drive due to a disability, please contact the Recruitment Team [email protected], quoting the vacancy reference number, so we can support you further.

The job description and person specification gives you all the information you need about this role. Please look carefully at the criteria in the person specification and tell us what you have done that shows you meet this in your application. If you need an application form in an alternative format please let our recruitment team know. All information you supply on your application should, to the best of your knowledge, be true and accurate.

Still have questions? The recruiting manager would love to hear from you, their contact details can be found in the job advert.

We can get a lot of applications for some roles so to be in with the best chance of being shortlisted please make sure you apply as soon as possible. A vacancy may close early if there is a lot of interest in the job.

At KCHFT we strongly encourage colleagues in clinical and non-clinical roles who have direct or social contact with patients to be fully vaccinated. In this way we will be doing all we can to ensure your safety and that of your colleagues and the patients we serve.

Find out more about the community differencehere.

Good luck! We cant wait to meet you and welcome you to #teamKCHFT, #cometocommunity.

Person specification

Qualifications & Experience

Essential

• You'll need to have a Level 6 Degree or equivalent qualification in relevant subject i.e. Nursing, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy or Speech and Language Therapy.
• Proven ability to work effectively within your area of practice, supported by relevant experience. As well as managing complex caseloads and supporting/ mentoring others.
• You will be a registered health care professional with the Nursing and Midwifery Council or Health and Care Professionals.
• Evidence of Post Graduate Specialist training/qualifications relevant to specialist area of practice.

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• You'll need have sound communication skills in order to understand and communicate both verbally and in writing.
• You will need to have a customer focussed approach which is essential to provide patients, clients and their families with the best possible experience
• You will need to be able to work well under pressure and be able to organise your own work.
• Having an awareness of developments within the NHS would be an advantage as well as an understanding of National Service Frameworks and NICE guidance.

Working Environment

Essential

• A full, valid UK driving licence or a full driving licence issued by an EU country (not exchanged from a non-EU country) and the ability to travel independently are essential for this role.
• Tact and sensitivity will be essential in this role. There will be times when you see distressing situations which may include vulnerable, violent or aggressive patients. You will need to adapt your style to provide reassurance and empathy.